Mexican Names
Mexican names blend three traditions: Spanish Catholic names brought after the Spanish conquest, Indigenous names from Nahuatl, Maya, Zapotec and other languages, and modern international favorites. A child might be named Santiago after the apostle, Xóchitl after the Nahuatl word for flower, or carry a devotional compound name like María Guadalupe. Most people also have two surnames, one from each parent.
This guide collects more than 60 Mexican names, nicknames and surnames with their meanings. Dive deeper with our lists of Mexican boy names, Mexican girl names and Mexican last names, or compare with the wider world of Hispanic names.
Mexican Names: browse all lists
Popular Mexican baby names
Names that have ranked near the top of Mexico’s civil-registry lists in recent years. Note the X spelling in Ximena, a nod to old Spanish and Nahuatl orthography.
| Name | Gender | Meaning / origin |
|---|---|---|
| Santiago | Boy | Saint James (Sant Iago), patron of Spain |
| Mateo | Boy | Gift of God (Hebrew, via Greek) |
| Sebastián | Boy | From Sebaste; venerable (Greek) |
| Leonardo | Boy | Brave as a lion (Germanic) |
| Emiliano | Boy | From Latin Aemilianus; honors revolutionary Emiliano Zapata |
| Diego | Boy | Medieval Spanish name, likely split from Santiago; Latinized as Didacus |
| Matías | Boy | Gift of God (Hebrew) |
| Miguel Ángel | Boy | Michael the archangel |
| Sofía | Girl | Wisdom (Greek) |
| Valentina | Girl | Strong, healthy (Latin) |
| Regina | Girl | Queen (Latin); honors Mary, Queen of Heaven |
| Ximena | Girl | Old Spanish name; possibly “listener” (from Simeon) |
| Camila | Girl | Young ceremonial attendant (Latin) |
| Renata | Girl | Reborn (Latin) |
| Romina | Girl | Possibly “from Rome” |
| Victoria | Girl | Victory (Latin) |
Mexican compound names
Double names are extremely common in Mexico and are often used in full. Many girls’ names start with María and many boys’ with José or Juan.
| Name | Gender | Honors or means |
|---|---|---|
| María José | Girl | Mary and Joseph; nickname Majo |
| María Fernanda | Girl | Mary + “bold journey” (Germanic); nickname Marifer |
| María Guadalupe | Girl | Our Lady of Guadalupe |
| Ana Sofía | Girl | Grace + wisdom |
| José Luis | Boy | Joseph + “famous warrior” |
| Juan Carlos | Boy | John + Charles |
| José Antonio | Boy | Joseph + Anthony |
| Luis Miguel | Boy | Louis + Michael (made famous by the singer) |
| Juan Pablo | Boy | John + Paul |
| María del Carmen | Girl | Our Lady of Mount Carmel |
Nahuatl and Maya names used in Mexico
Indigenous names are a proud part of Mexican identity and have grown more popular since the late 20th century.
| Name | Language | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Xóchitl | Nahuatl | Flower |
| Citlali | Nahuatl | Star |
| Quetzalli | Nahuatl | Precious feather; something precious |
| Metztli | Nahuatl | Moon |
| Yolotl | Nahuatl | Heart |
| Ameyalli | Nahuatl | Spring of water |
| Nayeli | Zapotec | Commonly given as “I love you” |
| Ixchel | Maya | Maya goddess of the moon and midwifery |
| Cuauhtémoc | Nahuatl | Descending eagle; last Aztec emperor |
| Tonatiuh | Nahuatl | Sun; the Aztec sun god |
| Tenoch | Nahuatl | Legendary founder of Tenochtitlan; “stone cactus fruit” |
| Itzel | Maya | Popularly “evening star” or “rainbow lady” |
Devotional Mexican names
Mexican Catholic tradition gave rise to many names that honor titles of the Virgin Mary. Browse more saint names.
| Name | Gender | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Guadalupe | Girl (also boy) | Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of Mexico |
| Dolores | Girl | Sorrows (Our Lady of Sorrows) |
| Socorro | Girl | Help, succor (Our Lady of Perpetual Help) |
| Rosario | Girl | Rosary |
| Concepción | Girl | Immaculate Conception |
| Refugio | Boy or girl | Refuge (Our Lady, Refuge of Sinners) |
| Jesús | Boy | Jesus; very common in Mexico |
| Consuelo | Girl | Consolation |
Classic Mexican nicknames
Mexican nicknames (apodos) can look nothing like the original name. Here’s how to decode the most common ones.
| Nickname | Full name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Pepe | José | From “P.P.,” Pater Putativus (foster father of Jesus), per a popular explanation |
| Paco | Francisco | Also Pancho and Frank |
| Chuy | Jesús | Also Chucho |
| Lupe | Guadalupe | Also Lupita |
| Nacho | Ignacio | Very common Spanish nickname |
| Memo | Guillermo | Mexican favorite |
| Lalo | Eduardo | Also Lalito |
| Beto | Alberto, Roberto, Humberto | From the -berto ending |
| Toño | Antonio | Also Toñito |
| Chelo | Consuelo, Araceli | Affectionate |
| Quique | Enrique | Spoken “KEE-keh” |
| Chabela | Isabel | Old-fashioned and warm |
The most common Mexican last names
Most Mexicans carry two surnames: the father’s first, then the mother’s. The full list is on our Mexican last names page, and Spanish last names explains the roots.
| Surname | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Hernández | Son of Hernando (Fernando) | Patronymic |
| García | Possibly Basque “young” or “bear” | Uncertain |
| Martínez | Son of Martín | Patronymic |
| López | Son of Lope (“wolf”) | Patronymic |
| González | Son of Gonzalo | Patronymic |
| Pérez | Son of Pedro | Patronymic |
| Rodríguez | Son of Rodrigo | Patronymic |
| Sánchez | Son of Sancho | Patronymic |
| Ramírez | Son of Ramiro | Patronymic |
| Cruz | Cross | Religious |
How Mexican names work
- Two surnames: Gabriel García Márquez had father’s surname García and mother’s surname Márquez. He was “García” for short, not “Márquez.”
- Compound first names count as one: María José or Juan Pablo is a single given name, not a first and middle name.
- Accents matter: Sebastián, Matías and Sofía are written with accents in Mexico, though they are often dropped in the US.
- Saints’ days still influence names: some families choose a name from the saint of the child’s birth date, following the Catholic calendar.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular name in Mexico?
In recent civil-registry data, Santiago and Mateo lead for boys, while Sofía, María José and Valentina are among the top girl names.
Why do Mexicans have two last names?
Spanish naming tradition gives each person their father’s first surname followed by their mother’s first surname, preserving both family lines.
What are traditional Aztec names?
Names from Nahuatl, the Aztec language, include Xóchitl (flower), Citlali (star), Cuauhtémoc (descending eagle) and Tonatiuh (sun).
Why is Pepe short for José?
A popular explanation says it comes from “P.P.,” for Pater Putativus, St. Joseph’s title as Jesus’s foster father; linguists also point to Italian Giuseppe/Peppe.
What is the most common last name in Mexico?
Hernández is the most common surname in Mexico, followed by García, Martínez, López and González.