Mexican American names
What are Mexican American names like?
Guadalupe comes from the Spanish religious title Our Lady of Guadalupe. Ximena is the feminine form of Ximeno.
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.
Where these names rank todayUnited States · Mexico City
Part ofNames of America’s communities · Latin American names
Names that work in two languagesEnglish and Spanish
Adrian from Hadria; the Spanish form is Adrián
Adriana from Hadria (feminine form of Adrian)
Alejandra the Spanish form of Alexandra, the feminine of Alexander, with the inherited meaning "defender of men"
Alejandro defender of mankind (Spanish form of Alexander); a beloved classic
Alicia noble; a form of Alice used in Spanish and English
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 from Greek angelos, "messenger", through Latin angelus
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)
Aristoteles from Greek aristos, 'best', and telos, 'purpose, end'; the philosopher's name, still given in its Spanish and Portuguese form Aristóteles across Latin America
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 Spanish form of Camilla, the warrior in Virgil’s Aeneid
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 a Spanish name of uncertain origin, possibly a short form of Santiago; recorded in medieval Latin as Didacus
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 Spanish form of Edward, built from Old English ead, meaning wealth or fortune, and weard, meaning guard
Elena shining light; a graceful classic steadily used across generations
Emiliano rival, eager; rising in popularity; honoring revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata
Emilio rival (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 a Breton name, written Gaël in French, probably linked to the name of the Gaels; its precise origin is uncertain
Gonzalo From medieval Gundisalvus, combining the Germanic element for war with a disputed second element.
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
Homero Spanish and Portuguese form of Homer, from Greek homeros, 'hostage, pledge'; the epic poet's name, carried by generations of Mexican and Mexican-American men
Ignacio fiery, ardent; a classic honoring St. Ignatius, steady across generations
Isabel a medieval Occitan form of Elizabeth, traditionally "God is my oath"
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 of uncertain meaning; possibly from Classical Maya itz, "dew, nectar", or a form of Ixchel
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 a Spanish and Portuguese form of Emmanuel, "God is with us"
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 a short form of Maria, ultimately from Hebrew Miryam, whose meaning is uncertain; it coincides with Italian mia and Spanish mía, "mine"
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 feminine form of Latin Renatus, "reborn"
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; recorded in Mexico City’s civil registry and US birth records
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
Socrates from Greek sos, 'whole, safe', and kratos, 'power'; borne by the Athenian philosopher, and kept alive as Socrates and Sócrates across generations of Mexican and Latin American families
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 (an archangel in Hebrew tradition)
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
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