Spanish Baby Names: Meanings & Origins

Spanish is the fourth most common language spoken on Earth, so it's no wonder Spanish baby names are so popular throughout the world. The spread of the Spanish language and culture began during the Spanish Empire when Spain sent explorers to expand its territory, eventually including the Philippines, Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Central America, and much of South America and what is now the western and southern part of the United States.

Spanish baby names originate from many sources including history, literature, and religion. Names like Sebastián and Mateo or Martina and Sofia are trendy, while José and Manuel or Cecilia and Isabel are classic and never seem to go out of style.

You may want to choose a Spanish name to honor your heritage or to pass down a family name. But, many people just like and admire the Spanish language and culture or a specific name within it. So, even if you're not Hispanic or living in a Spanish speaking part of the world, you can feel free to choose a baby name you love from a different culture.

Portugal and Brazil are not technically Hispanic countries, and the primary language is Portuguese, not Spanish. However, while the two languages are distinctly different, they are close. Many of the names from these countries are very similar, if not the same as those from Spain and Hispanic countries. Therefore, this list of Spanish baby names includes those that are popular in Portugal and Brazil, as well.

As you look through these popular Spanish baby names, realize that many can be unisex names, so you don't need to be limited by traditional ideas of gendered names.

Popular Spanish Baby Names for Girls

Here are some popular and unique Spanish baby names for girls along with their meanings, origins, and other fun facts.Ftw

Alejandra

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Protector and defender of humankind
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alejandrina, Alyjandra, Alajandra, Alexandra, Alexi, Alex, Lexi, Ali, Allie, Ally
Famous Namesakes: Singer Alejandra Guzmán, Olympic athlete Alejandra Garcia
Peak Popularity: Alejandra was most popular in 1993 when it reached number 147 on the list of the top 1,000 names for girls. It has dropped a little in the last 25 years and was number 544 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Alejandra is the name of a television soap opera, also called a telenovela, produced in Venezuela in the 1990s.

Alondra

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: A lark
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alondria, Alandra, Alondrah, Alondrina, Alondre, Alonda, Ally, Londi
Famous Namesakes: Writer Alondra Nelson, voice actress Alondra Hidalgo
Peak Popularity: Alondra has been relatively popular in the United States since 1995, and reached its highest rank of 120 in 2005. In Puerto Rico, it was the most popular name in 2009 but dropped to number 64 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Alondra Park is a small neighborhood in the South Bay area of Los Angeles, California.

Aurora

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: The dawn, the sunrise or light
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Arora, Arorah, Aroarah, Aurore, Aurorah, Rory, Rorie
Famous Namesakes: Actress Aurora Clavel, actress Aurora Miranda
Peak Popularity: Aurora has been a top 1,000 name for over 100 years. It has been a top 100 name since 2015 and reached number 36 in 2020.

Fun Fact: The aurora borealis is the beautiful northern lights that shimmer across the night sky in the Arctic, and the aurora australis is the southern lights in the Antarctic.

Catalina

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Pure
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Catelina, Catalena, Katalena, Katalina, Catarina, Katarina, Catrina, Katrina, Cathalina, Kathalina, Kathline, Kathleen, Cathline, Cathy, Kathy, Kat, Cat
Famous Namesakes: Actress Catalina Sandino Moreno, former U.S. Treasurer Catalina Vasquez Villalpando
Peak Popularity: Catalina was a top 1,000 name from 1920 to 1935, then it dropped off the list. Almost 55 years later, Catalina returned to the top 1,000 in 1989 and was number 178 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Catalina Island is a popular tourist destination off the coast of Long Beach, California.

Cecilia

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Blind
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cecelia, Cacelia, Cicilia, Sicilia, Sicelia, Cecile, Celia, Ceil, Ceci, Cece, Sissy
Famous Namesakes: Boxer Cecilia Braekhus, actress Cecilia Freire
Peak Popularity: Cecilia is a classic and consistent name. It has been in the top 500 for more than a century. It was number 199 in 1900 and number 147 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of music and a symbol of the important role that music plays in worship and the church.

Clara

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Clear and bright
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Klara, Khlara, Clarah, Clare, Claire, Clarissa
Famous Namesakes: Civil rights leader Clara Lemlich, actress Clara Horton
Peak Popularity: Clara is another traditionally popular name. It was a top 50 name in the early part of the 20^th century and was number 19 in 1900. In 2020, it ranked 103.

Fun Fact: Clara Barton was a nurse and humanitarian who founded the American Red Cross in 1881.

Claudia

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Lame, crippled, and limping
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Claudiah, Claude, Klaudia, Cloudia, Claudine, Claudina, Claudette, Claudie
Famous Namesakes: Model Claudia Schiffer, musician Claudia Feliciano
Peak Popularity: Claudia has been a top 1,000 name for well over 100 years, but it has been declining in the last 15. It fell from number 200 in 2000 to number 872 in 2018.

Fun Fact: Claudia Alta Johnson better known as Lady Bird Johnson was the First Lady of the United States from 1963 until 1969.

Concepción

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Conchita, Concepta, Concetta, Conchetta, Concha, Conxita
Famous Namesakes: Bullfighter Concepción (Conchita) Cintrón, tennis player Conchita Martinez
Peak Popularity: Concepción was a top 1,000 name for girls from before 1900 until 1937, but it has not been on the list since.

Fun Fact: The Battle of Concepción between Mexico and Texas rebels took place on October 28, 1835. Texas claimed the victory in this first major battle of the Texas Revolution.

Consuelo

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: One who gives comfort and provides consolation
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Consuela, Consuello, Consuella, Consuelita, Consolata, Conswello
Famous Namesakes: Fashion editor Consuelo Crespi, comedian Consuelo Duval
Peak Popularity: Consuelo was a the top 1,000 name from 1902 until 1983. It was most popular in 1930.

Fun Fact: Consuelo is one of The Shark Girls in West Side Story, a musical based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

Cruz

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: The cross
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cruise, Cruze, Cruzita, Cruzitte, Kruz, Kruze, Kruise
Peak Popularity: Cruz is a gender-neutral name that can be given to a girl or a boy, but it’s not new. It teetered as a top 1,000 name for girls from 1919 through 1940.

Fun Fact: Cruz Ramirez is a female race car and Lightning McQueen’s trainer in the animated Pixar movie Cars 3.

Dulce

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Sweet like candy
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Dulcea, Dulcee, Dulcia, Dulsea, Doulce, Doulcea, Dulcie
Famous Namesakes: Singer Dulce Maria, Olympic athlete Dulce Piña
Peak Popularity: Dulce hit the top 1,000 list for girls in 1990. It was most popular in 2007 with a rank of 264.

Fun Fact: Dulce de leche is a sweet, sugary treat that is similar to caramel.

Elena

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Beautiful bright shining light
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Elaina, Yelena, Helena, Elene, Elaine, Ileana, Alena, Elina, Elana, Lena, Ella, Jelena
Famous Namesakes: Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, actress Elena Kampouris
Peak Popularity: Elena has been a long-established name for well over a century, although its popularity has been on the rise in the last 20 years. It hit the top 100 in 2015 and was number 55 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Hurricane Elena was a major Category 3 storm that was part of the very active 1985 Hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean.

Elisa

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Devoted to God
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eliza, Elicia, Elisha, Lisa, Elise, Elyse
Famous Namesakes: Actress Elisa Donovan, singer Elisa Toffoli
Peak Popularity: Elisa is another classic name. Its most popular year in the last 100 years was 1981 when it reached a rank of 311.

Fun Fact: Four Satellites named ELISA (ELectronic Intelligence by SAtellite) were launched into space by the French military in 2011.

Emilia

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: A rival and competitor
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Emelia, Amelia, Amila, Emelie, Emilie, Emilee, Emily, Emmie, Milly, Millie
Famous Namesakes: Actress Emilia Clarke, writer Emilia Pardo Bazan
Peak Popularity: Emilia was a the top 1,000 name in the early part of the 20^th century, but fell out of favor in the 1940s. It reappeared in the 1980s and has been steadily gaining in popularity. In 2020, it was number 40.

Fun Fact: Emilia is the wife of Iago, and Desdemona’s lady in waiting in the Shakespeare play, Othello.

Esperanza

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Hope
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Esparazna, Espe
Famous Namesakes: Artist Esperanza Martinez, musician Esperanza Spalding
Peak Popularity: Esperanza has been in the top 1,000 for most of the last 100 years. It was most popular in 1929 with a rank of 446.

Fun Fact: Esperanza Ortega is the main character in Esperanza Rising, a historical fiction novel for young adults written by Pam Muñoz Ryan.

Eugenia

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Regal and born into high society
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eugena, Eugina, Eugynia, Eugenie, Eugenya, Eugeny, Genie
Famous Namesakes: Author Eugenia Price, model Eugenia Silva
Peak Popularity: Eugenia is a traditional name that was in the top 1,000 before 1900 and until 1984. It is now less common.

Fun Fact: Eugenia is the name of a group of tropical plants that include flowering evergreen trees and bushes.

Fabiola

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Bean
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Fabia, Faviola, Fabiolah, Fabeola, Fabrizia, Fabi
Famous Namesakes: Skateboarder Fabiola Da Silva, tennis player Fabiola Zuluaga
Peak Popularity: Fabiola became a top 1,000 name in 1986. It was most popular in 1995 when it reached a rank of 664, but it fell off the list in 2007. However, it is still popular in Puerto Rico where it was a top 100 name in 2020.

Fun Fact: Queen Fabiola was married to King Baudouin and was the Queen of Belgium from 1960 to 1993.

Gabriela

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: God is the strength and hero
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Gabriella, Gabriele, Gabrielle, Gabryela, Gaby
Famous Namesakes: Actress Gabriela Spanic, tennis player Gabriela Sabatini
Peak Popularity: Gabriela hit the top 1,000 list in 1965. Its popularity has grown ever since, and it reached a peak of 102 in 2003. Gabriela was number 37 in Puerto Rico in 2020.

Fun Fact: Gabriela Mistral was the pen name of Lucila Godoy Alcayaga who won the Nobel Peace Prize in Literature in 1945 for her poetry.

Gloria

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Glorious and full of praise
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Glorea, Glorhea, Gloriah
Famous Namesakes: Singer Gloria Estefan, designer Gloria Vanderbilt
Peak Popularity: Gloria has been popular for over 100 years. It was a top 50 name from 1923 to 1956, and it was number 578 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Gloria Stivic is the daughter of Archie and Edith Bunker on the classic sitcom All in the Family and its spin-off, Gloria.

Guadalupe

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Named for the Guadalupe River, the town in Spain, or the patron saint.
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Guadelupe, Guadeloupe, Lupe, Lupita
Famous Namesakes: Olympic athlete Guadalupe Canseco, Miss Universe 1991 Lupita Jones
Peak Popularity: Guadalupe has been in the top 1,000 for more than a century. It reached number 210 in the U.S. in 1997. It is also very common in Mexico.

Fun Fact: An apparition of the Virgin Mary or “Our Lady of Guadalupe” appeared in Mexico in 1531. She is the patron saint of the Americas.

Isabel

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: One who loves and commits to God
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Izabel, Isabelle, Isabela, Isabella, Izabela, Izabella, Isobel, Isobelle, Bella, Isa, Izzy
Famous Namesakes: Singer Isabel Pantoja, actress Isabel Sanford
Peak Popularity: Isabel is a classic name. It was number 185 in 1900 and number 157 in 2020. It’s also a top 100 name in Spain and Portugal.

Fun Fact: Isabel Perón became the President of Argentina in 1974 after the passing of her husband, Juan Perón.

Isidora

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Strong and beautiful gift
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Isadora, Isadore, Izadore, Isidoria, Isadoria, Isa, Iza, Dora
Famous Namesakes: Artist Isidora Zegers, actress Isidora Vives
Peak Popularity: Isidora is a unique name that does not appear in the top 1,000.

Fun Fact: Saint Isidora was a nun from Egypt who lived a life of great humility and devotion to God.

Jade

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Green and like the gemstone
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jayde, Jada, Jadin, Jaden, Jayda, Jadie, Jadine
Famous Namesakes: Designer Jade Jagger, Olympic athlete Jade Barbosa
Peak Popularity: Jade hit the top 1,000 in 1975 and quickly rose to its highest rank of 86 in 2002. In 2020, it was ranked 97.

Fun Fact: Jade is a green mineral stone that is believed to have properties that are protective, calming, and healing.

Juana

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: God is gracious and merciful
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Juanna, Juanita, Jane, Joan, Joanna
Famous Namesakes: Singer Juana Molina, artist Juana Lumerman
Peak Popularity: Juana was a top 1,000 name for most of the last 100 years. It became less common around 2000 and has not been in the top 1,000 since 2002.

Fun Fact: Juana I, the Queen of Castile and Aragon, was also known as Juana la Loca or Joanna the Mad.

Juliana

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Forever young
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Julianna, Giuliana, Juliannah, Julita, Juliette, Julieta, Julie, Julia, Julianne, Julie, Jules, Julian
Famous Namesakes: Philosopher Juliana González Valenzuela, actress Julianna Margulies
Peak Popularity: Juliana has been around for a very long time, but it is more popular than ever in recent years. It reached number 146 in 2010 and maintains a ranking around that number.

Fun Fact: The Juliana Canal in the Netherlands is named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands who reigned from 1948 to 1980.

Laura

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Crowned in laurel or from the laurel tree
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Laurita, Laurel, Laurette, Lauretta, Lauren, Laurena, Laurie, Lori
Famous Namesakes: Writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, designer Laura Ashley
Peak Popularity: Laura was in the top 100 for most of the 20^th century. In 1969, it reached number 10. It has dropped a little in the ranks since 2002 and was number 357 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Laura Chinchilla Miranda was the first woman President of Costa Rica.

Leticia

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Joy and happiness
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Letitia, Latisha, Letizia, Letishia
Famous Namesakes: Skateboarder Leticia Bufoni, TV personality Leticia Castro
Peak Popularity: Leticia was on the top 1,000 list from 1950 until 2008. It was most popular in 1976.

Fun Fact: The Feast of Saint Leticia in held each September in Ayerbe, Spain.

Lola

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Full of sorrow
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lolita, Lolah, Lowla
Famous Namesakes: Actress Lola Glaudini, singer Lola Falana
Peak Popularity: Lola is a vintage name that was number 114 in 1900. It remained a top 1,000 name until 1981, then it disappeared until 2001. Now it's making a comeback, and it was number 240 in 2020.

Fun Fact: “Lola” was hit song for the rock band, the Kinks. It was released in 1970 and is considered one of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

Lucia

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Light
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lucita, Luicia, Luciah, Luciana, Lucie, Lucy, Luca, Lucas
Famous Namesakes: Actress Lucia Moniz, writer Lucía González,
Peak Popularity: Lucia has been in the top 1,000 for more than 100 years. It was number 163 in the U.S. in 2020, and number 1 in Spain from 2003 to 2018 and number 2 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Saint Lucia is an island and tropical vacation destination in the Caribbean Sea.

Luisa

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Warrior
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Louisa, Luisita, Luisana, Louiza, Luiza, Luz
Famous Namesakes: Writer Luisa Castro, singer Luisa Sobral
Peak Popularity: Luisa is an old name that has made the top 1,000 at times over the last 100 years. Its highest rank was 750 in 1911.

Fun Fact: Luisa de Guzmán was the Queen of Portugal from 1640 to 1656.

Margarita

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Pearl or the daisy flower
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Margherita, Margharita, Margarite, Margaret, Margo
Famous Namesakes: Former First Lady of Mexico Margarita Zavala, actress Margarita Levieva
Peak Popularity: Margarita was most popular in 1950 with a rank of 334. It dropped out of the top 1,000 in 2007 and is now less common.

Fun Fact: A Margarita is a crowd-pleasing alcoholic drink made with tequila.

Marina

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: From the sea or loves the sea
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Marena, Merina, Mariana, Marinda Maritza, Martina, Maribel, Marin
Famous Namesakes: Actress Marina de Tavira, actress Marina Ruy Barbosa
Peak Popularity: Marina has been a top 1,000 name for most of the last century. It was most popular in the U.S. in 1994 when it reached 218. It is a top 100 name in Spain.

Fun Fact: Marina del Rey is a waterfront area and tourist destination on the Santa Monica Bay in Los Angeles, California.

Mariposa

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Butterfly
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Maryposa, Marriposa, Mareposa, Mariposah, Mari
Peak Popularity: Mariposa is unique and not a top 1,000 name.

Fun Fact: The Mariposa lily is a flower native to America that has beautiful markings on the petals that make it look like a butterfly.

Marisol

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: The solitude of the Virgin Mary, or the sun and the sea
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Marisole, Marizol, Marrisol, Merisol, Marisal, Marisel, Marisa, Mari
Famous Namesakes: Actress Marisol Nichols, artist Marisol Escobar
Peak Popularity: Marisol has been declining in popularity but is still in the top 1000. It was most popular in 1996 when it reached 235. In 2020, it was ranked 974.

Fun Fact: As part of the American Girl Doll Collection, Marisol Luna was the Girl of the Year in 2005.

Mercedes

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Merciful
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Mercedita, Mersaydes, Mersades, Mercedis, Mercides, Merci, Mercy, Merce
Famous Namesakes: Olympic athlete Mercedes Peris, actress Mercedes McCambridge
Peak Popularity: Mercedes has been a top 1,000 name since before 1900. It was most popular in 1991 when it reached a rank of 164. But, its use has declined in the last 15 years, and it fell off the list in 2015.

Fun Fact: Mercedes-Benz is a German brand of luxury cars and other vehicles.

Milagros

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Miracles
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Milagro, Millagros, Milagritos, Milagrosa, Mili
Famous Namesakes: Model Milagros Schmoll, actress Milagros Flores
Peak Popularity: Milagros is not too common, but it did make it into the top 1,000 from 1954 to 1970 and from 2008 to 2011.

Fun Fact: Milagro is the name of an album released in 1992 by the rock band Santana.

Natalia

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Born on Christmas Day
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Natala, Natalya, Nathalia, Natalie, Talia, Thalia
Famous Namesakes: Singer Natalia Jiménez, actress Natalia Tena
Peak Popularity: Natalia was a top 1,000 name from 1925 to 1929 and in 1934. Then, it turned up again 40 years later in 1975 and quickly rose in the ranks. It was 84 in 2020.

Fun Fact: The USS Natalia was a motorboat built in 1909 that served as a patrol boat in the United States Navy from 1917 to 1918.

Paloma

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Beautiful dove
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Palloma, Palomma, Peloma, Piloma
Famous Namesakes: Designer Paloma Picasso, singer Paloma Faith
Peak Popularity: Paloma reached the top 1,000 in 1993. It was most popular in 2010 when it reached a rank of 702.

Fun Fact: Paloma is the name of book number five in the Retrieval Artist book series written by Kristine Kathyrn Rusch.

Paula

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Small and petite
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Paola, Paulita, Pauline, Paulette, Paulina, Pola
Famous Namesakes: Singer Paula Abdul, Chef Paula Deen
Peak Popularity: Paula is a traditional name. It was in the top 100 from 1943 to 1975. In recent years, it has been losing ground in the U.S. and dropped to number 822 in 2020. However, it has been in the top five names in Spain for 20 years and was a top 100 name in Puerto Rico in 2020.

Fun Fact: Paula Red is a type of apple that looks and tastes similar to a McIntosh.

Paz

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Peaceful
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Pazz, Paza, Pazita, Pazia
Famous Namesakes: Actress Paz Vega, actress Paz De la Huerta
Peak Popularity: Paz is a unique name and not in the top 1,000.

Fun Fact: Launched in 2018, PAZ is the name of Spain’s first satellite with radar technology.

Pilar

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Pillar of strength
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Pillar, Pilare, Pilarre, Pylar, Pilaer, Pili
Famous Namesakes: Singer Pilar Montenegro, actress Pilar Pallete
Peak Popularity: Pilar is not a common name in the U.S. and not on the top 1,000 list.

Fun Fact: Pilar is Ernest Hemingway’s boat, and it rests at the Ernest Hemingway museum in Cuba.

Ramona

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Wise protector
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ramonna, Ramonha, Ramonah, Romona, Remona, Raymona, Raimona, Ramonda, Ray
Famous Namesakes: Actress Ramona Marquez, reality TV star Ramona Singer
Peak Popularity: Ramona has been a popular name for girls for more than a century. It reached its highest rank in 1928 at 117. In 1988, it dropped off the top 1,000 list, but it popped back up again in 2016 and was number 816 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Ramona Quimby is the main character of the Ramona series of children’s books written by Beverly Cleary.

Rosa

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Like the rose blossom
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Rose, Rosie, Rosario, Rosita, Rosaline, Rosalie, Rosalinda
Famous Namesakes: Civil rights leader Rosa Parks, actress Rosa Salazar
Peak Popularity: Rosa is a conventional name. It was very popular in the first half of the 20^th century, but it's a little less popular now. It was number 69 in 1900 and number 639 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Roses are a beautiful species of well-known flowering plants that belong to the scientific genus classification, Rosa.

Savannah

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: The open plains or a grassland without trees
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Savanna, Savana, Savanah, Sevannah, Sevanna, Savanneh, Vanna, Vannah
Famous Namesakes: News anchor Savannah Guthrie, basketball wife Savannah James
Peak Popularity: Savannah is an old name. It was in the top 1,000 in the year 1900 and through the late 1920s. It fell out of favor after 1931. It reemerged in 1983 and its popularity has steadily increased. It has been a top 100 name in the U.S. since 1993. In 2020, it was at 67.

Fun Fact: Savannah cats are an exotic cross between wild serval cats and domestic cats that results in a large, energetic, and beautiful breed.

Selena

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: The moon
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Salina, Selina, Selene, Salene, Celine, Celena, Celina, Saleen, Saleena, Sela, Celia
Famous Namesakes: Singer and actress Selena Gomez, singer Selena Quintanilla
Peak Popularity: Selena has been in the top 1,000 since 1958. Its most popular year was 1995 when it reached number 91. In 2020, it was ranked 241.

Fun Fact: The name Selena comes from Selene, the Ancient Greek goddess of the moon.

Sierra

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: From the mountains
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Siera, Syera, Seara, Sierrah
Famous Namesakes: Actress Sierra McCormick, singer Sierra Swan
Peak Popularity: Sierra made the top 1,000 in 1978. It was most popular in 1999 at a rank of 49, but has dropped to the 400s in recent years.

Fun Fact: The Sierra Nevada mountain range is in the western part of the United States.

Sofia

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Having great wisdom
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Sophia, Sophie, Sofie, Sofea, Sofiya
Famous Namesakes: Actress Sofia Vergara, actress Sofia Carson
Peak Popularity: Sofia is very popular. It has been a top 100 name in the U.S. since 2003 and was number 17 in 2020. It is also a top name in Portugal as well as Mexico, Spain, and other Spanish speaking countries.

Fun Fact: Sofia is the capital city of the Republic of Bulgaria, a country in the Southeastern part of Europe.

Soledad

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Solitude, solitary
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Solada, Solita, Sole, Sol
Famous Namesakes: Journalist Soledad O’Brien, actress Soledad Miranda
Peak Popularity: Soledad made the top 1,000 list one time in the last 100 years in 1929.

Fun Fact: Our Lady of Soledad or Solitude refers to Mary, the mother of Jesus spending Holy Saturday in silence and solitude thinking about the death of her son.

Tia

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Aunt or princess
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Tea, Tiah Thia, Thea
Famous Namesakes: Actress Tia Carrere, actress Tia Mowry
Peak Popularity: Tia was on the top 1,000 list in 1957 and from 1962 through 2012.

Fun Fact: TIA is an acronym for “thanks in advance” when texting, emailing, or using the internet.

Yolanda

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Modest and beautiful like a violet flower
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Yolandah, Yalanda, Yolana, Yolande, Yolannda, Yolonda, Yolada, Yolanta, Yolanthe, Ianthe, Iolanthe, Violet, Yolie, Yoli, Yolee
Famous Namesakes: Basketball player Yolanda Griffith, singer Yolanda Adams
Peak Popularity: Yolanda is a traditional name that has been commonplace since 1905. It had its best year in 1972 reaching number 89. However, it has been declining in popularity in the last 20 years.

Fun Fact: Yolanda is the Spanish version of the Greek name Iolanthe or Ianthe which means purple flower.

Popular Spanish Baby Names for Boys

Check out these popular and unique Spanish baby names for boys along with their meanings, origins, and other interesting information.

Adriano

Origin: Portuguese
Meaning: Dark and from the Adriatic Sea
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Adrieno, Adrianno, Adryano, Adreano, Adrian
Famous Namesakes: Actor Adriano Zendejas, musician Adriano Correia de Oliveira
Peak Popularity: Adriano is a unique name that is not in the top 1,000 in the U.S.

Fun Fact: Adriano is a Latin, Spanish, and Italian version of the name Adrian that most likely originated from the town of Adria or Hadria not far from the Adriatic Sea in Northern Italy.

Alejandro

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Protector and defender of humankind
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alejandrino, Alejo, Alisandro, Alessandro, Alexander, Alex, Zander, Xander
Famous Namesakes: Musician Alejandro Escovedo, director Alejandro González Iñárritu
Peak Popularity: Alejandro has been a top 1,000 name in the U.S. since 1920. It was most popular in 2001 when it reached 88. It is a top 10 name in Spain and Mexico.

Fun Fact: “Alejandro” is one of Lady Gaga’s hit singles from her album The Fame Monster released in 2010.

Alfonso

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Prepared and ready for battle
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alphonso, Alphonzo, Alfanso, Alfanzo, Alfie, Alf, Alfons, Alfonz, Fonzie, Fonsie
Famous Namesakes: Actor Alfonso Ribeiro, baseball player Alfonso Soriano
Peak Popularity: Alfonso is a time-honored name that has been in the top 1,000 for over 100 years. It was most popular in 1929 with a rank of 294. It was number 941 in 2020.

Fun Fact: Alfonso und Estrella is a Romantic opera by Austrian composer Franz Schubert.

Antonio

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Praiseworthy and priceless
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Antonino, Antonello, Antonyo, Antonin, Anthony, Antoni, Tony
Famous Namesakes: Actor Antonio Banderas, football player Antonio Brown
Peak Popularity: Antonio is a traditional name that has been popular for well over a century, ranking in the top 100 from 1972 to 2007, but dropping since. It is a top 100 name in Spain.

Fun Fact: San Antonio is a large city in Texas that was founded In 1718 and named for Saint Antony.

Arturo

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Courageous and strong
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Artoro, Arthuro, Arturro, Arty, Artie, Arthur, Art
Famous Namesakes: Boxer Arturo Gatti, musician Arturo Sandoval
Peak Popularity: Arturo has been a top 1,000 name since the early 1900s. It was most popular in 1990 reaching a rank of 258.

Fun Fact: Arturo Frondizi was the President of Argentina from 1958 to 1962.

Bartolo

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Child of the farmer
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bartolow, Barto, Bartoli, Bartholo, Bartholomew, Bart
Famous Namesakes: Baseball player Bartolo Colón
Peak Popularity: Bartolo is a unique name that is not in the top 1,000.

Fun Fact: Bartolo Mountian and Bartolo Canyon are part of the Atascosa Mountain range in Santa Cruz County, Arizona.

Benito

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Blessed
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bennito, Beneto, Benido, Benicio, Bonito, Benedict, Benny, Bennie, Ben
Famous Namesakes: Dictator Benito Mussolini, writer Benito Pérez Galdós
Peak Popularity: Benito has made the top 1,000 list for most of the last century. It was most popular in 1929 with a rank of 513. It was number 1000 in 2001 and 983 in 2003. It has not been a top 1,000 name since.

Fun Fact: Benito Bonito was a pirate who left behind a sought-after treasure that is still hidden and hunted.

Carlos

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Manly
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Carlo, Carlito, Carolo, Carolos, Karlos, Carlow, Charles, Carl, Karl
Famous Namesakes: Musician Carlos Santana, actor Carlos Pena, Jr.
Peak Popularity: Carlos is a classic name that has been very common for well over a century. It was number 360 in 1900 and in the top 100 from 1970 to 2013. It is a top 100 name in Spain, Portugal, and Puerto Rico.

Fun Fact: Actor Charlie Sheen was born Carlos Irwin Estevez.

Cesar

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Having long, thick hair
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cesare, Cezar, Ceasar, Sar, Zar
Famous Namesakes: Actor Cesar Romero, baseball player César Hernández
Peak Popularity: Cesar has been a top 1,000 name since 1948, It was most popular in 2004 at a rank of 157.

Fun Fact: Julio César is the Spanish name for the historical figure also known as Julius Caesar.

Cristóbal

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Follower and believer of Christ
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Christobal, Kristobal, Christo, Cristo, Christos, Christian, Christopher, Chris, Cris, Kris
Famous Namesakes: Designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, hockey player Cristobal Huet
Peak Popularity: Cristobal has bounced on and off the top 1,000 list from 1975 through 2007. It was most popular in 2001 when it ranked 708.

Fun Fact: Cristóbal is a port town in the Colón area of Panama named for Christopher Columbus.

Cruz

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: The cross
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Cruise, Cruze, Cruzita, Cruzitte, Kruz, Kruze, Kruise
Famous Namesakes: Musician Cruz Martinez, politician Cruz Bustamante
Peak Popularity: Cruz has been a top 1,000 name for boys for most of the last century. It was most popular in 2013 with a rank of 278.

Fun Fact: Cruz Bay is a town and main tourist area in the U.S. Virgin Islands on the island of St. John.

Damian

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: One who conquers and tames
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Damien, Damion, Damiano, Daymon, Daymion, Daymian, Damianos
Famous Namesakes: Actor Damian Lewis, singer Damian Marley
Peak Popularity: Damian made the top 1,000 list in 1952. It had its best year in 2013 when it reached number 98.

Fun Fact: Damian Wayne is a fictional comic book character and the son Bruce Wayne, also known as Batman.

Diego

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: The one who follows or comes after
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Diago, Diegoh, Dago, Dyego, Diogo
Famous Namesakes: Actor Diego Gonzalez, actor Diego Velázquez
Peak Popularity: Diego made the top 1,000 in the United States in 1958 and been on it consistently since 1963. It was in the top 100 in the United States from 2002 to 2011. Diego is extremely popular in Hispanic countries and a top 100 name in places such as Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Fun Fact: Diego is the fearless saber-tooth tiger and one of the main characters in the Ice Age animated film series.

Domingo

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Born on Sunday, the Lord’s Day
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Demingo, Dominko, Domenico, Domini, Domino, Dominic, Dom
Famous Namesakes: Chocolate maker Domingo Ghirardelli, baseball player Domingo Santana
Peak Popularity: Domingo was in the top 1,000 from 1902 until 1993. It was most popular in 1946 when it ranked 462. It is less common in the U.S. today.

Fun Fact: In Spanish, Domingo means Sunday, the seventh day of the week and the Lord’s day.

Eduardo

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Wealthy defender
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Edwardo, Eduordo, Eduard, Edward, Duarte, Eddie, Eddy, Ed
Famous Namesakes: Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin, soccer player Eduardo Carvalho
Peak Popularity: Eduardo has been a consistent top 1,000 name since 1918. It was most popular in 2001 when it reached 112, but it has been dropping since. It’s a top 100 name in Spain, Portugal, and Puerto Rico. In 2020, it ranked 328.

Fun Fact: Eduardo De San Angel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is a fine dining establishment serving Mexican-inspired international food.

Emilio

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Challenger and winner
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Emilioh, Emileo, Emiliano, Emile, Emil
Famous Namesakes: Actor Emilio Estevez, baseball player Emilio Bonifacio
Peak Popularity: Emilio is a traditional name for boys and has been in the top 1,000 for over 100 years. In recent years it ranks around 300.

Fun Fact: Emilio Barzini is head of one of the five crime families in New York City and the rival of Don Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather.

Enrique

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Ruler of the house
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Enrico, Enric, Enrick, Enricko, Enrikay, Henry, Rico, Ricco
Famous Namesakes: Singer Enrique Iglesias, former Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto
Peak Popularity: Enrique has been a top 1,000 name for more than a century. It was most popular in 2000 when it reached 221.

Fun Fact: Enrique Martín Morales is the former Menudo member who is better known as the singer and actor Ricky Martin.

Ernesto

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Sincere and determined
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ernest, Earnesto, Earnest, Erno, Ernie, Nesto
Famous Namesakes: Soccer player Ernesto Farías, musician Ernesto Lecuona
Peak Popularity: Ernesto has been in the top 1,000 for the last century. It was most popular in 1981 with a rank of 291.

Fun Fact: Ernesto Guevara or Che Guevara was a guerrilla leader who was named one of the 100 most influential people of the 20^th century by Time Magazine in 1999.

Esteban

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Wearing a victory crown
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Estevan, Estebon, Estabon, Estebann, Estebahn, Esteven, Estephan, Estephen, Estefan, Estafen
Famous Namesakes: Baseball player Esteban Loaiza, soccer player Esteban Cambiasso
Peak Popularity: Esteban has been consistently popular since the 1960s. Its most popular year in the U.S. was 2005 when it hit number 320. It was a top 100 name in Puerto Rico in 2020. In 2020, it was ranked 468 in the United States.

Fun Fact: Esteban is the Tipton Hotel bellman on Disney Channel's TV series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

Eugenio

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Born into high society
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eugenie, Eujenio, Eugen, Eugeno, Gene, Geno, Gino
Famous Namesakes: Actor Eugenio Derbez, baseball player Eugenio Suárez
Peak Popularity: Eugenio has been in the top 1,000 eight times between 1907 and 1982. In those years, its highest rank was 892.

Fun Fact: Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli was Pope Pius XII, the leader of the Catholic Church from 1939 to 1958.

Fabio

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Bean grower
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Fabioh, Fabyo, Faybio, Fabiano, Fabian, Fabien, Fablo, Fabrizio, Fab
Famous Namesakes: Actor Fábio Lago, Chef Fabio Viviani
Peak Popularity: Fabio is not a common name and has not been in the top 1,000 during the last 100 years.

Fun Fact: Actor Fabio Lanzoni, universally known as Fabio, not only appears in many movies and TV shows, but he is also on the cover of countless romance novels.

Felipe

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: One who loves and befriends horses
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Felippe, Fellipe, Felepe, Filipe, Felip, Phillipe, Phillip, Philip, Phil
Famous Namesakes: Olympic athlete Felipe Kitadai, race car driver Felipe Nasr
Peak Popularity: Felipe is a classic name for boys and has been a top 1,000 name for well over 100 years. It was most popular in 1981 when it reached a rank of 371. It has been losing ground since. In 2020, it was ranked 865.

Fun Fact: Felipe VI became the King of Spain in 2014 after his father King Juan Carlos I stepped down.

Fernando

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: A brave and daring adventurer
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Fernand, Ferdinand, Ferdinando, Ferdo
Famous Namesakes: Painter Fernando Gallego, actor Fernando Lamas
Peak Popularity: Fernando is another name that has been popular for over a century. It hit its highest rank of 149 in 1997. In 2020, it ranked 342.

Fun Fact: “Fernando” and “Dancing Queen” are two of the biggest hit singles by the Swedish pop band ABBA.

Francisco

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Free one or from France
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Francesco, Franchesco, Fransisco, Frances, Francis, Franco, Frisco, Frank, Fran, Cisco, Chico, Paco
Famous Namesakes: Artist Francisco Goya, explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
Peak Popularity: Francisco is a traditional name that has been in the top 500 in the U.S. since before 1900, with its best year being 1991 at 114. It was the 17th most popular name in Portugal in 2020 and usually ranks in the top 50 in Spain.

Fun Fact: Papa Francisco is the Spanish name for Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope whose name honors Saint Francis of Assisi.

Geraldo

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Rules by the spear
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Giraldo, Gerraldo, Geralde, Geroldo, Gerroldo, Giuraldo Gerald, Gerry
Famous Namesakes: Football player Geraldo Boldewijn, baseball player Geraldo Guzmán.
Peak Popularity: Geraldo is not that common. It made the top 1,000 list one time in the last 100 years. That was in 1988 when it ranked 892.

Fun Fact: Geraldo Rivera is an American attorney, journalist, and television personality who hosted the talk show Geraldo from 1987 to 1998.

Hector

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: To hold onto and restrain, unyielding
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Hecter, Hectar, Hectyr, Heckter, Hecktor, Hectir, Hectur
Famous Namesakes: Actor Hector Elizondo, writer Hector Munro
Peak Popularity: Hector is relatively popular. It reached its highest rank in the U.S. in 1992 at 156. It is in the top 100 in Spain and Puerto Rico.

Fun Fact: Hector is one of the main characters in the 2017 award-winning Pixar Studios animated film Coco.

Javier

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: New house
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Javiar, Havier, Javiero, Zavier, Xavier
Famous Namesakes: Baseball player Javier Baez, Actor Javier Munoz
Peak Popularity: Javier has been a top 1,000 since 1940. It was most popular in the U.S. in 2001 when it reached 149. Javier is also a common name in Spain.

Fun Fact: Javier Rios is a blue insect-type monster and a member of the Roar Omega Roar fraternity in the Pixar animated movie Monsters University.

Jerónimo

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Holy and sacred name
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Geronimo, Jerome, Jerry, Gerry
Famous Namesakes: Soccer player Jerónimo Morales Neumann, explorer Jerónimo de Alderete
Peak Popularity: Jeronimo is a unique name that does not appear in the top 1,000.

Fun Fact: San Jerónimo is the name of many towns and municipalities throughout Mexico, Central, and South America that honor Saint Jerome.

Joaquin

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Established by God
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Joaquim, Jocquin, Joachim, Joakin, Joakim, Jo
Famous Namesakes: Actor Joaquin Phoenix, baseball player Joaquín Benoit
Peak Popularity: Joaquin has been in the top 1,000 since the early part of the 20th century, but started to pick up popularity in the 1960s. It was most popular in 2008 with a rank of 275.

Fun Fact: Joaquín Guzmán also known as “El Chapo” is an infamous Mexican drug kingpin and leader of the Sinaloa Cartel who was captured in Mexico and sent to the United States in 2016.

Jorge

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: A farmer or someone who loves and works with the land
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Jorje, George, Gorge, Giorge, Jorgio, Gorgio, Jorgie, Gorgie
Famous Namesakes: Baseball player Jorge Posada, Actor Jorge Garcia
Peak Popularity: Jorge has shown up consistently in the top 1,000 since 1935. Its best year was 2000 when it hit number 107. It is a top 100 name in Spain, Portugal, and Puerto Rico.

Fun Fact: Jorge Juan was a Spanish Navy boat during the Spanish-American war that was struck by the U.S. Navy and sunk in Nipe Bay, Cuba in 1898.

José

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: God will add or increase
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Josito, Joseito, Joselito, Joesay, Joseph, Joe, Joey
Famous Namesakes: Baseball player José Canseco, singer José Feliciano
Peak Popularity: José has been a top name in the U.S. for over a century. It has been in the top 100 since 1963 and reached number 28 in 2004. It is also a common name in Spain, Puerto Rico, and other Spanish speaking countries.

Fun Fact: The City of San Jose in California is named for Saint Joseph, and it is one of the wealthiest areas in the world as part of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Juan

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: God is gracious
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Juann, Jwan, Juanito, Euan, John, Jean
Famous Namesakes: Former President of Argentina Juan Perón, explorer Juan Ponce de León
Peak Popularity: Juan is another familiar name in the U.S. and Spanish speaking countries around the world. It has been a top 1,000 for more than 100 years and reached number 46 in the U.S. in 1999. In 2020, it was ranked 145.

Fun Fact: Don Juan is a fictional character from Spanish literature whose name has become an expression for someone who is a lady’s man.

Leonardo

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Bold like a lion
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Lenardo, Lyonardo, Leoncio, Leocadio, Leon, Leonn, Leone, Leo
Famous Namesakes: Artist Leonardo da Vinci, actor Leonardo DiCaprio
Peak Popularity: Leonardo has been on the top 1,000 since the early 1900s, but has been gaining popularity in recent years. It became a top 100 name in 2016 when it ranked 95. It’s also a top 100 name in Puerto Rico.

Fun Fact: Leonardo is one of the four fictional crime-fighting brothers in The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics, cartoons, games, and movies.

Lorenzo

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: From where the laurel trees grow
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Laurenzo, Larenzo, Loranzo, Laurence, Lawrence, Larry, Lorie, Lorry
Famous Namesakes: Actor Lorenzo Lamas, football player Lorenzo Carter
Peak Popularity: Lorenzo is a classic name that has maintained popularity for well over a century. Its most popular year in the U.S. was 2019 with a rank of 146. That same year, it was number 7 in Brazil.

Fun Fact: “Lorenzo” is a song by Phil Collins about the real-life boy Lorenzo Odone.

Luis

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: A warrior
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Luiz, Luisito, Louis, Lou
Famous Namesakes: Actor Luis Antonio Ramos, writer Luis de Camões
Peak Popularity: Luis is a time-honored name that has been around for quite some time. It made the top 100 in the U.S. from 1980 to 2014 and continues to be common. It is also very popular in Spanish speaking countries such as Puerto Rico and Spain.

Fun Fact: Luis Walter Alvarez was a physicist from California who won the 1968 Nobel prize in Physics for his work.

Manuel

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: God is with us
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Mannuel, Manual, Manuelle, Manuelo, Manolo, Manolito, Manny, Emmanuel
Famous Namesakes: Baseball player Manuel “Manny” Ramirez, soccer player Manuel Lanzini
Peak Popularity: Manuel is another age-old name that has been popular for over a century, ranking in the top 200 until 2010, and dropping since. It is also a top name in Spain.

Fun Fact: Manual I, King of Portugal from 1495 to 152, was also known as Manuel O Afortunado or Manuel the Fortunate.

Mateo

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: A gift from God
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Matteo, Mate, Matias, Mathias, Matthew, Mat, Matt, Teo
Famous Namesakes: Actor Mateo Arias, soccer player Mateo Musacchio
Peak Popularity: Mateo hit the top 1,000 list in 1995 and has seen tremendous growth in popularity. It made the top 100 in 2015 and reached number 20 in 2020. It is also popular in many Spanish speaking countries such as Spain, Mexico, and Puerto Rico.

Fun Fact: Master Mateo or Maestro Mateo was a 12th-century architect and sculptor responsible for the Portico da Glory at the Santiago Cathedral in Spain.

Miguel

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Who is like or closest to God
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Migel, Meguel, Megel, Michael, Michel, Mike, Micky
Famous Namesakes: Actor Miguel Ferrer, baseball player Miguel Cabrera
Peak Popularity: Miguel is a well-established and vintage name. In the U.S. it was most popular 1990 to 2007 when it was in the top 100. It is also a very common and popular name in Puerto Rico, Spain, and Portugal.

Fun Fact: Miguel de Cervantes is one of the most famous Spanish writers and the author of the classic novel Don Quixote.

Orlando

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: From the famous land
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Orlondo, Orlande, Orland, Orlonde, Orlond, Orly, Orlie
Famous Namesakes: Actor Orlando Bloom, baseball player Orlando “El Duque” Hernández
Peak Popularity: Orlando is another name that has been in the top 1,000 for over a century. It was most popular in 1975 when it ranked 246.

Fun Fact: Orlando, Florida is home to Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando, Legoland, Sea World and more, making it one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world.

Pablo

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Small
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Paublo, Pabo, Pavlo, Paulo, Palo, Paolo, Paul, Paulie
Famous Namesakes: Baseball player Pablo Sandoval, soccer player Pablo Zabaleta
Peak Popularity: Pablo is a top 1,000 name for over 100 years. Its best year in the U.S. was 2005 when it reached 284. It has been in the top five names in Spain for over 20 years and was number 63 in Puerto Rico in 2020.

Fun Fact: Pablo Picasso is one of the most famous and influential artists of the 20^th century. He is known for his paintings, but he was also a sculptor, writer, printmaker, and ceramic artist.

Pasqual

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Passover, born at Easter time
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Pasquale, Pascasio, Posqual, Pascal, Pascual, Pascale, Pascqual
Famous Namesakes: Baseball player Pasqual Coco, writer Pasqual Scanu
Peak Popularity: Pasqual is not very common and not a top 1,000 name in the United States.

Fun Fact: The Battle of San Pasqual took place during the Mexican-American War in the San Pasqual Valley just north of San Diego, California.

Pedro

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Solid and dependable like a stone or rock
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Pedroh, Pedrio, Pedrito, Petro, Petrolino, Piero, Pero, Peter, Pete
Famous Namesakes: Baseball player Pedro Martinez, actor Pedro Pascal
Peak Popularity: Pedro is a traditionally popular name and has been for a long time, usually ranking in the 300s in the U.S. It is also a top 100 name in Spain, Argentina, and Portugal.

Fun Fact: Pedro is one of the main characters in the 2004 box office hit and cult classic comedy Napoleon Dynamite.

Ramon

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: A wise protector and advisor
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ramone, Ramono, Raymondo, Reymundo, Raymon, Raymond, Ray
Famous Namesakes: Actor Ramón Rodríguez, baseball player Ramón Hernández
Peak Popularity: Ramon is another classic name. Its most popular year was 1930 when it reached 183.

Fun Fact: Ramon, with the voice of Robin Williams, is one of the Adélie penguins in the animated movies Happy Feet and Happy Feet Two.

Ricardo

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: A powerful ruler
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Riccardo, Richardo, Ricard, Ritchardo, Richard, Rich, Rick, Ricky, Chico
Famous Namesakes: Actor Ricardo Montálban, actor Ricardo Hurtado
Peak Popularity: Ricardo has been consistently popular in the U.S. since the early 1900s. It was most popular in 1992 when it hit number 115. In 2020 it held the rank of 64 in Puerto Rico.

Fun Fact: Ricardo Beverly Hills is a brand of luggage and travel accessories founded in Beverly Hills, California in 1978.

Rodrigo

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: A famous ruler
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Rodrego, Roderigo, Rodriguo, Rodriguez, Roderick, Rodrick, Rodger, Roger, Rod
Famous Namesakes: President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, actor Rodrigo Santoro
Peak Popularity: Rodrigo was in the top 100 in Puerto Rico in 2020 and number 3 in Portugal in 2015. It reached the top 1,000 in the U.S. in 1962 and was most popular in 2007.

Fun Fact: Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar was the Spanish hero El Cid and the subject of the poem El Cantar de Mio Cid.

Santiago

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Named after Saint James
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Santiego, Sandiago, Sandiego, Santigo, Santego, Santana, Santo, Santino, Tiago, Santi
Famous Namesakes: Actor Santiago Cabrera, Olympic athlete Santiago Lorenzo
Peak Popularity: Santiago is a classic name that has been around for well over a century. It has surged in popularity and was at a new high at number 71 in 2020. It is also very popular and a top name in Portugal and Mexico.

Fun Fact: Santiago is an old fisherman and the central character in Ernest Hemingway’s prize-winning work The Old Man and The Sea.

Sebastián

Origin: Spanish
Meaning: Revered, respected, and adored
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Sabastian, Sebastien, Sebastion, Sebastyn, Sebastyen, Seb, Bastian, Bashie
Famous Namesakes: Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, actor Sebastian Stan
Peak Popularity: Sebastian has been a top 1,000 name for a very long time. Its popularity has been growing in the U.S. since the 1960s and it became a top 100 name in 2000 and reached a new high at number 19 in 2020. It was number 2 in Puerto Rico in 2020, and it’s also very popular in Mexico and South America.

Fun Fact: Sebastian is the lovable, musically talented crab in Disney’s animated feature The Little Mermaid.

Tito

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: A giant or an honor
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Teto, Titto, Tetto, Qito
Famous Namesakes: Musician Tito Puente, fighter Tito Ortiz
Peak Popularity: Tito is a less common name, but it did make the top 1,000 list in 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1976.

Fun Fact: Tito Jackson is Michael Jackson’s brother and an original member of Motown's enormously successful music group The Jackson 5.

Tomás

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Twin
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Tomaso, Tomaz, Thomaz, Tomasso, Tomaro, Tomio, Thomas, Thom, Tom
Famous Namesakes: Actor Tomás Fonzi, soccer player Tomás Fernández
Peak Popularity: Tomás is a time-honored name that has made the top 1,000 for well over 100 years. It was most popular in the 1980s and 1990s when it was in the top 500. It is much more popular in some other countries and has been a top 10 name in Portugal, Argentina, and Chile in recent years.

Fun Fact: Tomás Luis de Victoria was a 16th-century Spanish composer whose work is among the greatest of his time.

Vicente

Origin: Spanish, Portuguese
Meaning: Victorious conqueror
Alternative Spellings & Variations: Vincente, Vecente, Vencente, Vincento, Vincenzo, Vincent, Victor, Chente, Vince, Vinny, Vin, Vic
Famous Namesakes: Former Mexican President Vicente Fox, entertainer Vicente Fernandez
Peak Popularity: Vicente has been in the top 1,000 for more than a century. It was most popular in 1994 when it reached 522.

Fun Fact: The Island of Sao Vicente is part of Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) off the coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean.

3 Sources

Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Ethnologue Languages of the World. What are the top 200 most spoken languages?
Social Security Administration. Popular baby names.
Social Security Administration. Popular baby names: beyond the top 1000 names.

By Donna Murray, RN, BSN
Donna Murray, RN, BSN has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Rutgers University and is a current member of Sigma Theta Tau, the Honor Society of Nursing.

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100 Spanish Baby Names

Popular Spanish Baby Names for Girls

Alejandra

Alondra

Aurora

Catalina

Cecilia

Clara

Claudia

Concepción

Consuelo

Cruz

Dulce

Elena

Elisa

Emilia

Esperanza

Eugenia

Fabiola

Gabriela

Gloria

Guadalupe

Isabel

Isidora

Jade

Juana

Juliana

Laura

Leticia

Lola

Lucia

Luisa

Margarita

Marina

Mariposa

Marisol

Mercedes

Milagros

Natalia

Paloma

Paula

Paz

Pilar

Ramona

Rosa

Savannah

Selena

Sierra

Sofia

Soledad

Tia

Yolanda

Popular Spanish Baby Names for Boys

Adriano

Alejandro

Alfonso

Antonio

Arturo

Bartolo

Benito

Carlos

Cesar

Cristóbal

Cruz

Damian

Diego

Domingo

Eduardo

Emilio

Enrique

Ernesto

Esteban

Eugenio

Fabio

Felipe

Fernando

Francisco

Geraldo

Hector

Javier