Spanish Cat Names

This Spanish month name has been quietly used for several years now in the US.

Santana is a saintly name...or Latin rock band. While traditionally masculine, character Santana Lopez on the show Glee showed the name's potential for a girl as well. Sound-wise, it feels like Savannah with a twist.

High-kicking cohort of Coco, Gigi, Fifi, Kiki, et al.

Azul is the Spanish word for "blue" and was first recorded as a baby name (for girls) in 1995. It's technically considered unisex today, although it is still much more common as a feminine name.

Silvanus was the Roman god of the forests and is also an alternate name in the New Testament for Silas. Relatives include Silvio, Silvius, and Sylvia.

Likely a feminised form of Areli (one of Gad’s sons according to Genesis), Arely is a Spanish girls’ name with Hebrew roots meaning "the voice of God." Most common among Spanish-speakers (and a fairly popular name in Spain), Arely might be a great choice for parents looking for a name with Biblical roots that still sounds trendy and feminine and wears well across cultures.

In Nabokov's notorious novel, Lolita is the pet name given by the pedophilic narrator, Humbert Humbert, to his victim: a young girl called Dolores and nicknamed Lola or Lo by her mother. Still, it seems that a few parents are prepared to look past this problematic association, seeing this as a offbeat option for those who defy convention. We would recommend thinking seriously about the background of this name before bestowing it on your daughter.

Popular among Hispanic parents, it explains the source of the nickname Gonzo.

Another culture's slant on Mark, sometimes associated with former president of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos and his shoe-collecting wife, Imelda.

Popular in the Hispanic community, unlike its English cousin. It has been very near the bottom of the US Top 1000 for the last three years.

Richard is far from fashionable, but Ricardo is one of the most popular Spanish names for boys in the US. And it does sound far more appealing that the English version.

Cayo is a rare and rhythmic Spanish name, all but unknown in the English-speaking world, that would make a lively choice.

A short, snappy name of Choctaw origin, with a charming meaning, Chito might also be used in Georgian where it means "bird", and as a Filipino and Spanish short form and pet name.

About 100 baby boys were named Lucio in the US last year, a number we expect to increase with the growing popularity of all names in the Lu family. It's a family united by sound, with three main branches.

Juan, the Spanish version of John, is ubiquitous in the Spanish-speaking world, and is familiar internationally via such references as Don Juan and San Juan.

Ysabel is the original spelling of this ever-more-popular name, though to English-speakers, the initial Y may confuse pronunciation.

More colorful than Blanche, but blanker than Bianca.

Both Christian and Cristian rank in the US Top 500 names for boys, and while the classic "Ch" spelling is used more than four times as often, Cristian is still given to more than 1000 boys each year, and is often used in the Hispanic community.

Amada is an unusual Spanish name that's becoming more famous thanks to Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes, who named their second daughter Amada Lee and their first Esmeralda Amada. Amada was also the name of two characters played by Mendes and, not coincidentally, her grandmother's name. In 2015, it was used for only 21 girls while brother name Amado was used for twice as many girls, but we predict the name will become more popular thanks to its new star power. Related names include the Latin saints' name Amatus, the musical Amadeo, and even Amy and Amanda.

The association with the Cuban leader Castro is still strong, but he's by no means the only Fidel. This name was in the Top 1000 for over 80 years, from 1919 to 2005. From the late Latin name Fidelis, meaning "faithful", at its heart it has an uplifting meaning.