My Favorite Latino Names!

Softer and smoother than Alexander, this classic Spanish name for boys has made a seamless transition to this culture. Adding to its current impact: the Lady Gaga song Alejandro .

A well-used Spanish saint's name with a lot of flair that could definitely cross over to more general usage. It reached its peak in the United States in 1985, when it ranked Number 456. In Spain, Alvaro is a Top 20 boys' name.

A romantic choice, this appealing Spanish name for boys is both accessible and distinctive.

Bello is as handsome as Bella is beautiful, but rarely heard outside the Italian community. With its energetic 'o' ending, it could be ripe for export.

Softer than Benedict, less popular than Benjamin, and bolder than Bennett, Puerto Rican actor Benicio Del Toro introduced this name to the American mainstream in the early 2000s, before which the name was hardly use. Popular in Argentina, Benicio debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2016, when it was the third-fastest-rising boys' name, and while it hasn't skyrocketed then, it remains comfortably in the charts.

Carlos is the Spanish and Portuguese variation of Charles, which has been used in solid numbers in the US for as long as data has been kept. Carlos has never fallen out of the Top 600, but peaked from the 70s-early 2000s. Today Carlos is still within the Top 200. Notable namesakes include musician Santana, writers Fuentes and Castaneda, and numerous athletes. Carlos Irwin Estevez is the birth name of Charlie Sheen.

Cato conjures up images of ancient Roman statesmen and southern antebellum retainers; it could have revival potential, with its 'O' ending and the current interest in the names of Greek and Roman antiquity.

Grandmas will remember the old TV detective show; playmates won't. This is a name that has many variations in different cultures, from Columbus to Columba to Colum to Colm.

Perfect example of a surname that would work well as a first.

The energetic Diego is rising rapidly along with a lot of other authentically Spanish baby names that work perfectly well with surnames of any origin.

Romantic Italian choice.

A name from the ancient world that may get a mixed reception today. On the one hand, festive! On the other hand, fester. In the Bible, Porcius Festus was a Roman official who rubbed up against St Paul. In modern times, this name has had more love in African countries than anywhere else.

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 Ignatius and Iggy may be nigh.

Charming way to freshen up Jacob.

One of Jacob’s perkier variations.

The classic Jorge is one of the most popular and classic Spanish names for boys in the US. Some Latine families pronounce it the same way as George.

About 100 baby boys were named Lucio in the US last year, a number we expect to increase with the growing popularity of all names in the Lu family. It's a family united by sound, with three main branches.

Because of shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, this has become a generic term for pricey stilettos, as in "I must have those Manolos."