Pascual

Pascual is a Spanish given name and surname, cognate of Italian name Pasquale, Portuguese name Pascoal and French name Pascal. In Catalan-speaking area (including Andorra, Valencia, and Balearic islands) Pascual has the variant Pasqual.

Pascual, like Pasquale/Pasqual/Pascal, derives from the Latin paschalis or pashalis, which means "relating to Easter", from Latin pascha ("Easter"), Greek Πάσχα, Aramaic pasḥā, in turn from the Hebrew pesach, which means "to be born on, or to be associated with, Passover day". Since the Hebrew holiday Passover coincides closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the Latin word came to be used for both occasions. In the Katalani Hebrew tradition the name is given to the first born male child.