Basque Names

Basque names, indeed the entire Basque language, are unrelated to any other. Arantxa is a diminutive of Arantzazu. This obscure choice was made known by tennis player Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.

Nekane is the decidedly modern, upbeat-sounding Basque form of the sorrowful and dated Spanish Dolores. Basque names, largely unknown in English-speaking countries, offer a fresh lexicon of names, and Nekane is one of the more appealing. An interesting update for Nicole.

Popular name in Spain's Basque country, thanks to cowboyish meaning, virtually unknown elsewhere.

For the parent who genuinely wants something different, this nature choice is popular in Spain. Downside: connection to words irate and irritation.

Andoni is the Basque version of Anthony, no longer a common choice in Spain.

Argider is a somewhat used boys' name in Basque-speaking parts of Spain.

A rare name even among Basque speakers (fewer than 20 women in Spain are called Elixane), this beautiful name has drawn some attention via Elixane Lechemia, the French pro-tennis player.

For any parents out there searching for a nature name starting with x -- and we doubt there are many -- this one, named for a Spanish monk called Ximenes, is a small tropical plant bearing wild limes.

As Nerea, in the Spanish Top 100, but this streamlined version is one of those golden choices that's both supremely simple and intriguingly rare.

The Basque name has enough Zs in it to make it look spaceaged and trendy, but it is in fact a traditional Basque name. Despite its wonderful meaning, it may be too close to the feminine English name Susan for usage in the Anglosphere.

Urraca was the name of many infantas and queens of several medieval Iberian kingdoms (most notably Leon). Despite its royal roots, Urraca is one of the names best left to the history books.