ADVERTISEMENT
Top 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.
If you're interested in exploring Basque names for your baby, here is a complete list. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
If you're interested in exploring Basque names for your baby, here is a complete list. The top names below rank among the current US Top 1000 Baby Names and are ordered by popularity. Unique names rank below the Top 1000 and are listed alphabetically.
ADVERTISEMENT
Xavier
Origin:
BasqueMeaning:
"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.” Many Americans pronounce the initial X, as in ex-ZAY-vee-er, but it's equally accepted to pronounce the name ZAY-vee-er, closer to the French pronunciation.
Amaya
Origin:
Spanish version of Amaia or JapaneseMeaning:
"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.
Iker
Origin:
BasqueMeaning:
"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.
Ainhoa
Origin:
Basque place nameDescription:
Name of the French town where a vision of the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared, this name, virtually unknown elsewhere, is in the Spanish Top 100.