Mexican American names
Names like Guadalupe, Santiago, and Ximena travel easily between English and Spanish, often chosen for a saint's feast day or a beloved abuela, then said with pride in both languages at once. Mexican-American naming blends devotion, family memory, and the comfortable bilingualism of growing up between two worlds.
Adrian from Hadria; a widely used crossover name that reads naturally in both English and Spanish
Adriana from Hadria (feminine form of Adrian)
Alejandra defender of mankind; a beloved feminine classic
Alejandro defender of mankind (Spanish form of Alexander); a beloved classic
Alicia noble, truthful; a widely loved crossover classic in Mexican-American families
Alma soul; a soulful virtue name shared with the mainstream American name
Alonso ready for battle (Spanish form of Alphonse)
Ana Spanish form of Anna, ultimately from the Hebrew Hannah family, favor or grace
Andres manly, brave (Spanish form of Andrew)
Angel messenger of God; one of the most popular names in Mexican-American families, used for boys far more often than in mainstream English usage
Antonio the Spanish form of Anthony, from the Roman name Antonius, of uncertain Etruscan origin
Araceli altar of the sky (from Nuestra Senora de Aracoeli)
Arturo Spanish form of Arthur, of unknown meaning, possibly Celtic artos "bear"
Beatriz she who brings happiness (Spanish form of Beatrice)
Bruno brown, dark-haired
Camila young ceremonial attendant; one of the biggest breakout names for Mexican-American girls in the 21st century
Carlos "man" (Spanish form of Charles, from Germanic karl); a steady favorite in Mexican-American families for generations
Carmen garden, orchard (from Mount Carmel); a graceful classic carried across generations
Cecilia traditionally linked to blindness (Spanish form of Latin Caecilia); also patron saint of music
Citlali star (Nahuatl citlalli); a heritage name growing among families honoring Indigenous Mexican roots
Consuelo consolation (from Nuestra Senora del Consuelo); a graceful heirloom name
Cristian Romanian form of Christian and a Spanish variant; a familiar Spanish-language form in Mexican American families
Cristina Spanish form of Christina (Christianus, 'a Christian', at the root)
Cuauhtemoc descending eagle; the name of the last Aztec emperor, used rarely but with pride as an Indigenous heritage name
Daniel God is my judge; a steady, strong classic across generations
Daniela God is my judge; a hugely popular feminine form embraced by Mexican-American families
Diana divine; a classic with royal and mythological associations, popular across generations
Diego supplanter (Spanish form of James); a steady favorite gaining ground in recent decades
Dolores sorrows (from Maria de los Dolores, Our Lady of Sorrows); common among earlier generations, now a vintage heirloom name
Dulce sweet; a beloved virtue name
Edilberto Spanish form of Adalbert, from Germanic elements meaning 'noble and bright'
Eduardo wealthy guardian (Spanish form of Edward)
Elena shining light; a graceful classic steadily used across generations
Emiliano rival, eager; rising in popularity; honoring revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata
Emilio rival, eager (Spanish form of Emil)
Enrique home ruler (Spanish form of Henry)
Erika eternal ruler; a crossover favorite popular in the late 20th century
Esperanza hope; a virtue name carried proudly through Mexican-American families
Estrella star; a celestial classic
Fernanda Spanish feminine form of Ferdinand; the Germanic elements are debated, with boldness only one traditional interpretation
Fernando adventurous, bold; a warm classic across generations
Filiberto Spanish and Italian form of Philibert, from Germanic elements meaning 'very bright'
Francisco Spanish form of Francis, "Frenchman"
Gabriel God is my strength; a beloved biblical classic surging in recent decades
Gael from French Gaël, a name with Breton roots traditionally linked to Judicaël ("generous lord"); beloved across the Spanish-speaking world and surging with Mexican American families since actor Gael García Bernal
Gonzalo from Gundisalvus, war (gunda) plus a debated second element; a name of Visigothic root
Griselda gray battle maiden (Germanic root, carried into Spanish via the literary figure of patient Griselda)
Guadalupe from the valley of the wolf; honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe, one of the most revered names across generations of Mexican-American Catholic families
Ignacio fiery, ardent; a classic honoring St. Ignatius, steady across generations
Isabel God is my oath; a graceful classic that predates the Isabella wave
Isabella God is my oath; a modern classic beloved across Mexican-American families
Itzayana modern coinage blending Mayan-inspired sounds like Itzel with Ana; a stylish recent favorite
Itzel traditionally linked to a Maya moon goddess; embraced in recent decades as families reclaim Indigenous heritage names
Jesus God saves; used respectfully and warmly as a given name across generations of Mexican-American Catholic families
Jimena listener (a common spelling variant of Ximena, both tied to the medieval Iberian name Jimena)
Joaquin God will establish (Spanish form of Joachim)
Jose God will increase (Spanish form of Joseph); one of the most enduring names across generations of Mexican-American families
Josefina God will increase (feminine form of Jose/Joseph); a stately name common among earlier generations, now revived as a heritage pick
Juan God is gracious (Spanish form of John); a foundational classic across generations
Julian youthful, downy-bearded (shared Spanish/English form)
Leonardo brave lion; a classic name enjoying a strong revival
Leticia joy, happiness (Spanish form of Latin Laetitia)
Luna moon; one of the fastest-rising names in America, especially embraced in Mexican-American families
Lupe nickname for Guadalupe; a warm, standalone classic in its own right
Manuel God is with us (Spanish form of Immanuel); common among earlier generations, still warmly used
Maria beloved (Spanish form of Mary); the most common element in Mexican-American women's names, often paired as in Maria Elena
Marisol sea and sun, a blended Spanish name; distinctly beloved in Mexican-American families
Mateo gift of God (Spanish form of Matthew); one of the fastest-rising names in Mexican-American families today
Mauricio Spanish form of Maurice, from Maurus, 'North African, Moorish'
Mia mine, or a short form of Maria; a beloved crossover favorite
Miguel who is like God (Spanish form of Michael); a foundational classic across generations
Milagros miracles; a joyful devotional name
Monica of uncertain ancient origin, traditionally linked to Latin monere, to advise; a name that peaked in the late 20th century
Natalia Christmas Day, born on Christmas; a widely loved classic
Nayeli widely embraced modern name popularly said to mean 'I love you' in Zapotec, though the folk etymology is debated by linguists; regardless one of the fastest-rising Mexican-American names of recent decades
Nicolas victory of the people (Spanish form of Nicholas)
Paloma dove; a gentle nature name
Perla pearl (Spanish form of Pearl)
Pilar pillar (from Nuestra Senora del Pilar); a strong, graceful devotional name
Rafael God has healed
Ramon wise protector (Spanish form of Raymond); a steady generational classic
Refugio refuge (from Nuestra Senora del Refugio); a devotional name used for both boys and girls in earlier generations
Renata reborn; a graceful, lightly used name gaining quiet popularity
Reyna queen (a common spelling variant of Reina)
Ricardo brave ruler (Spanish form of Richard); a steady classic
Rocio dew (from Nuestra Senora del Rocio, Our Lady of the Dew)
Rodrigo famous ruler (Spanish form of Roderick)
Rosa rose; a beloved classic passed down through generations of Mexican-American families
Rosario rosary; a devotional classic used for both boys and girls
Salvador savior; a classic devotional name
Santiago Saint James, may God protect; a name surging in popularity among younger Mexican-American families
Sebastian venerable, revered; a crossover favorite that works easily in English and Spanish
Silvia from the forest (Spanish form of Sylvia)
Socorro help, succor (from Nuestra Senora del Socorro); a devotional name common among earlier generations
Sofia wisdom; one of the most popular names of the last two decades
Tonatiuh traditionally the Nahuatl (Aztec) sun deity; used rarely and with pride as an Indigenous heritage name
Trinidad trinity; a devotional name given to both boys and girls
Uriel God is my light (biblical archangel name)
Valentina strong, healthy; a favorite that has surged across Mexican-American families in recent decades
Vanessa butterfly, an 18th-century literary coinage; a widely embraced crossover favorite
Veronica traditionally read as Latin vera icon, true image; ultimately from the Greek Berenice, bringing victory; a graceful classic carried across generations
Victor conqueror; a steady, virtue-rich classic
Victoria victory; a classic that reads naturally in English and Spanish alike
Ximena listener; a name that has climbed quickly in popularity among Mexican-American families
Xochitl flower; a Nahuatl (Aztec) name proudly kept alive by families honoring their Indigenous Mexican roots
Yesenia modern coinage popularized by a beloved 1970s Mexican telenovela of the same name
Yolanda often linked to 'violet flower,' though the etymology is debated; a warm mid-century classic
Which of these fits YOUR family? →