Hispanic Girl Names
Hispanic girl names carry the music of Spanish, from the rolling rhythm of Valentina to the soft single syllable of Sol. They reach across more than twenty countries and centuries of history: Catholic names honoring the Virgin Mary, Basque names from northern Spain, Nahuatl names from Mexico like Xóchitl, and modern favorites that Latino families in the U.S. have pushed to the top of the charts.
Here are more than 90 Hispanic girl names with meanings, sorted by style. For brothers, see Hispanic boy names; for background, visit the Hispanic names hub. Looking for a specific country? Try Mexican girl names or Puerto Rican girl names.
Popular Hispanic girl names in the U.S.
These names rank high among Hispanic families in the United States (SSA and state birth data) and are equally common in Latin America. Many work beautifully in English too.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Sofia | “Wisdom” | Greek |
| Isabella | “Pledged to God” (Elizabeth) | Hebrew via Italian |
| Camila | “Young attendant at a ceremony” | Latin |
| Valentina | “Strong, healthy, vigorous” | Latin |
| Mia | “Mine” in Spanish; also short for Maria | Spanish / Italian |
| Lucia | “Light” | Latin |
| Victoria | “Victory” | Latin |
| Gabriela | “God is my strength” | Hebrew |
| Natalia | “Born on Christmas Day” | Latin |
| Daniela | “God is my judge” | Hebrew |
| Valeria | “Strong, healthy” | Latin |
| Mariana | Combination of Maria and Ana | Spanish |
| Ximena | Possibly Basque, “listener” or from Simeon | Spanish (Old Castilian) |
| Elena | “Torch, bright light” | Greek |
| Catalina | Spanish form of Katherine, “pure” | Greek via Spanish |
| Emilia | “Rival, eager” | Latin |
| Adriana | “From Hadria” | Latin |
| Luciana | “Light” | Latin |
| Alejandra | “Defender of the people” | Greek |
| Fernanda | “Bold voyager” | Germanic via Spanish |
| Paula | “Small, humble” | Latin |
Classic Hispanic girl names
The names of abuelas and tías across Latin America. They’re traditional, sturdy and, in some cases, ready for a revival.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Maria | Spanish form of Mary | Often paired, as in María José or María Fernanda |
| Carmen | From Mount Carmel, “garden” | Also Latin, “song” |
| Rosa | “Rose” | Timeless |
| Ana | “Grace, favor” (Hannah) | Simple and universal |
| Teresa | Possibly “harvester” | Saint Teresa of Ávila |
| Dolores | “Sorrows” (Our Lady of Sorrows) | Nicknames Lola, Lolita |
| Juana | Feminine of Juan, “God is gracious” | Poet Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz |
| Josefina | Feminine of José, “God will add” | Nickname Pepita |
| Esperanza | “Hope” | Virtue name |
| Consuelo | “Consolation” | Nickname Chelo |
| Pilar | “Pillar” (Our Lady of the Pillar) | Popular in Spain |
| Mercedes | “Mercies” (Our Lady of Mercy) | Nickname Meche |
| Soledad | “Solitude” | Nickname Sole |
| Luz | “Light” (Our Lady of Light) | Short and luminous |
| Graciela | “Grace” | Nickname Chela |
| Beatriz | “She who brings happiness” | Dante’s muse |
| Margarita | “Pearl”; also “daisy” in Spanish | Nicknames Rita, Marga |
| Isabel | Spanish form of Elizabeth | Queen Isabella I of Castile |
| Leticia | “Joy, happiness” | Latin laetitia |
| Yolanda | Possibly “violet flower” | Popular mid-century |
Names inspired by the Virgin Mary
Many Hispanic girl names honor a title of Mary or a famous shrine, like Mexico’s Basilica of Guadalupe. Families often celebrate the feast day as a second birthday.
| Name | Meaning | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Guadalupe | From Arabic wadi, “river” (often read as “river of the wolf”) | Patroness of Mexico and the Americas |
| Altagracia | “High grace” | Patroness of the Dominican Republic |
| Caridad | “Charity” | Our Lady of Charity, patroness of Cuba |
| Montserrat | “Serrated mountain” | Black Madonna of Montserrat, Catalonia |
| Lourdes | The French shrine town | Nicknames Lulu, Lula |
| Rocío | “Dew” (Our Lady of El Rocío) | Andalusian pilgrimage |
| Milagros | “Miracles” | Nickname Mila |
| Araceli | “Altar of heaven” | Latin ara caeli |
| Belén | “Bethlehem” | Christmas-season favorite |
| Macarena | From the Macarena district of Seville | Virgin of Hope of Macarena |
Nature and virtue names in Spanish
Word names that sound lovely in any language. See also flower names for girls and names that mean star.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Esmeralda | “Emerald” | Recalls Victor Hugo’s heroine |
| Perla | “Pearl” | Soft and classic |
| Marisol | “Sea and sun” (María + Soledad or mar + sol) | Hugely popular in the 1970s |
| Estrella | “Star” | Celestial |
| Paloma | “Dove” | Symbol of peace |
| Azucena | “Madonna lily” | From Arabic |
| Violeta | “Violet” | Vintage flower name |
| Jazmín | “Jasmine” | Persian root |
| Celeste | “Heavenly, sky blue” | Elegant |
| Brisa | “Breeze” | Light and modern |
| Alegría | “Joy” | Virtue name |
| Dulce | “Sweet” | Often from Dulce Nombre de María |
Short Hispanic girl names
One- and two-syllable names that are easy to spell and say in English and Spanish. More in short girl names.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Paz | “Peace” | Spanish word name |
| Sol | “Sun” | Also short for Soledad |
| Flor | “Flower” | Sweet and simple |
| Eva | “Life” | Recalls Eva Perón |
| Alma | “Soul” | Also Latin, “nourishing” |
| Inés | Spanish form of Agnes, “pure, holy” | Elegant classic |
| Luna | “Moon” | Very popular in the U.S. |
| Mar | “Sea” | Also short for María del Mar |
| Rita | Short for Margarita, “pearl” | Saint Rita of Cascia |
Indigenous and Basque names in Hispanic families
Latin America’s Indigenous languages and Spain’s Basque Country have contributed some of the most distinctive names. Use them with care for their cultural roots.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Xóchitl | “Flower” | Nahuatl (Aztec), Mexico; SO-cheel |
| Citlali | “Star” | Nahuatl, Mexico |
| Itzel | Often given as “rainbow lady” or “evening star” | Maya, Mexico |
| Nayeli | Often said to mean “I love you” | Zapotec, Mexico (meaning debated) |
| Anahí | From a Guaraní legend of the ceibo flower | Guaraní, Paraguay and Argentina |
| Maite | “Beloved” | Basque |
| Ainhoa | From a Marian shrine in the Basque Country | Basque |
| Nahia | “Desire, wish” | Basque |
| Itziar | From the Marian shrine of Itziar | Basque |
| Irati | From the Irati forest in Navarre | Basque |
Modern and trendy Hispanic girl names
Fresh choices rising among young Latino parents, some inspired by singers and telenovela stars. Compare with Spanish girl names from Spain.
| Name | Meaning | Why it’s trending |
|---|---|---|
| Aitana | From the Aitana mountain in Alicante | Spanish singer Aitana |
| Alondra | “Lark” | Songbird name |
| Abril | “April” | Spring birthdays |
| Julieta | “Youthful” | Romantic Shakespeare vibe |
| Renata | “Reborn” | Elegant Latin name |
| Regina | “Queen” | Popular in Mexico |
| Antonella | Italian-Spanish feminine of Antonio | Big in Argentina |
| Martina | “Of Mars,” warlike | Popular across Latin America |
| Salomé | “Peace” (from Hebrew shalom) | Vintage-chic |
| Amaia | Basque, possibly “the end” or “high place” | Top name in Spain’s Basque Country |
| Aurora | “Dawn” | Classic with a Disney twist |
| Zoe | “Life” | Greek, short and bright |
How to choose a Hispanic girl name
- Say it both ways. Names like Lucia (loo-SEE-ah vs. loo-THEE-ah in Spain) and Ximena (hee-MEH-nah) shift between English and Spanish, so pick the version you love most.
- Think about accents. Rocío, Inés and Jazmín carry written accents in Spanish; decide whether you’ll keep them on U.S. paperwork, where they’re sometimes dropped.
- Plan for two surnames. In Hispanic tradition a child takes both the father’s and the mother’s first surname, so a shorter first name like Paz or Sol can balance a long full name. See Hispanic last names.
- Compound names are classic: María José, Ana Sofía or María Fernanda honor faith and family at the same time.
- Expect a nickname. Dolores becomes Lola, Graciela becomes Chela and Mercedes becomes Meche, so check you like the nickname as much as the name.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular Hispanic girl name?
Sofia, Isabella, Camila and Valentina rank among the most popular names for Hispanic baby girls in the U.S., and they’re also top names across Latin America.
What is a beautiful Spanish name for a girl?
Valentina, Catalina, Marisol, Paloma, Esmeralda and Lucia are some of the most admired. Marisol (“sea and sun”) and Paloma (“dove”) are especially pretty.
What are some unique Hispanic girl names?
Xóchitl, Citlali, Altagracia, Araceli, Itziar and Alondra are distinctive choices with deep roots in Mexico, the Caribbean or the Basque Country.
What Hispanic girl name means light?
Luz means “light,” and Lucia and Luciana come from the Latin for light. Elena is often interpreted as “torch” or “bright light.”
Why do many Hispanic girls have Maria in their name?
Catholic devotion to the Virgin Mary made Maria a common first element in compound names like María José and María Guadalupe, a tradition that continues today.