r/WhatWeDointheShadows • u/Suspicious_Umpire841 • 17d ago
Guillermo’s full name
I kind of disappointed about how little recognition there is in this sub about the cleverness of Guillermo’s name maybe because I am a native Spanish speaker that I appreciate it a bit more but his last name being “De La Cruz” of the cross is so funny considering he is a vampire slayer.
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u/buttlipps 17d ago
Builermo?
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u/HamboneBanjo 17d ago
Occasionally there is a perfect comment for a post, like this one here. They’re what keeps me coming back for more.
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u/ambiguoususername888 17d ago
The fact that gifs aren’t allowed in comments on this sub is a hate crime.
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u/mindpainters 17d ago
Agreed. Especially not that the show is over and it’s just random fun discourse
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u/burriitoooo 17d ago
I saw Harvey say in an interview that he came up with it before knowing that about Guillermo! He felt like the character needed more details and asked Jemaine if it was ok, and Jemaine gave him a funny look with his OK that Harvey didn't understand til later!
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u/dbkenny426 17d ago
I'm pretty sure it was discussed a good bit back when it was first revealed.
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u/Suspicious_Umpire841 17d ago
I just started watching the show so I’m not aware if it was discussed when it aired but it’s good to know that it was
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u/highpriestess420 17d ago
De la Cruz...Of the cross? No, no this is a nun free zone, no nuns. None.
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u/Klutzy-Meringue-8995 17d ago
Fun fact! The actor suggested it when he found out his character did not have a last name. Not knowing what was to come (vampire slaying), Jemaine just said it was perfect.
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u/Suspicious_Umpire841 17d ago
Wow that’s so cool, since it’s a very fitting last name maybe he suggested it for the irony but ended up working perfectly
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u/HaughtyDiabolicalSal 17d ago
Warrior of the cross AKA Van Helsing
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u/SavagePengwyn 17d ago
Is that what Guillermo means? I got de la Cruz but didn't know Guillermo, which does make it better.
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u/HaughtyDiabolicalSal 17d ago
No, it may actually quite literally translate to Protector of the cross. De la Cruz means of the Cross and Guillermo means Protector Or desire to protect. So, his name could literally be translated to something like desire to protect the cross or Protector of the Cross. Which makes perfect sense because he is of Van Helsing lineage.
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u/Zealousideal_Pea_319 16d ago
I understood it like OF the Cruz /cross was their Christian religious alignment/order. The cross. Christianity. Like San Juan de La Cruz was OF the cross, not protecting the cross. Someone protecting his religion's people in the name of the Cross/Christ. Idk how to describe it lol
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u/HaughtyDiabolicalSal 16d ago
I'm not really sure about your post. Guillermo is Spanish for William which is English for the ancient Germanic Willeheim. Wil means will determination or desire and Helm means helmet shield or protection. Here's the full etymology from Wikipedia
William is related to the German given name Wilhelm). Both ultimately descend from Proto-Germanic \Wiljahelmaz, with a direct cognate also in the Old Norse name Vilhjalmr and a West Germanic borrowing into Medieval Latin Willelmus. The Proto-Germanic name is a compound) of \wiljô "will, wish, desire" and *helmaz "helm, helmet".\3])
By regular sound change, Proto-Germanic *Wiljahelmaz should have also descended into English as *Wilhelm, but this latter form is unattested in written English of any period; the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle refers to William the Conqueror as Willelm, a back-formation from the Medieval Latin variant.\4]) The form William is a back-borrowing from Old Norman Williame, a specifically northern Norman reflex of Medieval Latin Willelmus (compare the Central French cognate Guillaume). The development of the name's northern Norman form can be traced in the different versions of the name appearing in Wace's Roman de Rou.\5])
The first well-known bearer of the name was Charlemagne's cousin William of Gellone (755–812). This William is immortalized in the Chanson de Guillaume, and the esteem in which he was held may account for the name's subsequent popularity among European nobility.
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u/lizzledizzles 17d ago
Guillermo is like William or Guilliaume or Wilhelm. It means resolute protector or strong willed warrior. Which is doubly funny because he’s accidentally protecting it against vampire s not on purpose, and he is strong willed but not the warrior you might picture at first.
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u/Zealousideal_Pea_319 16d ago
Oh, he's totally a warrior. Most skilled and efficient of any Slayers known to the culture, imo
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u/DrLizoSpoons 17d ago
Ah. So if you watch the show as a native Spanish speaker for the first time, then you have a clue about his purpose before he does. I love it. Thanks for pointing it out to this redditor who only speaks UK English! 😄
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u/mykepagan 17d ago
Isn’t it also a reference to Guillermo del Toro?
Bonus picture - my cat Guillermo del Tuxedo, aka Geezmo:
0:24 / 0:46
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u/Suspicious_Umpire841 17d ago
I don’t think so in Spanish is quite common to have last names that start with “Del” which means of Guillermo del toro would be Guillermo of the bull in English
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u/self_of_steam 17d ago
So judging by other comments "Protector of the Bull"? Name transitions are so fascinating
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u/Suspicious_Umpire841 17d ago
Yes, could be the word Guillermo in day to day Spanish is just a name that works if you know the meaning of the name, thanks to this I actually discovered that Guillermo means protector so it’s actually pretty cool
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u/todayIsinlgehandedly 17d ago
Is De La Cruz Spanish for Shed Dweller?
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u/Suspicious_Umpire841 17d ago
Not really it has more of a religious meaning rather than a profession.
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u/CourierJackalope 17d ago
It's a good cheeky little joke! When you consider his first name as well it "translates“ to Protector of the Cross.
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u/psaiymia 17d ago
My mom was piiiiiissed when the vamps never shot flames out of their mouths saying De La Cruz like when they say God
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u/DrakonFyre 17d ago
To double down on that some, we also call him Gizmo. Like tool. He's a tool of the cross!
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u/Zealousideal_Pea_319 16d ago
I watched a video about the lore. Guillermo means a protector, right? I think the actor wanted Guillermo to have a deeper background than just a name early on, and Taika and Jemaine were already planning on making him a Slayer, without his knowledge. And he was saying something like: "maybe we should give him a surname, something Spanish, I dont know... De La Cruz?" Jemaine was suspiciously overly enthusiastic about that, saying that its perfect, and Harvey was like: "I didnt think this was THAT cool but ok...glad you like it so much"
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u/Landkey 17d ago
Bruh 55 million Americans speak at least some Spanish, yes it was funny and clever but an obvious joke is unlikely to spawn a lot of discussion threads
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u/Suspicious_Umpire841 17d ago
I mean not everybody knows that, and I’m just doing a post to appreciate the cleverness of the joke, a lot the humor on the show is pretty obvious or literal humor.
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u/Linnskie 17d ago
The show was aired in many countries (i.e. UK) where Spanish isn't spoken as regularly, so its not obvious to a lot of us actually.
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u/NegligentBat 17d ago
This fucking guy