Linguistic practices in the formation of drag names in Spain

Abstract

This study aims to fill a gap in the field of onomastics, specifically in the Spanish language: the research into the formation of drag names. It describes the onomastic practices among Spanish drag queens, analyzing the patterns and linguistic strategies used in the creation of their stage names. Based on a custom corpus of 127 Spanish drag names (drawn from TV programs and series dedicated to drag culture, show booking websites, and verified social media profiles of Spanish drag queens), the study examines morphosyntactic characteristics, grammatical categories, and other stylistic resources such as connotative groups, puns, humorous elements, and orthographic changes, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The results reveal a preference for binomial structures, like conventional anthroponyms, and a predominance of feminine grammatical gender, along with cultural references, humorous resources, and changes in spelling, which seem to facilitate the remembrance of the stage name and connection with the audience. Thus, the conclusions contribute to a broader understanding of how identities are constructed and negotiated in contemporary society through language and preserve an important part of the cultural and linguistic heritage related to drag art in the Spanish-speaking world.