Rare Spanish Baby Names

Mariposa

Spanish

"butterfly"

Mariposa is a rare, romantic choice with an intriguing meaning. Uncommon but not unknown, Mariposa is an elegant entrant in the nature names category. And it comes with the adorable nicknames Mari or…

Melania

Spanish and Greek variation of Melanie

"black"

The current wife of Donald Trump, Slovenian model Melania Knauss, brought this pretty version to the fore. Saint Melania was an heiress who freed thousands of enslaved people.

Joaquina

Feminine variation of Joaquin, Spanish

"God will judge"

As Joaquin enters the American mainstream, his sister might just follow.

Ysabel

Spanish variation of Isabel, variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew

"pledged to God"

Ysabel is the original spelling of this ever-more-popular name, though to English-speakers, the initial Y may confuse pronunciation. Only 14 baby girls were given the Ysabel spelling in the US last…

Laia

Catalan diminutive of Eulalia

"sweet-speaking"

Saint Eulalia was born in Spain and is the patron saint of Barcelona, so her name and its derivatives are popular throughout the land — especially in her native Catalonia.

Iola

Greek or Welsh

"violet; beautiful lady"

Isla is hot, Iona is cool – maybe it's time Iola got a second look? Last heard from on Carol Burnett's Mama's Family show, Iola feels like just the sort of uncommon, vowel-rich, vintage name that…

Graziela

Graziela is a feminine name of Italian and Portuguese origin, derived from the Latin 'gratia' meaning 'grace' or 'favor.' It's closely related to the name Graciela, with both being elaborations of…

Jana

International feminine variation of Jan

A sweet name with many cross-cultural ties: it's an equivalent of Jane in languages including Czech, Slovak, Dutch, German, Slovene, Catalan, Estonian, and Latvian.

Margarita

Spanish, Russian, Greek

"pearl, daisy"

Margarita is an international form of Margaret that shares its meaning of "pearl", but also directly translates to "daisy" in Spanish and Greek. Despite being widely associated with the alcoholic…

Gitana

Spanish

"traveller, Romani person"

The Spanish travelling or Romani community are called Gitanos, and Gitana is the feminine word. The term evolved from the Old Spanish word egiptano "Egyptian".

Iria

Portuguese variation of Eirene

"peace"

Iria is a diminutive version of Eirene / Irene and is therefore associated with the Greek goddess of peace.

Berta

Spanish, Catalan, Italian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Slovene, Scandinavian variation of Bertha

"bright"

A pan-European variant of Bertha and nickname for -berta ending names, such as Alberta and Roberta. It's certainly much more appealing than its predecessor, but unlikely to become a hit in the US…

Alexia

Diminutive of Alexandria, Greek

"defending men"

This diminutive, similar to Alex or Alexis, has been yo-yoing in popularity since the turn of the 21st century.

Genoveva

Variation of Genevieve or Geneva, French

"tribe woman or juniper"

The rare name Genoveva might be thought of as a variation of the French names Genevieve or Geneva, which have different roots and meanings. An unusual, pretty choice.

Garcia

Spanish and Portuguese

"bear"

This evocative Spanish surname would make an unusual but lively choice for a girl.

Ines

Italian, Portuguese, Slovene and Croatian variation of Agnes

"pure, virginal"

This form of Agnes, Ines has always been popular since the true story of the thwarted lovers Queen Ines of Castro and King Peter of Portugal. This has to be one of the most heartbreaking and bloody…

Francisca

Spanish, Portuguese

"free man"

Spanish and Portuguese form of Frances or Francesca

Florinda

Spanish and Portuguese elaboration of Flora or Florence

Florinda may be taking a good thing, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and springtime, and making it too elaborate.

Gala

Russian and Slavic feminine form of Galina

Festive name of the wife of Salvador Dali. In Spanish, Gala comes from the Roman name Galla, a feminine form of Gallus meaning "rooster" or "a person from Gaul".

Felisa

Felisa is a feminine name with Spanish and Latin origins, derived from the Latin "felix" meaning "happy" or "fortunate." This charming name has been used primarily in Spanish-speaking cultures since…