By Pamela Redmond · Updated October 2026
Across 37 pages
of 37
Spanish
"jade"
Long used in Spanish-speaking countries, this strong but feminine name was jump-started here by the rise of actress Jada Pinkett Smith. The Italian Giada is a popular variation. In the Bible, the…
"hope, expectation"
Esperanza is a Spanish classic that's found its way onto the national popularity list in recent years. It came into the spotlight not long ago when jazz singer Esperanza Spalding "stole" the Best New…
Variation of Jada
A Jada alternative that has lost ground this decade after peaking around 2010.
Spanish, Slovene, Lithuanian, Persian, Swedish, Serbian,"life, visible, willow, to see"
"life, visible, willow, to see"
Vida is a multicultural gem, familiar in a number of languages by not overly popular. It featured in the US Top 1000 in the first half of the 20th century, and in recent years, it has seen renewed…
Spanish, feminine variation of Juan
"God is gracious"
Juana has not achieved the popularity in the U.S. of the male version Juan. Whereas Juan has made it almost to the Top 50 on the U. S. hit parade, sister Juana has barely entered the thousand most…
Phonetic spelling of Alicia; also Sanskrit
"protected by God"
This name has two derivations. One is as a member of the well-populated Alice/Alicia family (with an overly literal spelling), which gives it the meaning "noble"; the other is an Urdu name with the…
Latin
"from the woods"
This original form of the name -- the more familiar Sylvia spelling came later -- seems more modern now.
Spanish from Arabic
"hidden river, valley of the wolves"
Popular Spanish name that relates to the patron saint of Mexico. It could conceivably, like Soledad and Consuelo, cross the border into multicultural territory, but the name's decline since the…
Italian and Spanish variation of Carmel, Hebrew
"garden"
Most familiar as the name of Tony Soprano's wife, but she spelled it Carmela. In the contemporary US, both Carmella and Carmela are used in near-equal numbers, given to a total of about 300 baby…
Italian, Spanish, and Israeli variation of Michaela
"who is like God"
The original versions of Micaela have morphed into all manner of "inventive" spellings -- Makayla, McKalla et al -- but we prefer the genuine international versions, like this one.
Spanish variation of Lorraine
"from the province of Lorraine"
A feminine name heard most often in the Hispanic community. Surprisingly, Lorena was on the US Top 1000 list of girls' names for an impressive 130 years, from 1880 until falling off in 2011. We do…
English and Spanish diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
A condensed version of Elizabeth made more familiar by The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo 's Lisbeth Salander.
Spanish; Portuguese; Romanian; Welsh, from Hebrew
"to tie, bind"
A variant spelling of Rebecca.
Spanish diminutive of Ana; Sanskrit
"grace; unguided"
Once a Top 100 name, this Spanish diminutive of Ana still retains some of her Latin flair. A notable namesake is noted attorney Anita Hill, another is the great jazz singer Anita O'Day. Plus there's…
Variation of Emma, German, Japanese
"universal; favor, benefit + flax"
Streamlined and succinct, Ema is a multicultural choice with wide-reaching appeal and versatility. From its German roots, Ema is a form of the classic Emma, used in Spanish, Portuguese, Slovene,…
Portuguese form of Natalia
The more familiar spelling Natalia currently sits much further up the list and has even made two brief appearances in the Top 100 during the last decade. Nathalia on the other hand has never been a…
"warlike"
A feminine form of Martin, this strong and zestful sounding name is popular in Argentina, Chile, Spain, and Italy, where it ranks in the Top 30. Also familiar in Czechia, the UK, Slovakia, and…
Spanish, feminine variation of Noel
This name of an admired Puerto Rican pop singer has been picked up by hundreds of Hispanic parents.
Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Polish variation of Ariadne, Greek
"most holy"
Romantic and elegant but tough and sparky at the same time, Ariadna is a variation of the Greek Ariadne, predominantly used among Spanish speakers. In Greek mythology, Ariadne was the daughter of…
"gracious gifts, benefits"
Mercedes is one of the few names attached to luxury living that we can wholeheartedly recommend, it being a legitimate Spanish appellation stemming from one of the epithets given to the Virgin…
