Mendoza has great potential to move from a surname to a first name for either sex. It is derived from the Basque words mendi, meaning "mountain," and hotz, "cold."

Mendoza is a common Basque surname derived from the words mendi, meaning "mountain," and hotz, "cold." As a given name, it could easily be worn on a girl or a boy. Notable people who have carried the name include Cristóbal Mendoza, the first President of Venezuela, and baseball player Carlos Mendoza.