Spanish is spoken by more than 550 million around the world. If you’re looking for a fabulous baby name of Spanish descent, there are many choices.
Whether you’re looking for something familiar and timeless (hola, Carlos) or want some inspiration from outside of the box (step forward, Yamilet), here are 75 Spanish baby names to kickstart your search.
Mila
Meaning “miracles and favored,” Mila is the diminutive of Milagros in Spanish. It deserves to be in the running if you like the sound of Mira, Mina, Mica and Misa.
Actress Mila Kunis is by far the most famous bearer of this name, although her full name is actually Milena, a popular Slavic name.
Carlos
Musician Carlos Santana, writer Carlos Fuentes and tennis player Carlos Berlocq are just a few of the famous bearers of this name, which means “free man.” And, of course, there’s the royal connection through Juan Carlos I, the former King of Spain.
Carlos was the 27th most popular name for boys in Spain in 2019 and is a top 100 choice in Portugal.
Maya
Maya, meaning “water,” is a girls’ name with multiple roots — Hebrew and Greek as well as Spanish. The famous author Maya Angelou was actually born Marguerite, but her brother called her “mya sister.”
Other famous bearers include actresses Maya Rudolph and Maya Hawke, and architect Maya Lin.
Santiago
Santiago is the patron saint of Spain and, accordingly, means “Saint James.” It’s also a place name (a city in Chile) and a common Spanish surname.
It’s been growing in popularity in the U.S. since the 1980s and ranked at No. 69 on the chart in 2019. The previous year, Eva Longoria and Jose Baston gave this name to their baby boy.
Manuel
Originally a Hebrew name, Manuel (“God with us”) has been popular in Spain since the 13th century.
It ranked No. 9 on the boys’ name chart in Spain in 2019 and is also a top 40 entry in Portugal and Italy.
Lola
Lola is a short form of the Spanish name Dolores, which means “sorrows.” It’s derived from one of the titles of the Virgin Mary: Nuestra Señora de los Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows).
It’s a popular choice for celebrity babies — Kelly Ripa, Chris Rock, Lisa Bonet, Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen, Carnie Wilson, and Annie Lennox have all chosen it for their daughters. And, of course, it’s the preferred nickname of Madonna’s Lourdes.
Esmeralda
Esmeralda is Spanish for “emerald,” but Disney fans might associate it with the heroine in the film “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” based on the famous 1831 novel by Victor Hugo. Or, perhaps, Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling’s first-born daughter comes to mind.
In 2019, Esmeralda ranked No. 379 on the U.S. chart.
Dante
The Spanish variation of the Italian Durante, which means “lasting, enduring,” Dante has been popular in the U.S. since 1910.
Perhaps the most famous bearer is the Italian poet Dante Alighieri, who wrote “The Divine Comedy” in 1472.
Linda
A popular name all over the world, Linda literally means “beautiful” in Spanish. It was the most popular name for girls in the U.S from 1947 through 1952, famously knocking Mary off her top spot.
It still ranks in the top 1,000 (No. 776 in 2019) but is on a downward trajectory.
Raul
The Spanish form of Ralph is Raul, meaning “wolf counsel.”
The late Puerto Rican actor Raul Julia, of Addams Family fame, gave the name some star quality in the U.S., but it’s been falling out of favor since the late 1990s.
Carmen
If you’re a nature-loving couple, you’ll love the meaning of Carmen — “garden.” Alec and Hilaria Baldwin gave this name to their oldest daughter.
Carmen Miranda, the Portuguese-born Brazilian performer who was nicknamed “The Brazilian Bombshell” also comes to mind, but other famous Carmens include actress Carmen Electra and TV personality and transgender rights activist Carmen Carrera.
Rodrigo
According to Ancestry, Rodrigo is “one of the most important Spanish personal names of Germanic origin.” Meaning “famous ruler,” it’s more appealing than the stiff English variation Roderick.
It was a top 50 name in Spain in 2019 but is even more popular in Portugal, where it ranked ninth in 2020.
Guadalupe
Guadalupe is a girls’ name with rich historical associations. It comes from a Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, meaning “Our Lady of Guadalupe,” and is also the site of a famous convent.
In the 16th century, Our Lady of Guadalupe supposedly appeared in a vision to a native Mexican man, leading to her place as a patron saint of the Americas.
Enrique
The Spanish form of the German Heinrich and the English Henry, Enrique means “estate ruler” or “head of the household.”
Still a top 100 name in Spain, it’s best known for belonging to Latin pop icon Enrique Iglesias.
Sierra
Both a surname and a girls’ name in Spain, Sierra means “saw.”
In the U.S., it reached an all-time high of No. 49 in 1999 but is currently on its way to dropping out of the top 500.
Alonso
Meaning “noble, ready,” Alonzo has ranked in the U.S. chart since records began in 1880. The Spanish spelling is Alonso, the real name of Don Quixote.
Fans of Judy Garland might remember Alonzo (nicknamed Lon) in the 1944 musical “Meet Me in St. Louis.”
Raquel
In Spain, the girls’ name Raquel is a variation of Rachel and means “innocent,” although it comes from the Hebrew word for “ewe.”
The name is strongly associated with the actress Racquel Welch; other famous bearers include actresses Raquel Belmonte and Raquel Bailey.
Esperanza
A girls’ name meaning “hope” or “expectation,” Esperanza is a Spanish classic. It gained traction in the U.S. after jazz singer Esperanza Spalding “stole” the Best New Artist Grammy from hot favorite Justin Bieber.
No. 966 in the U.S. in 2019, it’s a wholesome choice for traditional parents.
Felipe
The Spanish variant of Philip, which derives from the Greek adjective Philippos (“friend of horses”), Felipe has featured in the U.S. top 1,000 almost every year since the beginning of the twent20thieth century, with 1904 being the only exception.
Felipe is a royal name in Spain thanks to Felipe VI, the reigning monarch.
Rio
Meaning “place of the cherry blossoms,” Rio is a unisex name that may also come from the Spanish word for river.
It’s also a place name (Rio de Janeiro is Brazil’s second most populous city) and one of the most popular names for baby girls in Japan.
Ramona
A truly international name, Ramona is used in Romania, Italy, Portugal and some parts of Latin America and North America as well as in Spain.
The feminine form of Ramon, which means “protecting hands,” Ramona’s most celebrated pop culture appearance is in Beverly Cleary’s children’s book series.
Santos
You won’t find a more saintly name than Santos — it literally means “the saints.” It’s also a common surname in Spain, and you can drop the “s” for a slight variation.
According to Nameberry, Santos has appeared on the U.S. baby name chart every year since records began apart from two: 1913 and 1915.
Sapphire
Another popular Spanish jewel name, Sapphire is the birthstone for September.
You may not know that it’s also the pseudonym of Romona Lofton, who wrote the book “Push,” which was turned into the award-winning movie “Precious.”
Ramiro
As the Spanish and Portuguese form of Ramirus, Ramiro comes from the Germanic elements ragin “advice” and mari “famous.”
Saint Ramirus was a sixth-century prior of the Saint Claudius Monastery in Leon and one of many who were executed by the Arian Visigoths, who were against orthodox Christianity.
Alfonso
Not to be confused with Alonso, Alfonso comes from the Visigothic personal name Adelfonsus, meaning “noble and ready.” It’s a name with royal roots — six kings of Portugal and kings of several ancient regions of Spain, no less.
If it’s too much of a mouthful, the nicknames Fonzo and Fonzie are cute for kids.
Valentina
The first half of Salma Hayek and François-Henri Pinault’s daughter’s name means “strength and health.”
If you’re the romantic sort, you might like the constant reminder of Valentine’s Day.
Xavier
Xavier has been a top 100 name in the U.S. since 2001 — partly due to the “X-Men” professor. But it’s also a saintly name, as St. Francis Xavier was the cofounder of the Jesuits.
Celebrity fans of the name include Tilda Swindon and Donnie Wahlberg, who both chose it for their sons.
Mercedes
Mercedes, meaning “gracious gifts, benefits,” is used in Spain as a reference to the Virgin Mary, Santa Maria de las Mercedes as “Our Lady of Mercies.”
Obviously, the immediate reference may be the luxury car, but it actually got its name from the 11-year-old daughter of the Daimler company’s French distributor in 1901.
Rolando
Rolando, which means “renowned land” or famous throughout the land,” is a close cousin of Orlando and the Old German name Roland.
It’s been in the U.S. top 1,000 every year since 1946.
Rita
A less obvious jewel name than the likes of Ruby and Sapphire, Rita means “pearl.” Traditionally, it’s the short fork of Margarita, but it’s secure as a name in its own right.
Famous bearers include Old Hollywood’s Rita Hayworth, novelist Rita Mae Brown and performer Rita Ora.
Mariano
Mariano (“relating to the god Mars”) has Spanish, Italian and Portuguese roots. It may be a variation of Marianus, which is itself a variation of Marius.
Whichever one you go for, it has a true otherworldly quality.
Gonzalo
Meaning “battle” or “saved from combat,” Gonzalo ranked No. 30 on the Spanish boys’ name chart in 2019.
This name comes with the Shakespearean seal of approval — the writer chose the name for an honest, noble character in “The Tempest.”
Cristina
Meaning “anointed, Christian,” Cristina is the version of Christina favored in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Romania. In Spain, it ranked No. 81 in 2019.
The most famous bearer is probably Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the vice president of Argentina. Meanwhile, pop culture offers Dr. Cristina Yang, the long-standing character on NBC’s medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy.”
Hernán
From the Germanic Hernan in the Visigoth culture in Spain, Hernán means “gentle traveler” or “spiritual traveler.” In the early 16th century, Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire.
But if you want a more recent example, there’s the Argentinian football coach Hernán Crespo.
Yolanda
Flower names are often attractive for girls, but if you want a less obvious alternative to the popular Violet, go for Yolanda, which means “violet flower.”
Gospel singer Yolanda Adams, TV personality Yolanda Hadid and screenwriter Yolanda Lynes are some famous bearers of this fragrant name.
Estevan
Meaning “crown or garland,” Estevan is a variant of Esteban, which is the Spanish form of Stephen — which itself is derived from the Greek Stephanos.
FYI, Estevan is also the name of the eighth-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada.
Juanita
In 1930, Juanita (“God’s gracious gift”) was ranked No. 56 in the U.S. It dropped off the chart a long time ago but remains a popular choice in Spanish-speaking cultures around the world.
One of the first celebrity bearers was leading Filipina silent film star Juanita Ángeles. More recently, U.S. musical theater and movie actress Juanita Hall, who died in 1968, won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Bloody Mary in “South Pacific.”
Diego
The Hispanic version of James, Diego means “supplanter; he that replaces.”
The late football legend Diego Maradona is one famous bearer; another is famed Mexican artist Diego Rivera.
Sofia
Popular in various forms all over the world, Sofia means “wisdom.” Lisa Remini and Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy named their daughters Sofia, and celebrity bearers include model Sofia Richie and actress Sofia Vergara.
In the U.S. the Sophia spelling ranks No. 5, with Sofia just a few places behind it at No. 17.
Alejandro
Always popular for baby boys, Alejandro means “defending men.” It’s also the name of a Lady Gaga hit, which reminded everyone how to pronounce it properly.
Alejandro ranked No. 7 in Spain in 2019 and just inside the top 200 in the U.S.
Vida
Matthew McConaughey and Camilla Alves chose Vida, which means “life,” for their daughter in 2010.
Although it’s popular as is, it’s sometimes used as a short form of Davida, the feminine variation of David, which means “beloved.”
Mateo
This is one that can be spelled several ways — Matteo or Matheo, for example — so you can adapt it to suit!
Another name that means “gift of God,” Mateo was actor Benjamin Bratt’s choice for his son.
Alicia
Alicia is the Latinized version of the name Alice, which is originally of German descent and means “noble.”
For inspirational examples, look no further than actress Alicia Silverstone and singer Alicia Keys.
Juan
If you can forget about the notorious “Bachelor” contestant Juan Pablo, Juan is another one for your list of Spanish classics.
It means “the Lord is gracious” and ranked at No. 138 in the U.S. in 2019.
Jaime
Another version of James is Jaime, which comes with the added bonus of being unisex and can be pronounced in different ways — traditionally “Jamie” for girls and “HY-me” for boys, but you do what you like.
Famous female Jaimes include model and actress Jaime King and actress Jaime Halsey.
Lucia
A beautiful name with a beautiful meaning, Lucia (“light”) is traditionally given to babies born around the break of daylight. But it comes with many other references, including the fourth century martyr Santa Lucia and the tragic opera “Lucia di Lammermoor.”
For many years, Lucia has been the No. 1 girls’ name in Spain; it’s also popular in the U.S., England and Germany.
Antonio
Antonio, meaning “priceless one,” has been in the Spanish top 100 since 1880, and it’s perfect for Shakespeare fans.
There’s an Antonio in at least five of the Bard’s plays, including “The Merchant of Venice” and “Much Ado About Nothing.”
Maria
You might not know that Maria, strongly associated with girls in most countries, is actually a unisex name in Spain.
This classic, meaning “bitter or wished-for child,” ranked No. 106 in the U.S. in 2019 and is even more popular in Portugal (No. 1) than in Spain (No. 4).
José
As far as Spanish boys’ names go, you can’t get much more classic than José, which means “God will increase.”
There are endless famous bearers, from “Sons of Anarchy” actor José Pablo Cantillo to Puerto Rican musician, singer and composer José Feliciano.
Yamilet
Yamilet, chosen by Daddy Yankee and wife Mireddys González for their middle daughter, means “beautiful and elegant.”
If Sofia and Lucia are just too common for your little one, Yamilet is a definite head-turner.
Emiliano
Ranked No. 310 on the list of most popular boys names, Emiliano means eager. It has held its own on the baby name charts since the late 1990s, and it comes from a Roman family name, Aemilius.
Baby Emiliano’s share their name with Emiliano Zapata, one of the leaders of the 1910 Mexican Revolution.
Savannah
The name Savannah might not strike you as a Spanish name, but that’s only because of how popular it has become in the U.S.
The name, which means treeless plain in Spanish, is currently ranked No. 177. It’s also the name of a bustling riverfront city.
Some parents use Anna as a nickname for Savannah, but the whole name is beautiful all on its own.
Andres
The name Andres is the Spanish version of the common English name Andrew. Pronounced AHN-drays, the name has a particularly potent meaning: warrior.
The name’s Greek roots give Andreas an exotic, suave characteristic, but the name can also be shortened to the more playful “Andy.”
Nina
The sweet name Nina literally means “little girl.” How perfect is that?
It’s a popular name of endearment both in Spain and Russia, and it also has ties to a mythological Babylonian goddess of fertility.
Santino
Santino, a Spanish boy’s name, comes from the name “Santos,” meaning “saints.” The name Santino roughly translates to “little saint.”
Toddlers don’t always act like saints, but they’re angelic to us even mid-tantrum.
Mira
Mira, a name with Latin, Slavic and Hindi roots, means wonderful and prosperous.
It’s a wonderful name for bilingual babies since it’s so easy to spell and pronounce in any language.
Ruben
Ruben is a variation of the Spanish name Reuben, and this slightly shorter spelling has grown more popular than the original. Reuben is a biblical character, and the name means “behold, a son.”
It’s also the name of “American Idol” winner Ruben Studdard, and if you spell it the original way, it’s the name of a tasty sandwich.
Santana
Any fans of the show “Glee” will recognize this spicy Spanish baby girl name. Santana was the name of one of the most dynamic characters on the show, played by the late Naya Rivera.
There’s nothing tragic about the name’s meaning, however, which is “holy one.”
Itzel
As the name of a Mayan princess, Itzel is a true gem of a baby name.
Its unusual enough to be memorable and unique, and it means “star of the aurora sky.”
Reina
Anyone who’d like their baby girl to grow up to rule the world, a la Beyonce, should consider the name Reina.
The Spanish baby name translates to “queen.”
Tadeo
Coming from the Spanish name Thaddeus, Tadeo is a biblical name that appeared in St. Mark’s Gospel. It has Hebrew roots meaning “beloved.”
Tadeo is already a condensed version of the original name, but feel free to shorten it to “Teo” if Tadeo feels like too many syllables for everyday use.
Analia
Analia is a mashup of two different Spanish names: Ana and Lucia. Ana comes from the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning grace, while Lucia comes from the Latin word “lux,” meaning light.
The combination of the two names is a pretty modern innovation, but we think it’s beautiful.
Rey
Rey can either be a boy’s name or a girl’s name, but in Spanish its meaning is better suited to boys.
That’s just because Rey means “king” while the female version, Reina, means “queen.”
Rosalyn
Think you can guess the meaning of the light, flowing girl’s name Rosalyn? If you guessed “rose,” you nailed it.
It’s less obvious than Daisy or Lily, but it still has feminine floral notes that we love.
Shorten it to Rosa or Rosy for a fun pet name.
Orlando
Orlando means “from the famous land,” and this exotic-sounding name definitely lives up to its roots. It’s the name of a city in Florida that’s home to both Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando.
It’s also the name of several renowned baseball players and the eternally popular actor Orlando Bloom.
Belen
The Spanish name Belen looks a lot like Helen, but it’s pronounced completely differently. Instead of BEH-len, it’s pronounced bay-LEN.
The name means “Bethlehem,” known worldwide as a holy place.
Zavier
Zavier, similar to Xavier, has been used across numerous Latin cultures for centuries.
The name is especially popular in Spain, where it’s said to mean “bright savior.”
Marisol
Marisol is one of the more common Spanish baby girl names, and that’s mostly because it has such a cheerful meaning: sea and sun.
It’s often shortened to “Mari” among family members.
Jairo
Jairo is a Spanish baby name coming from the Hebrew name Jair, meaning “he who shines.”
In the Bible, Jair is the grandson of Joseph and the great-grandson of Jacob.
Luz
The girl’s name Luz is only three letters long, but what it lacks in letters it makes up for in meaning.
Luz has Latin roots meaning “light,” and it’s often used as a reference to the Virgin Mary or the town of Bethel.
Cortez
Cortez is an edgy boy’s name with lots of attitude, but it’s meaning is actually quite tame.
The Spanish baby name means “courteous,” so baby Cortez may be destined to grow up with impeccable manners.
Ciara
Ciara looks so much like Sierra, but it’s pronounced either “kee-AHR-ah” or “see-AHR-ah.”
It has several different languages of origin, but it was first used in Ireland to mean “dark” or “black.”
Francesco
Francesco has two possible meanings: Frenchman, or free man.
It’s a popular Spanish name that’s often shortened to Frank or Frankie.
Mireya
The smooth-sounding name Mireya rolls right of the tongue. Its meaning? Admired.
Everyone admires their own little girl, but with a name like Mireya, everyone will adore her.
Arman
Pronounced “ar-MAHN,” the Spanish boy’s name Arman is a short version of the name Armando. Also common in Armenia, the name means “wish” or “hope.”
To give it a bit more flavor, consider the name Armani after the famous Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani.