For those interested in such things, here are some facts about Esteban's name:
* Esteban is a Spanish male given name, derived from Greek Στέφανος (Stéphanos) and related to the English names Steven and Stephen.
* The correct accent on the Spanish name is on the first syllable, although American pronunciation is often heard with the accent on the last syllable.
* The Spanish name of the person in the Esteban: The African Slave Who Explored America biography is Esteban de Dorantes. The full name reflects his Spanish name of Esteban and the fact that he was "of" Dorantes -- that is, a slave owned by Andrés Dorantes de Carranza.
* His name is often spelled in English-language publications as Estevan, because Spaniards pronounce the V and B almost identically.
* Arab historians often give him the name of Mustapha or Mustafa, which is a common John Doe type of reference for a person whose actual name is unknown. His Moroccan biographer of 2006 reported that early Arab name, referring to "that beautiful family name that his Moroccan admirers affectionately gave him, namely: Mustapha El Azemmouri." That includes a variation of the town of Azemmour, Morocco, where he was first found.
* When the name is transliterated in Arabic from another language, it is pronounced as Steefaan.
* Many modern writers don't realize that the nickname of Estevanico is a condescending and derogatory way that 16-century Spaniards referred to an adult male slave, referring to Esteban as if he were a child. It translates to Little Stephen (although historical accounts say he was tall for the time) or even as Stevie. The negative nickname continues to be used by writers who should know better.
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