Spanish Names

Ezequiel or Ezekiel may be a Hebrew name, but it's well-used among Spanish speakers. Quiel is a short form favored in Spanish countries.

Arcelia is an undiscovered Spanish treasure worth considering.

Personification of pep.

Esmael is an uncommon name with deep cultural roots.

An offbeat approach to Bella. Also a Yiddish form of Bilhah, one of the four women who gave birth to the tribes of Israel.

This Latinate form of Bernard hovered in the lower regions of the US Top 1000 from the late 1940s until 2006, possibly inspired by the character in West Side Story.

At this point, there are more newborn American baby Gilbertos than Gilberts.

The last name of folksinger Joan is melodic in its own right.

This Spanish version of Maurice has been on the US charts since the 60s. Mauricio peaked in the early 2000s, getting as high as #353 before falling again. With lively, "-o" ending names getting the attention they have got in recent years, Mauricio would be a great option. Mauricio Macri was a former president of Argentina.

Cowboy swagger via the non-cowboy flick "The Guns of Navarone," chosen by Priscilla Presley.

This version adds some Italian flair to the somewhat stolid Constance.

Coletta is a Latin relative of the better-known French Colette, which is derived from Nicole and is ultimately a feminization of Nicholas. Only a handful of baby girls are named Coletta or Nicoletta in the US each year, making this one of the rarest of the many forms of the name.

Juana has not achieved the popularity in the U.S. of the male version Juan. Whereas Juan has made it almost to the Top 50 on the U. S. hit parade, sister Juana has barely entered the thousand most popular.

The rare name Genoveva might be thought of as a variation of the French names Genevieve or Geneva, which have different roots and meanings. An unusual, pretty choice.

Distinctive and charming nature name that blends elements of Jacqueline and Amanda.

Loving choice.

The newest surname names move beyond the Waspy, and this is an excellent example, associated these days with gossip blogger Perez (born Mario) Hilton.

A name bestowed in honor of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Nieves, referring to a miracle she performed with unmelted snow in the August heat of Rome.