If you’ve just had a newborn, congratulations! Here are some popular boys’ names from Spain to give you some naming inspiration.
If you’ve got an interest in Spain, you’ve no doubt asked yourself the question: what are the most popular Spanish boys’ names?
It turns out that there are quite a few that you could choose from. Here is a list of some prominent baby names in Spain along with a description of famous people who share that name.
Alonso
Alonso is related to the Germanic name Alphonso, meaning eager to achieve and noble in intent.
Alonso Solis Calderon is a footballer who led the team Saprissa to league victory in the 2003/2004 season.
Bernardo
As you might be able to guess, the name Bernardo comes from the word “bear” and is related to the Anglicised version “Bernard.”
Many famous people share the name Bernardo, including the Bernardo Accolti, an Italian poet living in the fifteenth and sixteenth century, Bernardo Bellotto, a Venetian landscape painter living in the eighteenth century, and Bernardo Bertolucci, a present-day Italian screenplay writer and filmmaker.
Carlos
Carlos is the Spanish version of the name Charles, which, at root, means “man.”
Carlos Castaneda was a famous 20th-century American author who wrote what he described as “non-fiction” books on shamanism. After writing The Teachings of Don Juan in 1968, Castaneda sold over 28 million copies, cementing himself as one of the most successful writers of the era. From 1973 onwards, Castaneda founded Cleargreen, a shamanistic organisation based on the traditions of ancient Mexico and wasn’t seen in public until his death in 1998.
Diego
The name Diego comes from the Hebrew influence on Spain. Related to the ancient name Jacob, Diego means a “person who supplants another.”
One of the most famous people with the name Diego is former footballer Diego Maradona, who infamously used his fist to punch a goal into the back of the net in the 1986 World Cup against England. Some commentators see his action as a symbolic riposte to the Falklands War.
Other famous people with the name Diego include Diego Rivera. Rivera was a leading artistic figure in the communist movement, famous for his politically-charged paintings advocating the downfall of capitalism.
Enrique
The name Enrique is related to Henry, a popular name throughout Europe roughly translated as “ruler of his house.”
Enrique is a popular name for boys in Spain, shared by a number of famous people. Singer Enrique Iglesias had several number one hits in both the US and European countries, including Hero which topped the charts for several weeks back in 2002.
Enrique was also the first name of the former Bolivian president, Enrique Penaranda. Penaranda was president of the South American country for just three years before being overthrown in a coup.
Esteban
Esteban, as you might be able to tell from the arrangement of letters, is the Spanish form of the name Stephen. Stephen is a Greek name, and originally meant “crowned one.”
Famous people sharing the name Esteban include Esteban Navarro, a contemporary Spanish writer, considered by Random House to be one of the greatest crime novelists in Spanish history.
Another Esteban, Esteban Gutierrez was a racing driver for the Sauber Formula One team, racing in the 2013 and 2014 seasons, as well as in 2016. During his career, the driver managed to secure 6 points for his team but failed to get on the podium a single time.
Felipe
One of the most popular Spanish male names, Felipe, a form of the name Philip, literally means “lover of horses.”
Felipe is a popular name, shared by many famous people living in the Spanish-speaking world including many footballers: Felipe Jorge Loureiro, Felipe de Souza Campos, Felipe Almeida Felix, and Felipe Melo.
Another Felipe, Felipe Massa, was one of the most successful Spanish Formula One drivers of all time. Throughout his career, Massa won a total of 11 Grand Prix and managed to get on the podium an astonishing 41 times out of 269 starts. His last win was at the 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where he beat Hamilton and Vettel to the finish line.
Francisco
Francisco is currently among the top Spanish baby names and originally comes from the Latin. Famous people with the name Francisco, include the Spanish novelist Francisco Ayala who died in 2009, and the Brazilian fashion model, Francisco Lachowski.
Perhaps the most historically significant Francisco was Francisco Vazquez de Coronado. De Coronado was a Spanish conquistador who led Spanish troops on a mission to present-day Kansas in 1554 and is believed to be the first European ever to gaze upon the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River. Vasquez de Coronado wanted to reach the mythical “Cities of Gold” he believed lay to the north on the continental United States. He failed to find them.
Gerardo
Gerardo, meaning brave warrior or spearman, is the Spanish form of the name Gerard.
One of the most famous people with the name Gerardo is the Uruguayan politician Gerardo Amarilla. Born in 1969, Amarilla was the President of the Chamber of Deputies in Uruguay between 2016 and 2017, replacing the former head, Alejandro Sanchez. Known to be an evangelical Christian, Amarilla opposed the legalisation of cannabis and same-sex marriage in his home country.
Guillermo
Guillermo from the name “William” means “protector of all” and has been popular with monarchs throughout history.
Guillermo Rigondeaux is a Cuban boxer nicknamed “El Chacal,” meaning The Jackal. Born in 1980, the Cuban boxer earned multiple titles in the super bantamweight class. He achieved his greatest successes between 2013 and 2017, winning the title of the world’s best active super bantamweight boxer. He’s been described by many, including Freddie Roach, as one of the greatest talents ever to enter the ring.
Jamie
The Spanish name Jamie is, like Diego, related to the Jewish name, Jacob. It can be used as both a male and a female name.
There are plenty of famous people with the name Jamie, including Jamie Carragher, the English footballer, Jamie Cullum, a musician and pianist, and Jamie Dimon, the chief executive at JP Morgan Chase bank.
Javier
The name Javier comes the ancient Catholic Saint, Francis de Xavier. Xavier originally meant “house” or “castle,” and so Javier can be loosely translated as the “owner” or “keeper of a house.”
Javier Hernandez is a West Ham United football player. 5 foot 9 inches tall, Hernandez played for the Mexican national team, making his debut in 2009, and going on to become its all-time best scorer. Hernandez represented his country at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2017 Confederations Cup, and the 2018 World Cup.
Jose
Jose comes from the ancient Hebrew name Joseph, meaning “one who will multiply.”
One of the most influential Jose in history was Jose Protasio Rizal Mercado y Realond, also known as Jose Rizal. Rizal was a Filipino nationalist and polymath who helped to free the natives of the Philippines from Spanish Colonial domination.
Rizal never saw his people released because he was executed for crimes against the Spanish state. But his writings helped to stir discontent in the Philippines and were one of the reasons why the nation managed to break free from its colonial masters eventually.
Jose Mourinho also goes down in the annals of history as one of the most famous and beloved Joses. Mourinho began his senior career at Rio Ave and eventually went into management in 2000 at Benfica. Since then, he has managed some of the most successful teams in the world, including Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Manchester United. Nobody has a more illustrious career in the realm of football team management.
Juan
The name Juan is related to the name John, and means “God’s gift.” Let’s hope that it doesn’t go to little boy’s heads.
Juan Peron was a notorious Argentine Army general who served as the Minister of Labor and vice president of Argentina, before being elected to president in 1945. Juan Peron served in the role for just over nine years, before being overthrown in a coup. He was not killed during the coup and lived out this natural life which ended in 1974.
Peron left his mark on Argentina and was a politician who invented a new kind of politics, later dubbed Peronism, which brought both left and right together. He described his agenda not as a political party, but as a movement of the people. The controversy surrounding his leadership continues to this day.
Leandro
Leandro means somebody who is “like a lion” or “exceptionally brave.” It comes from a much rarer Germanic name, Leander.
One of the most famous people with the name Leandro is Leandro Mateus Barbosa. Born in 1982, Barbosa is a Brazilian professional basketball player who won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2007. Barbosa helped the Golden State Warriors win the NBA Championship in 2015, and has been dubbed “The Brazilian Blur” thanks to his speed and skill on the court. More than 6 foot 3 in height and with a 6 foot 10 wingspan, it’s easy to see why Barbosa has been so successful in his career.
Matteo
Matteo is related to the name Matthew and means “gift of God” – a reference to the Biblical name.
Matteo Renzi was the Italian prime minister from 2014 until 2016. Although his government lasted just a little over two years, it was the fourth longest in modern Italian history. Renzi was the youngest Italian ever to hold the position at only 39 years of age, beating out the previous title holder, Benito Mussolini, by just 52 days.
Pablo
Pablo another Spanish name coming from Paul which is a Latin name, originally meaning “small.”
One of the most famous Pablos ever to have lived was Pablo Picasso, the renowned painter, sculptor, poet and stage designer. Picasso first demonstrated his impressive artistic talent while he was very young. According to his mother, his first words were “piz piz” meaning “pencil.” Picasso went on to become one of the most influential artists of the 20th century, exploring topics such as primitivism, synthetic cubism, and surrealism.
Pedro
Pedro comes from the name Peter, often translated to mean “rock.”
Pedro Almodovar is a Spanish filmmaker and actor. Almodovar first gained recognition in 1988 with the release of the comedy-drama film, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Since then, he’s been behind some other box office hits, including All About My Mother in 1999 and High Heel from 1991.
Raul
Raul is a Spanish version of the name Ralph. Ralph is an English name, meaning “wolf counselor.”
Raul Hilberg was an Austrian Jew, and one of the world’s greatest scholars of the Holocaust. His most influential work, The Destruction of the European Jews, has served as the academic bedrock to the topic ever since its release in 1961, just a few years before the Yom Kippur war. Hilbery assembled the book after reading hundreds of German documents related to the extermination camps that the Allies had found after liberating West Germany.
Ricardo
Ricardo comes from the name Richard, meaning strong ruler.
Ricardo Quaresma is the name of a Portuguese professional footballer who now plays as a winger for the Turkish club Besiktas. He was previously at Porto. He has been a member of the Portuguese national team since 2003.
Rodrigo
Rodrigo comes from the name Roderick which translates as “exceptional ruler.”
Rodrigo Duterte is the 16th President of the Philippines. He got into office on June 30, 2016, and has been described as both a nationalist and populist. Duterte beat out candidates from the Liberal Party and the United National Alliance, securing more than 39 percent of the vote. He stands for criminal justice and putting the national interest first.
Vincente
The name Vincente comes from the Latin “to conquer” or to be the victor and literally means conqueror.
Vincente Minnelli was a famous Spanish-American stage director who was baptised Lester Antony Minnelli in Chicago. Minnelli is widely known for the musicals he wrote in the 1950s and 1960s, including Gigi, An American In Paris, Designing Women, and The Courtship of Eddie’s Father.
Did this article inspire you in your naming decision? What Spanish boys’ names are you considering for your newborn? Let us know!
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