Latin Baby Names: The Famous and The Fantastic

Some of those Basque and Catalan names are especially pretty. I really like Laia (LYE-yah). Candela is one of my favorite Spanish names. Rocio I don’t like as much as its meaning, but the reason why I like Rocio is because of its meaning and associations, if that makes any sense at all. Noa I have always prefered on a girl. Nuria reminds me of the Arabic Noor, which I also like. I have always loved Otthilie so Otelia is very pretty to me.

I love so many of these names! Dulce is my favorite for a girl. I also love Joaquin and Valentina/o!
Great list full of inspiration

FWIW, the protagonist of “Pan’s Labyrinth” is called Ofelia – as in Ophelia – not Otelia. Although…Otelia does have a nice melody to it!

Thanks–I’ll correct Ofelia.

Cool post! These have really grown on me over the years, especially Penelope, Gabriel, Diego, Lorena, and Sonia. I have to take this opportunity to gush over “Pan’s Labyrinth,” too; it’s amazing. For the record, it’s Gael Garcia Bernal, btw.

I was thrilled that it wasn’t listed, the greedy name-hoarder in me, but your top list might include Paloma, as in Picasso. One of the most lovely girl names!

What do you think about Paloma? It is one we are seriously considering.

I also like Paola, but it’s a little too close to Paula, and I worry that folks wouldn’t pronounce it properly.

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Leire sounds strange, but when i looked at it’s page and saw that it’s pronounced LAY-ree, I fell in love!

I met a guy and his name was pronounced “oo-ny”. I am not sure how to spell it, but I love it. Anyone know?

YARELI OR YALENI WOULD BE GOOD NAMES FOR GIRLS.

It’s not relevant (it does mention the name in this post however) but it annoys me a little how they don’t mention Selena Gomez on the Selena name post but they mention Miley on the Miley name post.

Suzanne, I think the name you like is Unai (“oo-ny”). It’s Basque

Maria, the reason that they don’t mention Selena Gomez is that for most people who speak Spanish, when they hear the name Selena, the association is with the famous Tejano singer, Selena Quintanilla Perez (known simply as “Selena”), absolutely not with Selena Gomez. For my daughters (ages 11 and 7), the association is with Selena Gomez, but that is not true for most Spanish-speaking adults.

well im only 18 and i still would associate the name selena with the tejano singer than with selen gomez but just like with miley cyrus im sure other girls before her were named the same now as to the names im expecting a baby boy and it is so hard to give him a name i like my family speaks spanish and my husband is caucasian his middle and last names will be reece taylor now we just need a first name that can be pronounced in both languages that sounds good with the middle name he liked payton and i like it as well but it does not sound right in spanish we’ve also been considering elisha

I prefer Selma (as in Blair) rather than Salma.

ME GUStA MAS OTROS ESOS IA SON KOMO ANTIGUOS ME GUSTAN MAS LOS DE:

*-SOFIA,DANNA,ANDREA,ALLIZON,KIMBERLY,HELEN ,-

.-alexander,aron,brandon,kevin,cesar,jordan ….

haa esos me enkantann

nereyda. i think David is a great name in both spanish and english.

Cameron Diaz

[...] epithet of Athena.  The thread also mentions Aleydis was popular in Catalonia, an area known for some truly extraordinary names.  I found one medieval reference to Adalyde in Catalonia, but nothing suggests that it is a [...]

My name is Belen hehe. I’m not hispanic but my parents liked the name. It’s true, Belen is pretty un-known here. It’s pretty (but not in American English. In a Spanish accent it sounds beautiful but in an American accent it sounds blunt and dull), but no one knows how to read/write/say it. It’s “Bell-en”, not that hard! But I have about 15 spelling variations I’ve seen, I get called BAYLIN, BALON, BLAIR, I don’t even know. It’s frustrating. My friend from Paraguay says she knew 3 Belens, so that’s quite different from here. There is also a Spanish actress named Belen Ruez (or something like that…). Seeing her name on screen was so weird because I am so un-used to seeing/hearing my name when not directed to me.