Quirky Filipino nicknames, explained

If you have Filipino family or friends, you’ve probably encountered a nickname or two that seem really weird by non-Filipino standards.

Case in point: the comedian whose legal name is Joseph Herbert, but who’s better known as Jo Koy:

 

Here’s an explainer for these nicknames, courtesy of OneDown, whose slogan is “Redefining Filipino in today’s modern world”.

The slide above might be wrong — here’s another explanation for the nickname “Totoy”:

(Kuya is the title for “big brother”, and ate is the title for “big sister”.)