International Baby Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 30 pages
of 30
Spanish
"dove"
Paloma is vibrant and ruby-lipped a la jewelry designer Paloma Picasso, but it also suggests peace, as symbolized by the dove. Paloma is a highly recommended striking but soft name, one of the best…
Native American, Spanish variation of Yara, Arabic
"water lady; small butterfly"
Possibly a derivative variation of Yara, a popular name in Spanish-speaking countries meaning butterfly, Yareli was given to more than 400 baby girls in the US last year.
Spanish word name
"sky"
Like Araceli, Cielo is a heavenly name associated with the Virgin Mary. Cielo, the Spanish word for "sky," began being used as a name in honor of María del Cielo , a title for the Virgin Mary meaning…
Hebrew, Spanish, or Swahili
"branch; dahlia; gentle"
Similar in sound to the flower name Dahlia, this gentle but distinctive name, heard in many cultures, hits that Golden Mean between too popular and too unusual. In Lithuanian mythology, Dalia is a…
German variation of Carla
Both Karla and Carla are sliding down the ranks, though Karla remains far more popular in the USA than Carla.
Spelling variation of Dylan; Turkish
"love"
Dylan has become a go-to name for boys in the last generation, thanks to poet Dylan Thomas, musician Bob Dylan, and fictional characters like Dylan McKay of Beverly Hills, 90210 . Spelling variations…
Germanic
"noble, bright"
Alberto is the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese variation of Albert and lends a more unusual and fashionable edge to this name which is still a grandpa name to many.
Spanish variation of Alfred, English
"wise counsellor; elf counsel"
Alfredo, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese variation of Alfred, is most familiar as the romantic lead in Verdi's evergreen opera La Traviata . On a less romantic note, Alfredo is also the name of a…
"fiery"
Ignacio, like Horacio, makes its gray-bearded English equivalent name sound positively dashing. While the Ig- beginning summons up such associations as ignoble and ignorant, the era for Ignacio and…
"light"
Pronounced LOOSE, this name that refers to the Virgin Mary—"Our Lady of Light"—is one of the most widely used Spanish name for girls . Its sleekness and stylish final z gives it a modern appeal, like…
Greek
"from Magdala"
Magdalena is a pretty name forever associated with the fallen-yet-redeemed Mary Magdalen; often heard in the Hispanic community. But forward thinking parents are reviving Magdalena along with…
Catalan variation of Raymond
The Latin Ramon has been in the U.S. Top 1000 since the beginning of baby-naming time, i.e. the past 130+ years. Ramon is the perfect blend of worldly and familiar, with a rocker edge via The…
Feminine variation of Paul, Latin
"small"
Paula still seems somewhat stuck in the era of duo Paul and Paula bopping out the song "Hey, Paula." Two pronunciations are possible—the English "PAW-la" and the Portuguese "POW-la." Modern bearers…
Spanish, Italian and Russian
"lily"
Lilia is pretty double L name that makes for sparkly, floral choice with plenty of international flair. More distinctive that Lily, less popular than Liliana, Lia, and Lilian, Lilia was a new entry…
Combination of Ariel and Elizabeth or Hispanic variation of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"lion of God + pledged to God"
Arisbeth is a name that feels poetic and fantastical like Arwen or Amoret, but equally familiar and sunny, like Marisol. It is in fact a name used primarily in Mexico and by Hispanic parents in the…
Italian variation of Roland
"famous throughout the land"
Orlando, the ornate Italianate twist on the dated Roland, with a literary heritage stretching back to Shakespeare and before, has appealing book-ended o's, and is open to combination with almost any…
Spanish and Italian variation of Ernest
A Latin classic, widely used here and abroad, though in the U.S. it has fallen on the charts in recent years.
Spanish, Latin American, English, and Filipino diminutive of Mary, Hebrew
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Actress and author Mariel Hemingway popularized this attractive and unusual variation of Mary, which first emerged in the 20th century. Also the name of a Cuban town — which provided the source of…
Spanish variation of William
As with Guillaume (see above), Liam, Willem, and Wilhelm, everyday Williams in their own countries, Guillermo is a captivating possibility here. Giermo, Gigermo, Gijermo, Gillermo, Gillirmo, Giyermo,…
Italian, Spanish
"renowned warrior"
This streamlined Italian and Spanish spelling of Louisa is currently very popular in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Portugal, where it's usually spelt Luísa.
