Filipino Girl Names
Filipino girl names can be as old as a moon goddess or as new as a name invented at the hospital from Mom’s and Dad’s names. The Philippines gave the world Tagalog beauties like Tala (“star”) and Ligaya (“joy”), Spanish-era devotional names like Corazon and Milagros, and cheerful blends like Marivic.
We’ve collected 95 Filipino girl names, each with its meaning and story, grouped so you can browse by style. Looking for a brother’s name? Try Filipino boy names. For surnames and naming history, visit the Filipino names hub, and if you love star and sky names, see our names that mean star.
Tagalog and native Filipino girl names
Words from Tagalog and Visayan languages, plus goddesses of Philippine mythology. Most are pronounced with the stress shown.
| Name | Meaning | Pronunciation / note |
|---|---|---|
| Tala | “Star”; Tagalog goddess of the stars | TA-la |
| Mayumi | “Gentle, tender, soft-spoken” | ma-YU-mi |
| Liwayway | “Dawn, daybreak” | li-way-WAY |
| Amihan | “Northeast monsoon wind”; a mythic bird | a-MEE-han |
| Ligaya | “Happiness, joy” | li-GA-ya |
| Dalisay | “Pure, genuine” | da-LEE-say |
| Luningning | “Brilliance, sparkle” | lu-ning-NING |
| Hiraya | “Fruit of one’s hopes and dreams” | hee-RA-ya |
| Marikit | “Beautiful, pretty” | ma-REE-kit |
| Mutya | “Pearl; lucky charm” | MUT-ya |
| Bituin | “Star” | bi-TU-in |
| Mayari | Moon goddess of Tagalog myth | ma-YA-ri |
| Hanan | Goddess of the morning | HA-nan |
| Maganda | “Beautiful”; the first woman in the creation myth | ma-gan-DA |
| Sampaguita | Arabian jasmine, the national flower | sam-pa-GI-ta |
| Sinta | “Beloved, sweetheart” | SIN-ta |
| Hiyas | “Jewel, gem” | hi-YAS |
| Lualhati | “Glory, heaven” | lu-wal-HA-ti |
| Diwata | “Fairy, nature spirit” | di-WA-ta |
| Bulan | “Moon” | Visayan, BU-lan |
| Kalinaw | “Peace, calm” | Visayan, ka-LEE-now |
| Ganda | “Beauty” | gan-DA |
Classic Spanish-Catholic Filipino girl names
Many of these come from titles of the Virgin Mary (Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, del Rosario, de los Remedios). They were the Lolas’ names and are now charmingly vintage.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Maria | Latin form of Mary | Often used as the first half of a double name |
| Rosario | “Rosary” | Our Lady of the Rosary |
| Teresita | “Little Teresa” | Honors Saint Thérèse of Lisieux |
| Corazon | “Heart” | President Corazon “Cory” Aquino |
| Milagros | “Miracles” | Nickname Mila |
| Remedios | “Remedies” | Our Lady of Remedies |
| Luz | “Light” | Short and bright |
| Carmela | From Mount Carmel, “garden” | Our Lady of Mount Carmel |
| Imelda | Germanic, “all-embracing battle” | Blessed Imelda Lambertini |
| Consuelo | “Consolation” | Nickname Connie |
| Dolores | “Sorrows” | Our Lady of Sorrows; nickname Lolit |
| Esperanza | “Hope” | Virtue name |
| Pilar | “Pillar” | Our Lady of the Pillar |
| Mercedes | “Mercies” | Our Lady of Mercy |
| Socorro | “Help, aid” | Our Lady of Perpetual Help |
| Josefina | Feminine of Jose, “God will add” | Nickname Pina or Pining |
| Lourdes | From the French shrine town | Nickname Luding |
| Gloria | “Glory” | President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Soledad | “Solitude” | Our Lady of Solitude |
| Trinidad | “Trinity” | Holy Trinity |
| Paz | “Peace” | Short and strong |
Names of Filipina heroines
Women played key roles in the Philippine Revolution. These names carry real courage behind them. For more, see female warrior names.
| Name | Meaning | Heroine |
|---|---|---|
| Melchora | Feminine of Melchior, “king of light” | Melchora Aquino, “Tandang Sora,” mother of the Revolution |
| Gabriela | “God is my strength” | Gabriela Silang, who led the Ilocos revolt of 1763 |
| Gregoria | “Watchful” | Gregoria de Jesús, Katipunan leader and wife of Bonifacio |
| Teresa | Possibly “harvester” | Teresa Magbanua, the “Visayan Joan of Arc” |
| Marcela | “Little warrior” (from Mars) | Marcela Agoncillo, who sewed the first Philippine flag |
| Josefa | Feminine of Joseph | Josefa Llanes Escoda, founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines |
| Leonor | Spanish form of Eleanor | Leonor Rivera, José Rizal’s great love |
| Patrocinio | “Patronage, protection” | Patrocinio Gamboa, who carried the flag to Iloilo’s rebels |
Popular modern Filipino girl names
International names with a soft, feminine sound fill recent Philippine birth records, and pageant queens and actresses keep new names trending. Compare with popular girl names in the U.S.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Althea | “Healing” | Greek |
| Princess | Royal daughter | English |
| Angel | “Messenger” | Greek via English |
| Samantha | Possibly “listener” | Aramaic / English |
| Andrea | “Strong, courageous” | Greek |
| Nicole | “Victory of the people” | Greek via French |
| Sofia | “Wisdom” | Greek |
| Angelica | “Angelic” | Latin |
| Kristine | “Follower of Christ” | Scandinavian spelling |
| Jasmine | Jasmine flower | Persian |
| Chloe | “Young green shoot” | Greek |
| Ella | “Light” or “all” (debated) | Germanic / Hebrew |
| Bea | Short for Beatriz, “she who brings joy” | Spanish |
| Kathryn | Possibly “pure” | Greek via English |
| Erica | “Eternal ruler” | Norse |
| Janine | “God is gracious” | French |
| Pia | “Pious, devout” | Latin |
| Catriona | Scottish form of Katherine, “pure” | Scottish Gaelic |
| Maxine | “Greatest” | Latin via French |
| Nadine | “Hope” | French via Russian |
Blended Filipino girl names
Joining two names into one is a Filipino tradition, especially with Maria. Most of these peaked from the 1960s to the 1980s.
| Name | Made from | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Marivic | Maria + Victoria | Sweet 1960s classic |
| Luzviminda | Luzon + Visayas + Mindanao | The patriotic blend |
| Rosemarie | Rose + Marie | Crossed into English |
| Marites | Maria + Teresa | Also modern slang for a gossip |
| Maricel | Maria + Cecilia (or Celia) | Popular 1970s–80s pick |
| Mariafe | Maria + Fe (“faith”) | Devotional pairing |
| Jonalyn | Jona + Lyn | The famous “-lyn” ending |
| Lovelyn | Love + Lyn | Invented and sweet |
| Marilou | Maria + Louisa | Classic and bouncy |
| Maricar | Maria + Carmen | Honors two Marian titles |
Filipino nicknames for girls
Filipinas are rarely called by their full name at home. Many nicknames double a syllable or add Spanish diminutives.
| Nickname | Usually for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bing | Various names | Classic nickname for Lolas and Titas |
| Charing | Rosario | Old-fashioned favorite |
| Neneng | Any girl (“little girl”) | Tagalog endearment |
| Inday | Any girl (“young lady”) | Visayan endearment |
| Ging | Various names | Short and snappy |
| Cory | Corazon | Made famous by President Aquino |
| Tessie | Teresita | Friendly short form |
| Luding | Lourdes | Spanish-style diminutive |
| Pacita | Paz (“little peace”) | Spanish diminutive |
| Baby | Youngest daughter | Often kept into adulthood |
| Pinky | Various names | 1970s–80s favorite |
| Ining | Any girl | Ilonggo/Visayan endearment |
| Lolit | Dolores | Classic Tagalog-style clipping |
| Mila | Milagros | Simple and timeless |
How to pick a Filipino girl name
- A Tagalog first name with a saint’s middle name (Tala Rosario, Mayumi Pilar) balances heritage and faith in one go.
- Check the pronunciation in English. Tala, Mutya and Sinta are easy; Liwayway and Luningning may need coaching, but many families love that.
- Think about the nickname you’ll actually use. A Milagros will be Mila, a Dolores will be Lolit.
- Honor a Lola without making it heavy: use her name as a middle name, or blend it with yours the Filipino way.
- For more nature-inspired picks in the same spirit, see nature names for girls and names that mean moon.
Frequently asked questions
What is a pretty Filipino name for a girl?
Tala (“star”), Mayumi (“gentle”), Ligaya (“joy”), Hiraya (“fruit of one’s dreams”) and Marikit (“pretty”) are among the most beautiful Tagalog girl names.
What Filipino girl name means moon?
Mayari is the moon goddess of Tagalog mythology, and Bulan means “moon” in Visayan languages.
What is the Filipino name for star?
Tala and Bituin both mean “star” in Tagalog. Tala is also the name of the star goddess in Tagalog mythology.
Why do so many Filipino women have Maria in their name?
Catholic tradition made Maria the most common girl’s name for generations, so families blended it into new names like Marivic, Maricel and Marites, or used it as a first half, like Maria Clara.
What does Sampaguita mean?
Sampaguita is the Filipino name of Arabian jasmine (Jasminum sambac), the national flower of the Philippines, a symbol of purity and love.