Thread: Chela

Does anyone have an idea of how the word chela came to mean beer in mexico?



Joel

Really??? Jajajjajjajajajaj...my grandma's name is Chela....

Hi Veronica,

I hope you're not suggesting a link there (lol). But seriously , is there an origin to the name in Spanish that might give me a hint? I have heard the word Chelo (m.) of Chela (f.) may denote a blond with blue eyes in some parts of Latin America.

Joel

At least in Argentina, Chela doesn't mean anything.
Sometimes it's a short for the name Marcela, or Marcelo, but in my grandma's case, her real name is Noemí....
But it's not related to beer, or blonds here.

Well I was feeling safe until you told me her real name is Noemí. Maybe abue had a secret life with beers and blonds no one is talking about it. Or maybe not; I call my wife Marus like the rest of her family but her real name is Maria Cristina. Other thant the fact that her abuela was called Marus my wife has no idea where the name came form or what it means.

Joel

My sister´s name´s Graciela, and her nickname is chela! jajaj

But no idea about the relationship with beer in Mexico..

anyone knows?

Hi, don't know if this can help, but i've red that sometimes chela means blond.
Here in Italy light beer (in no-dark meaning) is called blond...maybe it's the same in Mexico, who can tell...

Cya all
Ita

we call that beer "blonde" (rubia), and the other "black" (negra)

In Guatemala they say chela too....for example una chela bien fria porfavor....a cold beer....now where chela came from who knows?