Latin Names for Girls

The most prominent person with this unusual geographical choice might be actor Cuba Gooding Jr., however, Cuba has a far longer history as a feminine name. Deriving from the island in the Caribbean Sea, it had a brief spell of popularity in the US at the end of the 1890s, when Spain lost possession of the island during the Spanish-American War. Used predominantly (though rarely) on girls throughout the last century, it has occasionally been given to a handful of boys too
 
The exact meaning and origins of the place name are unknown, though it is conjectured that it comes from the extinct Taíno language and could mean "where the fertile land is abundant" or "great place". Alternatively, it could derive from the Palace of Cuba in Italy, whose name might literally come from the word cubical or from the Arabic Qubba meaning "dome" — in reference to the shape of the building. There is also a Roman Goddess of the name, who is said to have helped see a child from cradle to bed. 
 
Actor Cuba Gooding Jr. was named in honor of his grandfather's first wife, whom he had met and married after fleeing to the island in the 1930s; when she was murdered, he promised to name his first son Cuba, which he did, and soul singer Cuba Sr. then gave the name to his son too. 
 More recently, social media influencers and YouTube couple, Jess and Gabriel Conte, named their son Cuba Malachi in 2024. The name has raised some eyebrows among their followers for its unusualness — and perhaps because some might think of the fraught history the island has with the US. Nevertheless, it is almost reminiscent of the likes of Luna, Cooper, Ember and Cora, so time will tell if other parents begin to consider the name for any gender.

Cuba

The Roman goddess of care and concern was said to have created humans out of clay.

Cura

A variation of Cyrilla, which is in turn a feminine form of Cyril, which, in Greek, is used to refer to God or Jesus.


Syrilla

Cirilla is the currently most-used version of this name, thanks to The Witcher series, but Sirilla is another spelling variant of the original Cyrilla, feminine of Cyril. Downside: that Siri nickname.

Sirilla

Benedicta

Unique and fluid river name with the lilt of a Viennese waltz. 

Danube

Fans of the late Princess Diana might remember an early nickname, Shy Di. Di was more commonly heard in the middle of the last century, when Diane and sisters were in top vogue.
 
Today, people may take Di as a very dark word name.

Diversity

Probably too evangelical for mass importation. 

Baptista

Pretty Victorian-feeling cousin of Ariel; also, more prosaically, a kind of bay window. 

Oriel

A bird name from the same Latin root as Aurelia, Oriole is extremely rare as a name: No babies were given the name in the US in 2022. But most people are aware of the Oriole bird, which makes this name uncommon yet possible.

Oriole

More modern and alluring than Silver, Argenta is one of the few mineral/metal-related names.

Argenta

A pleasantly unfamiliar addition to the ella family of names. 

Orella

This and two other female forms -- AQUILA and AQUILINA -- of the Roman family name Aquilius might live on in modern times. 

Aquilia

A religious name, referring to the announcement by the Virgin Mary that she was with child. 

Annunciata

Cosy but strong, distinctive and regal, Marthena could be a number of things: a spelling variation of Martina (likely based on Afrikaans form, Marthina); an elaboration of the classic and Biblical Martha; or, a compound name, blending any Mar- name with mythological choice, Athena.
 
As such, its meaning may vary depending on what root you follow. As a variation of Martina, it relates back to Roman god of war, Mars, while as a twist on Martha, it comes from the Aramaic marta meaning "lady, mistress". As a compound name, further meanings could be "pearl from Athens", "lady from Athens", "beloved Athens" and "warlike one from Athens".
 
Actress and politician Aiko Melendez named her daughter Marthena, possibly taking inspiration from her birthname (Mary) and her then partner's name, Martin.

Marthena

The added 'h' at the end gives this classic name a slightly unique twist while maintaining its elegant sound and meaning. Miranda gained popularity through Shakespeare's character in 'The Tempest' and saw peaks of usage in the 1990s. Mirandah has a romantic, somewhat ethereal quality that balances strength and femininity. Though less common than the traditional spelling, it may appeal to parents who appreciate the original name's meaning and history but desire something slightly different. The name carries connotations of beauty, intelligence, and independence.

Mirandah

The simplified spelling of Monica gives the name a modern, streamlined feel while maintaining the recognizable pronunciation. Monca's rarity makes it distinctive, appealing to parents seeking an uncommon variation of a familiar name. The name has a pleasant sound with its two syllables and straightforward pronunciation. While unconventional in spelling, Monca retains connections to the more traditional Monica, which gained popularity through Saint Monica and remained a steadily used name throughout Western countries.

Monca

Light, sweet, and multicultural, Nemi is a simple name with a complex etymology. It notably appears as the title character of a 90s comic strip, drawn by Lisa Myhre, who likely took the name from an Italian lake. The lake in question, Lake Nemi, likely takes its name 
from the Latin nemus "holy wood", and was the site of a Roman temple to the goddess Diana.
 
Alternatively, Nemi can be a Japanese name, meaning "sound of the waves" or "sound of the truth", or a variation of the Biblical Naomi, via alternative form, Noemi, meaning "pleasant". Others attribute it to the Nahuatl element, nemi meaning "to live, to dwell", to the Sanskrit nemí meaning "rim of a wheel", or the Latin Nemo meaning "nobody",.

Nemi

Sidonia is a feminine form of the Ancient Roman habitational name Sidonius. Sidonie is the French form, which sounds similar to the recently trendy Sydney but comes from a different root. An original way to honor grandpa Sid.

Sidonia

Latin names for girls derive, ultimately, from ancient Rome, which stretched from Spain to Iraq at its height. Latin girls’ names, for that reason, reflect a multitude of cultures and languages. Current favorites in the US include Olivia and Ava.

Along with Olivia and Ava, other

 include Camila, Clara, Eliana, Lillian, Lucy, Ruby, Stella, and Valentina.

Baby girl names popular in Rome include Viola — the

 in Italy — Cecilia, Gloria, and Celeste.

Some Latin names for girls have been altered somewhat from their original form by the passage of time. But other Latin girls’ names can be found carved into rocks from thousands of years ago. 

Popular modern girls’ names with Latin roots

 include Beatrice, Cecilia, Felicity, Hillary, Julia, Laura, Patricia, Violet, and Vivian, but there are dozens of other Latin girls’ names worth exploring for your baby girl.

Below, our full menu of Latin names for girls, ordered by popularity on Nameberry.

Latin names for baby girls, including top girl names and unique girl names of Latin origin, with meanings and popularity. (Page 21)