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Basque Names

Brynn McKeon
By Brynn McKeon
Updated Mon Oct 30 2023
Basque Names

Basque baby names are becoming somewhat better known in the US, as Basque names reach prominence on the Spanish popularity list and celebrities with Basque names such as footballer Iker Casillas find international fame.

Intriguing Basque names include Iker, Zorion, Inigo, and Xanti for boys, and Nerea, Ainhoa, Xuxa, and Arrosa for girls.

Browse all of our Basque baby names here, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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Search Names by Origin

  1. Xavier

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "new house"

    • Description:

      Xavier originated is use as a given name after Saint Francis Xavier, cofounder of the Jesuit order, who got his name from the Spanish-Basque village where he was born. His birthplace was Javier, the name of which was derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria, meaning "castle" or "new house."
  2. Amaya

    • Origin:

      Spanish version of Amaia or Japanese

    • Meaning:

      "mother city; the end; night rain"

    • Description:

      The Spanish form of Amaya is both a given name and a surname, originating from the Spanish mountain and village of Amaya. In this context it means "mother city" or "the capital." Amaya can also be considered a derivation of Amaia, a Basque name meaning "the end." In Japan, Amaya is a surname.
  3. Inigo

    • Origin:

      Basque, medieval Spanish variation of Ignatius

    • Meaning:

      "fiery"

    • Description:

      Inigo, almost unknown in the U.S., is an intriguing choice, with its strong beat, creative and evocative sound, and associations with the great early British architect and stage designer Inigo Jones. The sixteenth-seventeenth century Jones shared his name with his father, a London clockmaker, who received it when Spanish names for boys were fashionable in England, especially among devout Roman Catholics.
  4. Iker

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "visitation"

    • Description:

      Long an extremely popular name in Spain, Iker (usually pronounced EE-kuhr in the English speaking world) is the rare Basque name that's starting to make it big in the States also, thanks to soccer player Iker Casillas. Indeed, it's been one of the fastest growing boys' names of the decade.
  5. Zorian

    • Description:

      Zorian is a masculine name with Slavic and Greek roots. It derives from the Slavic element 'zor' or 'zori' meaning 'dawn' or 'sunrise,' symbolizing new beginnings and hope. Some connect it to the Greek name Zorus or to Zorios, an epithet of Apollo as a god of light. In Eastern European countries, particularly Russia, Ukraine, and Poland, Zorian has historical usage though it remains relatively uncommon. The name carries a celestial quality with its connection to light and daybreak, while its distinctive sound offers a contemporary feel despite its ancient origins. Zorian has gained modest international appeal in recent years as parents seek names that are both meaningful and uncommon, with a balanced combination of strength and melodic quality.

  6. Naiara

    • Origin:

      Basque place name

    • Description:

      Basque name for a Spanish city where the Virgin Mary appeared in medieval times, now a popular girls' name throughout Spain.
  7. Izar

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "star"

    • Description:

      Used more for girls in Europe, but definitely sounds masculine enough for a boy here.
  8. Eneko

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "my little one"

    • Description:

      Despite Eneko's very sweet meaning, it packs a lot of historical punch. Eneko Aritza was the first Basque king of Pamplona. It is somewhat related to the more well known Inigo.
  9. Lourdes

    • Origin:

      Spanish, Portuguese, from French, meaning unknown

    • Description:

      This name of the French town where a young peasant girl had a vision of the Virgin Mary in 1858 vaulted into the spotlight when Madonna chose it for her daughter, but few other families except for devout Roman Catholics have followed her lead (any more than they've used Rocco for their sons).
  10. Nayara

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Naiara, Basque place-name

    • Description:

      Nayara or Naiara is a Basque name for a Spanish city where the Virgin Mary appeared in medieval times, now a popular girls' name throughout Spain.
  11. Leire

    • Origin:

      Basque place name

    • Description:

      Also spelled Leyre and taken from the name of a monastery fortress, the popular and lilting choice in Spain will pose pronunciation problems elsewhere. Among the Top 100 girls' names in Spain, Leire was given to only a handful of baby girls in the US last year.
  12. Zeru

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "sky"

    • Description:

      English speakers will think you invented this one, but it's a hidden nature name from the Basque country in present-day Spain. Some may find it too close to "zero" for comfort.
  13. Ilari

    • Origin:

      Finnish form of Hilarius, Roman

    • Meaning:

      "cheerful"

    • Description:

      Light and cheerful as its meaning but with plenty of substance, Ilari is the Finnish form of Hilarius and Hillary.
  14. Itzal

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "Shadow"

    • Description:

      The Basque name, meaning shadow, has the virtue of having both an interesting meaning and an obvious pronunciation.
  15. Nerea

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "mine"

    • Description:

      A variation of the name Nere, both choices are distinctive and accessible. In the Top 20 in Spain.
  16. Ainhoa

    • Origin:

      Basque place name

    • Description:

      The name of the French town where a vision of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared, this name is in the Spanish Top 100 and was, until recently, virtually unheard of elsewhere. Now however it is familiar in Puerto Rico and Chile, and as of 2019, it has been a feature in the US Top 1000.
  17. Zorion

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "happiness"

    • Description:

      Zorion may seem like a funky variation of Orion or Zorro to most English-speakers, but it is a genuine Basque name meaning happiness. The feminine version of this lovely name is Zorione.
  18. Ilario

    • Origin:

      Latin from Greek

    • Meaning:

      "cheerful, happy"

    • Description:

      Ilario's merry, jovial sound reflects a shared root with the word hilarious.
  19. Arantxa

    • Origin:

      Basque

    • Meaning:

      "thornbush"

    • Description:

      Basque names, indeed the entire Basque language, are unrelated to any other. Arantxa is a diminutive of Arantzazu. This obscure choice was made known by tennis player Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.
  20. Elixane

    • Origin:

      Basque, diminutive or local variant of Elizabeth

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      A rare name even among Basque speakers (fewer than 20 women in Spain are called Elixane), this beautiful name has drawn some attention via Elixane Lechemia, the French pro-tennis player.