Mexican Baby Names

Diana, the tragic British princess, inspired many fashions, but strangely, not one for her name. For us, Diana is a gorgeous and still-underused choice.
 Diana is the Latin name for the Roman goddess associated with the moon, virginity, and hunting; she is the protector of wild animals, represented in myth as both beautiful and chaste.
 Two of her most prominent bearers today are singers Diana (born Diane) Ross and Krall. Fictional Dianas appear in All's Well That Ends Well, Jane Eyre, and Anne of Green Gables.
 Now that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have named their daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, perhaps this name will finally attract more attention and greater use.

Diana

Confident and compact, Ana is a widely used variation of the Biblical Hannah. Favored in Spain, Slovenia, Bosnia, Portugal, and Croatia, this shorter spelling has the same substance and versatility of its longer counterparts. 
 
Derived from channah meaning "grace", Ana is one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/495/spanish-names-for-girls">Spanish names for girls</a> in the US.
 
While the Biblical Hannah still remains the preferred choice in the States, with classic Anna not too far behind, Ana is still given to more than 1300 girls every year - and occasionally to a handful of boys.
 
Notable namesakes include Cuban actress Ana de Armas of Knives Out and James Bond fame; singer Ana Matronic of The Scissor Sisters; tennis player Ana Ivanovic; romance writer Ana Huang and many more.
 
While its use as a slang term will put some parents off, its concise, international feel may be very appealing to others, especially with other 3-letter favorites like Ivy, and Mia ranking so highly.
 
If you do love Ana but want to explore more options, other Hannah variants include Anya, Annika, and Anouk. If it's the brevity of it that you like, Lia, Aya, Ida, and Lua might be places to start.

The oldest-known form of Mary, serious and solemn Miriam has been a particular favorite of observant Jewish parents. But we can see it extending beyond that sphere into the next wave of Old Testament names post-Rachel, Rebecca, Sarah, Hannah, and Leah. Miriam is currently the Number 1 girls' name in Israel.
 Miriam is the Old Testament form of the Hebrew Maryam. The original meaning of Maryam is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from the Egyptian root mr).
 In the Old Testament, Miriam appears in Exodus as the older sister of Moses and Aaron, a prophetess who led the triumphal song and dance after the crossing of the Red Sea and deliverance of the Israelites from the Egyptians.
 Miriam is an artistic character in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Marble Faun and in Henry James's The Tragic Muse, Miriam Rooth is a talented young half-Jewish actress, Miriam Leviers is a farm girl in D. H. Lawrence's Sons and Lovers, and Miriam is the eponymous central character of a haunting Truman Capote short story.
 One notable namesake is South African singer Miriam Makeba. More relaxed nicknames: Miri, Mira, and Mimi.

Miriam

Bright, melodic, and nature inspired, Kailani blends the appeal of Kaia and Leilani in terms of sounds, while in meaning, it matches the draw of Skye, Ocean, and Celeste. Derived from Hawaiian elements kai ("sea, ocean") and lani ("sky, heaven"), it debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2013, having been on the rise since the early 2000s.
 
Also popular in Puerto Rico and Mexico, Kailani ranked in the Top 300 in a recent year and has been joined in the charts by Portuguese and Brazilian spelling Kailany and by Kaylani (which may also be a variation of Keilani). Given to 1215 girls in a recent year, when you view the spelling variations collectively, it begins to feel like a Top 70 choice, ranking alongside Zoey, Claire, and Eden in the same year.
 
Traditionally used as a unisex name in Hawaii (and given to a small handful of boys in the US most years), a notable bearer is Australian figure-skater, Kailani Craine.

Kailani

A multicultural choice with an appealing open O sound, Omar blends stately strength with familiarity. Also transcribed as Umar, it is a popular choice among Muslim families and features in the name charts across the globe.
 
Long associated with the twelfth-century Persian poet, Omar Khayyam, Omar derives from the Arabic umr meaning "life", though is typically interpreted as meaning "flourishing, thriving" and "long living", making it an aspirational choice. In Islamic tradition, Omar (or Umar) was the second caliph (a religious ruler) and companion of the Prophet Muhammad.
 
Omar is also a Hebrew name, mentioned in the Old Testament, in which it is borne by a son of Eliphaz. In this case, it is derived from the Hebrew amar, meaning "say, speak", though it can also be interpreted as meaning "eloquent". 
 
Occasionally, it may be linked to the Germanic names Ottomar or Othmar, which mean "wealthy and famous".
 
Notable bearers have been World War II General Omar Bradley and actors Omar Sharif, Omar Epps, and Omar Sy.
 
Currently in the US Top 300, the name also charts in Azerbaijan, Belgium, England and Wales, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Mexico, Kazakhstan, and Sweden, revealing its global appeal.

Omar

Mariana is that unusual name that is more than the sum of its parts. While Mary or Maria and Ana or Anna are both perfectly nice classic names, Mariana achieves a lyrical elegance that transcends them.

 Unlike its near-soundalike Marianna, which is a combination of Maria and Anna, Mariana has its roots in Ancient Rome. It derives from the Roman name Marianus, from Marius, which ties to the war god Mars or to the Latin root mas, maris, meaning "male".

Mariana

Ismael is Spanish and Portuguese rendition of the Biblical name Ishmael and the form used in the Greek New Testament. Currently, it is the variant that ranks most highly on the US charts and it is popular among the Hispanic community, both in the US, and globally. 
 
Derived from Hebrew, Ismael means "God will hear", and in the Bible, he is the son of Abraham, the ancestor of the Arab people. While Ishmael is remembered as the narrator of Herman Melville's Moby Dick, Ismael is slightly sleeker, more internationally friendly, and popular in France, Spain, Brazil and Mexico.
 
With nicknames Mael and Izzy, Ismael is given to over 1400 babies every year in the US and was a fast rising name in 2024.

Ismael

Arleth has made the US Top 1000 twice — in 2005 and 2021 — thanks to telenovela star Arleth Terán. 

Arleth

Predominantly used among the Hispanic community, but beginning to be used more broadly, Nayeli is a melodic choice, derived from the Zapotec nadxiie lii meaning "I love you", or perhaps from nayele meaning "open". While the former meaning is certainly more endearing and whimsical, the second is nevertheless friendly and warm.
 
Familiar in Spain, Puerto Rico, and more recently The Netherlands, Nayeli joined the US Top 1000 in the mid-90s, peaked in 2001 when it made the Top 200, then declined again — though a recent year has seen a resurgence of the name, perhaps owing to its positive meanings. 
 
Notable bearers include footballers Nayeli Rangel and Nayeli Díaz, along with social media star, Nayeli Lo Vera, who may have helped popularize the name in more recent years.

Nayeli

Lushly elaborate name that makes Lucy more grownup and sensual.  Carnie Wilson chose it for her daughter.  Lucianus is an ancient Roman family name and Lucianus of Samosata was an early satirist.  Heard most often in the Italian and Spanish cultures, Luciana is usually pronounced loo-chee-anna.

Luciana

One of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/806/spanish-names-for-boys">Spanish names for boys</a> in the US, Javier is embodied for many Americans in the magnetic persona of Spanish-born Oscar-nominated actor Javier Bardem. 

While off its peak in the US, Javier still ranks among the Top 300 boys' names in the US, and is solidly in the Top 100 in Spanish-speaking countries Spain, Mexico, and Chile.

Javier

This is a Spanish variation of Maximilian that has begun to gain some popularity. It has a luxurious feel -- maybe it's the suggestion of "millions"? -- but this is one of those <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/161/spanish-names">Spanish baby names</a> that come with Anglicized nicknames that can make it work across cultures.

Maximiliano

Antonella is an elaborate feminine form of Anthony growing in popularity throughout Latin America as well as in the US. It first entered the US charts back in 2017 and has since shot into the Top 300, given to around 1330 girls in a recent year.
 
Also on trend in Spain, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Chile, and Mexico, it remains in the Italian Top 200, though it has declined in popularity since the 90s. It is notably borne by actresses Antonella Rose and Antonella Costa, singer Antonella Ruggiero, TV host Antonella Clerici, and influencer Antonela Roccuzzo. 

Antonella has overtaken the traditional Antonia in the US (though not in Italy, England and Wales, Poland, Austria, or Chile), perhaps because it offers an even wider ranger of nicknames, including Ana, Annie, Toni, Nella, Nell, Nellie, and Ella.

Antonella

The lovely Shakespearean Juliet is finding renewed interest as a baby name today, and Julieta is along for the ride, especially among Spanish families.

 Juliet originated in the Middle Ages as a diminutive form of Julian, then a predominantly female name. It ultimately derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".

Julieta

Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
 
Aurelia is the female form of the Latin name Aurelius, an ancient Roman surname. Aurelius is derived from the Latin word aureus, meaning "golden," which was also the name of a gold coin used in Ancient Rome. Aurelius was a cognomen, a third name in Roman culture that often referenced a personal characteristic or trait, likely used for someone with golden hair.
 
The Roman classic Aurelius, from which Aurelia derives, was very common in the Roman Empire and is currently experiencing a resurgence in the US—it re-entered the Top 1000 list in 2012 after a 61-year hiatus. 
 
The name of several minor early saints, Aurelia's sound and feel can be credited for it being on the rise again. Aurora and Oriana are Aurelia cousins you might also want to consider. 
 
Aurelia was the name of the mothers of Julius Caesar, the writer Sylvia Plath, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, in her honor, made it one of his daughter Christina's <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/673/middle-names">middle names</a>.
 
The name can be pronounced as aw-RAY-lee-uh or aw-REE-lee-uh.

Aurelia

Used across Europe, South America, and the US, Daniela is a popular feminine form of the Hebrew name Daniel. It has ranked in the US Top 300 since the early 90s and it's currently on trend in Spain, Portugal, Chile, Mexico, and Lativia.

While not as popular as its father name, Daniel which remains in the US Top 20, Daniela and its spelling variations Daniella and Danielle, are familiar throughout the Western world, from Italy to Iceland, Finland to Bulgaria. Well established but not old-fashioned, Daniela retains a hint of flair and offers a range of nicknames, from unisex Dani, to vintage Nella, to sunny Della, or zippy Dana.
 
In the US, the name may feel a little 2000s, and has since fallen down the charts, however, it is still chosen for more than 1200 babies every year, suggesting it's a name that won't be going anywhere any time soon.

Daniela

It wasn't so long ago that Romeo was considered as outre for an American baby as Casanova or Cupid. But that really changed when David and Victoria Beckham chose it for their second son in 2002, a path followed by Jon Bon Jovi.
 Romeo was not invented by the Bard, but was taken from his source material for the play.
Some sources say it descends from that of Romulus, one of the twin sons of Mars.

Romeo

Kimberly's heyday was in the 1960s and 70s, when it ranked among the Top 10. While it hasn't been stylish for decades, it's evidenced more staying power than some former hot girl names, remaining among the Top 300 girl names in the US, where it's stood for 70 years.

Does that make Kimberly a classic? We wouldn't go quite that far, but it's shown more staying power than other <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/k">girls' names starting with K</a> popular around the same time, such as Kelly and Kristen.

Kimberley is a city in South Africa whose name is taken from Lord Kimberley, a native of the village of Kimberley in Norfolk, England.

Kimberly

Adelina is back in the Top 1000 after an absence of nearly a century, thanks to the meteoric rise of her sister name Adeline -- along with Adelaide, Adele, and Ada. 

Some parents choose Adelina because they want to get to cute vintage nickname Addie, but others favor it as a slightly more unusual form of this sweet vintage girls' name. A lot of attention was focused on it via the women's figure skating gold medal winner at the Sochi winter olympics--Adelina Sotnikova.
While Adeline is usually pronounced in the U.S. with a long i in the last syllable, to rhyme with mine, Adelina is pronounced with the long e sound at the end, as in 'lee-na'.

Adelina

A vibrant, operatic choice with plenty of flair and plenty of familiarity too. Popular in Italy, Chile, Uruguay, and Brazil, it also ranks in the Top 500 in France and the US. Operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti and football manager Luciano Spalletti are two notable bearers

Luciano

 names from indigenous Mexican cultures and languages

, such as Nahuatl, known historically as Aztec or Mayan, and Zapotec.

 for girls include Camila, Ximena, Isabella, and Valeria. 

 include Emiliano, Leonardo, Gael, and Diego. 

 include Sofia, Maria José, and Valentina for girls, Santiago, Mateo, and Sebastian for boys.

s include Yamileth, Brayan, Itzayana, and Sarahi. Many Mexican names are popularized by telenovelas, such as trending choices Arleth, Danna, and Dario.

In Mexico, many parents give their children 

, of which the most common are Maria Fernanda for girls and Miguel Angel for boys. Other rising combos include Dulce Maria, Angel Gale, and Maria Del Carmen. 

Below, you'll find our full range of Mexican names for babies.

Mexican names, including Spanish names, Latinx names, and indigenous names popular for baby girls and baby boys in Mexico, with origins, meanings, and popularity. (Page 6)

500+ Mexican Baby Names