Meaning of Spanish names. Spanish Names and Surnames: Taj Mahal Sanchez and Hitler Eufemio Majora

In Spain, it is customary to give several names at baptism, although the law allows you to enter no more than two names and two surnames in documents. When choosing, they are most often guided by the calendar of the Catholic saints, which is strictly controlled even at the legislative level. a person with unusual name may not be accepted into the state at all. But the classic ones, like Maria, Camilla and Carmen, are constantly leading in Spanish lists popular names.

Spanish name roots

Usually a Spaniard has one name and two surnames (father and mother). In noble families, children are given several surnames, so many famous Spaniards have very long names. The eldest daughter is named after her mother and grandmother. Often girls are called by the names they were baptized by their godparents or the priest. In everyday life, one or two names are used.

Since Spaniards often take names from the Bible, many of them have Jewish and Aramaic roots. The names Eva (from Eve) and Mary (from the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ) are very popular. Popular biblical names: Ana, Magdalena, Isabel, Martha. Historians have found that Spanish names are also borrowed from Greek, Germanic, Roman and Arabic. From Greece and Rome, the Spaniards took Helena, Catalina, Veronica, Paulina and Barbara. Spanish names with German roots: Erica, Matilda, Luis, Carolina and Frida.

Spanish names and their meaning in Catholicism

Spaniards love names-epithets and the same surnames. For example, the name Mercedes means "mercy", and Dolores "angel". Some surnames are derived from various addresses. So Dona, Senorita and Senora means "your grace."

Both in Orthodox Christianity and in Catholic Christianity, it is customary to baptize children and give the name of the saint who is revered on this day. And since Spain is a Catholic country, this tradition is strictly adhered to. Often, girls are named after icons and statues, but the Mother of God is one of the most revered. Also revered is the statue of the Virgin Mary from Montserrat, after which the famous opera singer Montserrat Caballe.

Abbreviation of Spanish names

Since Spanish names are often very long, people have learned to skillfully shorten them. The most popular and easiest way to form an abbreviated form is to add or remove suffixes. Guadeloupe will become Lupita, and the woman Teresa will be called Tere. There are also completely incomprehensible abbreviations: Jesus can be called Chucho, and Francis is called Paquita, Kika or Curra. However, this confusion occurs in other countries as well. For example, it is difficult to connect the names Robert and Bob or Alexander and Shurik.

Diminutive forms are also formed from suffixes. So Gabriel turns into Gabrielita, and Juan into Juanita. In Spain, the problem is that different names can have the same diminutive forms. The owners of the names Acheles and Consuelo can be called Chelo. Also affectionate names they create from two: Maria and Luis form Marisa, and the combination of Lucia and Fernanda sounds completely wild Lucifer, which, as you know, is the name of the devil.

In Spain, it is very important that the gender of a person can be determined from the passport name, so the permission to enter abbreviated and diminutive forms in documents has occurred recently.

Among Spanish names, as in other countries, there are genderless names. These are Amparo, Sol, Socorro, Consuelo, Pilar. But the big problem is the sound and endings. It is difficult for Russians to perceive a female name with a male ending. So for example Rosario, quite even a female name with a diminutive Charito.

Most popular Spanish names:

1. Maria
2. Carmen
3. Isabelle
4. Dolores
5. Pilar
6. Joseph
7. Teresa
8. Antonia
9. Lucia
10. Paula
11. Karla
12. Caludia
13. Laura
14. Martha
15. Alba
16. Valeria
17. ximena
18. Maria Guadeloupe
19. Daniela
20. Mariana
21. Andrew
22. Maria Josa
23. Sofia

Most Spanish names sound strange to us. And the main feature is that many names consist of two. In the famous Spanish TV series, you could hear about Mary Lourdes or Mary Magdalene. The tradition did not originate empty place. The first name corresponds to the patron, and the second is given to choose from in order to characterize the owner. It is the second that is usually called a person in everyday life, and the official one remains on paper.

Names by character

• good Agatha and Agota;
• comforting Consuela;
• strong Adriana;
• good Benigna;
• noble Adeline and Adelaide;
• graceful Aina;
• militant Louise;
• noble Alicia;
• Princess Zerita;
• pure Blanca and Ariadne;
• regal Marcela;
• devoted Fidelia;
• adored Adorasion;
• assistant Ophelia;
• invaluable Antonia;
• protector Alejandra;
• brave Bernardita;
• victorious Veronica;
• pleasant Grekila;
• listening to Jimena;
• light Luz;
• famous Clarice;
• blessed Macarena;
• Lady Martha;
• martyr Martirayo;
• merciful Pidade;
• heavenly Melestina;
• admiring Mary;
• flawless Imaculeda;
• chaste Ines;
• free pack;
• guardian Custodia;
• friendly Novia;
• persistent Consuela;
• wonderful Milagros;
• cardiac Corazon;
• flourishing Crescinsia;
• rich Odelice;
• embodying Esperanza's hope;
• Mutual Crusita
• keeper Camila;
• bright Leocadia;
• advising Monica;
• true Elvira;
• thin Erkilia;
• desired Loida;
• pleasant Nohema;
• courteous Olalla and Euphemia;
• pippi constant;
• stone Petrona;
• the struggling Ernest;
• pious Pia;
• persistent Pilar;
• crowned Estefania;
• old-fashioned Priscilla;
• wise Raimunda;
• insidious Rebekah;
• girl Nina;
• holy Sens;
• home Enricueta;
• lonely Soledad;
• lucky Felicidad;
• devoted Fedilija;
• comforted Chelo;
• live Evita;
• careful Prudence.

Meaning from words:

• Camela (vineyard);
• Alba (dawn);
• Rosario (rosary);
• Belem (house of bread);
• Domina (belongs to the master);
• Lolita (sorrow);
• Elvira (from a foreign country);
• Renata (resurrection);
• Almudena (city);
• Idoya (body of water);
• Paloma (pigeon);
• Rosita (rose);
• Justina (hyacinth flower);
• Areseli (altar of heaven);
• Berengaria (bear spear);
• Debord (bee);
• Susana (lily);
• Deifilia (daughter of God);
• Dulse (lollipop);
• Angelita (little angel);
• Pearl (pearl);
• Candelaria (candle);
• Niv (snow);
• Reina (queen);
• Chero (rosary);
• Esmeralda (emerald).

What do you want for the child:

• the high position of Alte;
• Beatrice's travels;
• authorities of Valencia;
• Leticia's happiness;
• love for Marita and Amadea;
• Faith Manuele;
• attractiveness of Rebecca;
• blessings of Benite;
• the sweet life of Adonsia;
• the cheerfulness of Bibian;
• the royal life of Basil;
• bright path to Elena;
• Nubia gold;
• saving Jesus;
• salut health.

Spanish law states that every citizen has the right to officially own no more than two given names and surnames. At baptism, they can give the child several names, it all depends on the wishes of the parents. Typically, the eldest daughter is named after her mother, while the second daughter is named after her maternal grandmother. The main and main source of names in Spain are the Catholic Saints. There are very few unusual names in this people, since the Spanish registration law controls this process very strictly. For carriers of unusual names, the chances of obtaining citizenship in Spain are equal to zero. In the Spanish-language hit parade of names, the first places are headed almost every year by such classic names like Carmen, Camila, Maria...

Simple name Mary

The name Maria is considered a fairly common name in Spain. It is given not only to girls, but also to boys, as a makeweight: Jose Maria, for example. At the same time, most of the Spanish and Latin American Marys appear in documents in a completely different way, for example, as Maria de los Mercedes, Maria de los Dolores, and in everyday life girls are called Dolores, Mercedes. Such names are derived from various titles of Our Lady, for example, Maria de los Mercedes means "Mary of Mercies" and Maria de los Dolores "Mary of Sorrows".

A short list of names formed from the titles of the Mother of God:

María del Amparo - Mary the Protectress, Mary the Protector

Maria de la Anunciación - Mary of the Annunciation

Maria de la Luz - Holy Mary

Maria de los Milagros - Mary the Miraculous

Maria de la Piedad - Honored Mary

María del Socorro - Mary Helping

Maria de la Cruz - Mary at the Cross

Maria del Consuelo - Mary the Comforter

Maria de la Salud - Mary of Health

Maria del Pilar - Pillar Mary

In real life, girls with such pious names are called Amparo, Luz, Anunciación, Milagros, Socorro, Piedad, Consuelo, Cruz, Salud and Pilar.

Short list of Spanish girl names:

What do Spanish names mean: interpretation and history of origin

By the 15th century, that is, the period of unification of the feudal states located on the Iberian Peninsula, the formation of the Spanish national language, which belongs to the Romance group of the Indo-European language family. The history of the Spaniards in previous eras explains the presence in their language of Greek, Latin, Old High German, and also Arabic words. This fully applies to Spanish anthroponymy.

IN XV-XVI centuries Spanish colonization of America began. The Spanish colonizers of South, Central and Southern North America mixed with the natives - the local Indian population, as well as with blacks, and gradually formed the ethnic core of virtually all modern Latin American nations - Argentines, Venezuelans, Colombians, Cubans, Chileans. During the era of colonial expansion and the heyday of Spain, the Spanish language spread in Central and South America except Brazil.

Features of the anthroponymic model

In the Spanish anthroponymic model, the following most typical cases can be conditionally distinguished:

1. simple binomial model, that is, a personal name, nombre de pila, and a family name, nombre de apellido, such as Mario Saenz;

2. a three-term model, that is, two personal names and one family name, for example, Juan Romulo Fernandez;

3. polynomial model:

a) one or more personal names and two family names, where the surname number one can be patronymic in nature, and the surname number two comes from the name of the place of birth, residence, for example, Carlos Sanchez Malaga;

b) one or more personal names and two or more family names, combined with particles y, de or a combination of the article and particle de (de la, de los, de las, del), for example: Gustavo Arboleda y Restrepo, fosefa Fernandez de Garay, Rosa Arciniega de la Torre, Maximo Farfan de las Godos,
Antonio Espinosa de los Monteros, Teresa Alvarez del Castillo;

c) one or more personal names and attached to them in various ways (combinations of particles and combinations of the article with the de particle) one (two or more) family names, for example: Oscar Quesada at de la Guerra, Teodoro Caballero at Martinez del Camp.

Roots of the origin of names

Spanish male and female personal names are derived from Greek (Nicomedes, Medea), Roman (Romulo, Cesar), Arabic (Farida, Neguib), Germanic (Amelberga, Ricardo) and Hebrew (Uriel, Maria) sources. Most Spaniards are Catholics, and according to the canons of the Roman Catholic Church, the choice of personal names at baptism is limited to the names of saints from church calendar. The child is called one, two or (less common) several personal names. long time there was a tradition to name the first child by the name of the paternal grandfather, and the second - by the maternal side or by the name of some outstanding ancestor of the family. Some biblical (Lamec, Bezabel), mythological (Polux, Clitemnestra), historical (Neron) names used earlier in Spain and Latin America have disappeared, others belonging to the same categories (Daniel, Lucas, Martin, Bartolome, Saul; Hector, Delia ; Anibal, Napoleon), are still used today.

Starting from the 30s of the 20th century in Spain, and then in other countries, among people of Spanish origin, names have become widespread, the stems of which relate to the following lexical fields, using the example of female names: abstract (symbolic) names (Encarnacion "incarnation", Concepcion "knowledge", Libertad "freedom"), names of flowers (Rosa "rose", Violeta "violet", Camelia "camellia", Flora "vegetation"), names precious stones(Diamante "diamond", Perlas "pearl"), as well as the names literary heroes(Ofelia, Graciela).
The Spanish name list currently includes foreign names that entered the Spanish language as a result of a wide variety of contacts and connections with speakers of other languages, primarily Romance: for example, English names- Milton, Uladis, French - Josette, Yvonne, Italian - Italo, Menotti.

The formation of Spanish personal names is based on derivation and suppletivism. By the method of derivation, affectionate and diminutive forms names; while the most common suffixes are -ito(-ita), -ico(-ica); -illo(-illa). So, for example, from the names Juan, Ana, Ines, pet names will be Juanito, Anita, Inesita, respectively. If a personal name ends in -s, then this ending is added to the suffix of the diminutive form: Carlos - Carlitos, Dolores - Dolor esitos. Often, in the formation of derivative forms of personal names, the phenomenon of suppletivism occurs, as, for example, for male names - Rapspo and Re-re, Francisco and Jose, or, respectively, for female names - Pancha for the name Francisca, and Pepita for the name Josefa. Instead of the female name Dolores, the diminutive name Lola is often used, instead of Concepcion - Concha, and instead of the male name Refugio - Sisa. The biblical name Jesus, which is widespread in Spain, often has the diminutive form Chucho. Sometimes derivatives affectionate names formed by various truncations, for example Sunta from the female name Asuncion.

The most common male names are Alfonso, Andres, Benito, Carlos, Diego, Enrique, Felipe, Fernando, Francisco, Geronimo, Joaquin, Jose, Juan, Manuel, Miguel, Pedro, Ramon, Vicente; and female Ana, Catalina, Elena, Enriqueta, Francisca, Ines, Isabel, Josefa, Juana, Manuela, Maria. But along with them, there are also randomly created, rare names that do not have a clear etymology, such as Anilu, Chamito, Maruchi, Coquis.

Traditions in the use of names

Under the influence of the French language, the particle de appeared in the Spanish anthroponymic model, attaching a personal name to a geographical name, from which a surname was subsequently formed. But in French, as you know, the presence of this particle in the surname was a sign of noble origin, high social position; in Spanish surnames, it has a purely official meaning, for example: Ferdinandez de Cordoba, that is, Ferdinand from Cordoba.

When referring to close friends, relatives and children in Spanish, the 2nd person personal pronoun tu "you" is used. The usual form of courtesy Vuestra merced "Your Grace", abbreviated most often in oral- Usted (plural - Ustedes), and expressed even more briefly in writing - V, Vd for the singular and Vs, Vv, Vds for the plural.

forms of courtesy to strangers are Don (in writing - Dn, D), Senor (abbreviation - Sr) and Excelencia (in writing - Exca) - in relation to men and Dona (in writing - Dn, Da), Senora (in writing - Sra) - by attitude towards women. A young girl is addressed using the word senorita (in writing - Srita, Sta), and a young man - senorito. Each of these words has the meaning of "master" or "lady" respectively.

The most ancient of all the words used for polite address is Don, whose etymology goes back to the Latin dominus "master", "master". Initially, this word was used in the sense of a royal title, and then began to indicate aristocratic background. Currently, such an appeal is used to express respect and courtesy, and in combination only with personal, and not with family name(Don Pedro); this also applies to the corresponding feminine form. The word senor comes from the Latin word senior (from the Latin senex "old man"). Appeals senor, senora can be combined with the full name, and only with the surname, but they are never used with only one personal name. In the meaning of "sir" the word caballero also appears, originally meaning "horseman", "knight". When using forms of polite address, it matters whether the address is direct (Senor Varas) or indirect, since in the latter case the definite article El Senor Varas is needed.
If the surname follows the title, then the title is preceded by the definite article - El General Weyler.

The change in the social structure of Cuba influenced the forms of addressing Cubans to each other: the words Senor, Don are no longer used. In Cuba, such forms of polite address as Sotrapego "comrade" are widely used in relation to a woman - Sotrapega. These appeals stand in preposition to individual name or to the surname, or even before the rank.

There are many Latin, Greek, Arabic words in Spanish. Consequently, this is reflected in the Spanish names as well.

So, most male and female Spanish names were borrowed from Latin, Greek, Germanic, Arabic and Hebrew sources. The Roman Catholic Church also played an important role. according to Catholic canons, the choice of a name is made from the names of saints from the church calendar.

Since the 30s of the 20th century, the practice of naming names associated with symbolic images(female names: Concepcion "knowledge", Libertad "freedom"), with the names of precious stones (Diamante "diamond", Perlas "pearl"), flowers (Rosa "rose", Flora "vegetation"), the names of literary heroes.

Currently, the list of Spanish names includes first of all the names Romance languages: English (Milton, Gladis), French (Josette, Yvonne), Italian (Italo, Menotti), etc.

The most common male names are: Alfonso, Andres, Benito, Carlos, Diego, Enrique, Felipe, Fernando, Francisco, Geronimo, Joaquin, Jose, Juan, Manuel, Miguel, Pedro, Ramon, Vicente; and from female, such names as Ana, Catalina, Elena, Enriqueta, Francisca, Ines, Isabel, Josefa, Juana, Manuela, Maria. But there are also rare names, such as Anilu, Chamito, Maruchi, Coquis, etc.

Alas, I don’t know rare and beautiful ones, but I will list those that I remember, they may come in handy ...
Aurelia, Soledad, Esperanza, Dolores, Felicidad, Gracia, Maria Luis, Paquita, Siomara, Yesenia, Carmen, Pilar, Charo, Veronica, Aurora, Eva...
And the men... Angel, Alejandro, Francisco, Rodrigo, Julio, Carlos, Miguel Angel, Javier, Jesus, Luis, Diego, Blas, Vicente...

Natalya Krasnova

Paula (Spanish: Paula)
Veronica (Spanish: Verónica) - Veronica
Barbara (Spanish Barbara) - Barbara
Catalina (Spanish Catalina) - Catherine
Daniel (Spanish Daniel) - Daniel.
Thomas (Spanish Tomás) - Thomas.
Adan (Spanish Adan) - Adam.
Jaime (Spanish Jaime) - Jacob.
Elias (Spanish Elías) - Ilya.
Spanish names and surnames.

Basta

Aaron - high mountain
Abrehan - father of the multitude
Abraham - the father of the multitude
Agustin - venerable
Agepeto - beloved
Agepito - favorite
Adan - wind
Adolfo - noble wolf
Adrian - from Hadria
Adelberto - bright nobility
Alberto - bright nobility
Alvaro - guard of all
Alyo - defender
Alejandro - protector of humanity
Alonso - noble and ready
Alfonso - noble and ready
Alfredo - elf meeting
Aleno - generous
Aleriko - omnipotent, ruler of all
Amadis - loves God
Amado - favorite
Ambrosio - immortal
Amidayo - demigod
Amilcar - friend
Amenkayo ​​- love
Anbessa - lion
Andres - man, warrior
Anibal - grace
Anselmo - protection of god
Antonio is invaluable
Anzleto - called
Anastas - recovery
Apolinar - destroyer
Armando is a brave, hardy person
Arsenio - mature
Arturo - from the legend of King Arthur
Asdrubel - helps
Atilio - Atilius
Augusto - venerable
Aureliano - golden
Aurelio - golden
Basilio is king
Baldomero - famous
Balduino - brave friend
Bartholome - son of Talmay
Bautista - Baptist
Beltran - bright raven
Benigno - kind
Benito - blessed
Berengar - the spear of the bearAbigail - the joy of the father
Agatha is good
Agota - good
Agueda - good
Adelaide - noble view
Adeline - noble
Adelita - noble
Adonsia - sweet
Adora - adorable
Adoria - adorable
Adoration - adored
Adriana - from Hadria
Adeline - noble
Aina - benefit, grace
Alejandra - protector of mankind
Alicia - noble kind
Alita - noble
Allods - foreign wealth
Almudena - city
Alondra - protector of mankind
Alba - dawn
Alta - high
Ampero - protection, shelter
Ameda - beloved
Amarenta - permanent, non-disappearing
Ana - benefit, grace
Anankiekion - announced
Angelita - little angel, messenger
Angela - angel, messenger
Angelica - angelic
Anita - usefulness, grace
Antia - invaluable
Antonitta - invaluable
Antonia - invaluable
Arecels - the altar of heaven
Ariedna - completely pure
Arcelia - altar of heaven
Araceli - the altar of heaven
Arecelis - the altar of heaven
Azucena - Lily of the Madonna
Askenkion - rise
Assampkayo - hypothesized
Asuncion - supposed
Beatrice - Traveler
Belem - the house of bread
Benigna - kind
Benita - blessed
Berengaria - bear's spear
Bernardita - as brave as a bear
Bethenia - home of the fig tree
Bibiana - live
Binvenida - welcome
Blanca - white
Bonita - Pretty
Brunilda - armored woman - warrior
Basilia - queen
Valencia - power
Veronica - bringing victory
Visitacion - visited
Gertrudis - the power of the spear
Grekila - pleasing, pleasant
Grekiena - pleasing, pleasant
Gracia - pleasing, pleasant
Deborah - bee
Deifilia - daughter of god
Delphine - a woman from Delphi
Jacinta - hyacinth flower
Jesus - god - saved

Mexico is a Spanish speaking country. This circumstance has a significant impact on local traditions naming name. Most modern male and female Mexican names have Spanish roots. They were brought here by settlers from Europe and made up the bulk of the local nomenclature. As for the original national names of Mexico, they are used extremely rarely. Traditions followed by the Indians have long lost their relevance.

Among the popular Mexican names for boys and girls, there are those that have Latin, Greek and English roots. Some of them are borrowed from Hebrew and Germanic. In any case, the sound of lucky female and male Mexican names is surprisingly beautiful and original. This circumstance makes them very popular both among the population of Mexico and among residents of other countries.

Choosing a Mexican name for a boy or girl

Parents who decide to call a girl or boy a beautiful Mexican name, I want to give. They should be extremely attentive to the pronunciation of words. In Mexico, a special variant of Spanish is used. Because of this, some names may be pronounced differently.

When naming a child, you should rely not only on your hearing, but also on logic. It is very important to accurately determine the meaning of Mexican names and surnames. After all, the character and future of the child depends on him. You can also ask about the meaning of the name according to the horoscope. This will make the choice as balanced and favorable as possible.

List of modern Mexican boy names

1. Alejandro. From the ancient Greek "protector"
2. Diego. Popular Mexican boy name meaning "scientist"
3. Leonardo. Translated into Russian means "brave as a lion"
4. Manuel. Interpreted as "God is with us"
5. MATEO. Mexican boy name which means = "gift of God"
6. Nestor. Translated into Russian, it means "wise traveler"
7. Osvaldo. Interpreted as "God's power"
8. Pedro. From Greek "stone"
9. Sebastian. Popular male Mexican name. Meaning "highly respected"
10. Jesus. Spanish form of the name Jesus = "God help"

Top most beautiful Mexican names for girls

1. Bonita. Translated into Russian means "beautiful"
2. Dorothea. Mexican female name which means = "bestowed by God"
3. Isabelle. Interpreted as "dedicated to God"
4. Camila. Translated into Russian means "the best"
5. Consuel. Mexican girl name meaning "comfort"
6. Pauline. Translated into Russian means "modest" / "small"
7. Pilar. Interpreted as "column"
8. Regina. Means "queen"
9. Esperanza. Mexican female name meaning "hope"

The most popular men's and women's mexican names

• To date, the most common are such male mexican names like Santiago, Mateo and Diego.
• Quite often, boys are called Miguel Angel, Emiliano, Leonardo and Sebastian.
• Jimena is considered the most popular female name in Mexico. He is followed by Valentina, Maria Fernanda, Camila and Sophia.

Mexico is a culturally amazing country. It combined and coexisted with such different traditions that this in itself is comparable to a miracle. Of course, such a synthesis was reflected, among other things, in the names that local residents choose for their children. Here they will be discussed below.

Names in Mexico

It must be said right away that modern Mexico is a country where the main language of the population is Spanish. The colonial policy of European states and the mass migration of Europeans significantly influenced the cultural background of Mexico. Therefore, modern Mexican names for the most part namely Spanish, and not local - Indian - origin. This is due to the fact that naming is a religious ceremony. And since most of the population belongs to the Catholic Church, then the names take on those indicated in its calendar. Local, original names have lost their relevance along with the decline of the original, pagan beliefs. Therefore, Mexican names are actually derivatives of overseas prototypes and direct borrowings.

Feature names

The names that the Spaniards brought to these lands, as already mentioned, are Christian. Accordingly, many of them, although they underwent Spanish inculturation, have roots in Greek, Hebrew or Latin. And some also go back to ancient Germanic roots. It also needs to be said that the Mexican form of the Spanish language is somewhat different in sound from the European prototype. Therefore, you should not just identify all Spanish and Mexican names, because some Mexican variants may sound significantly different from their purely Spanish counterparts.

naming

Of course, like all peoples, Mexicans are inclined to believe that the name in one way or another affects the fate and character of its bearer. This makes choosing a name a particularly important procedure. Most often, options are used that are somehow based on religious tradition. Thus, children are often named after particularly revered saints or more abstract religious concepts. Sometimes Mexican names are chosen according to the personality traits that parents want to develop in their child.

Popular names

Below we list some of the more common names. I must say that the Mexicans are not very fond of inventing and showing originality and mainly use what is in trend. So, the most common Mexican names are male.

• Alejandro. A derivative of the name Alexander, which means "protector".
• Diego. A very popular name in Mexico, the meaning of which is "scientist".
• Leonardo. An old noble name. In Russian it means "brave as a lion"
• Manuel. A derivative of the Hebrew Emmanuel, meaning "God is with us."
• MATEO. A name that is one of the main ones in Mexico. It literally translates as "gift of God."
• Nestor. This is a Greek name. It can be translated into Russian with the word “returning home”, or more broadly - “wise wanderer”.
• Osvaldo. This option is translated as "the power of God."
• Pedro. Famous and popular name among Hispanics. It comes from Greek and means "stone".
• Sebastian. What is known in Russia as Sebastian. A name of Greek origin, meaning "highly revered".
• Jesus. A name that no one in Orthodoxy will ever call a child. In Catholicism, this is acceptable. Jesus is the Spanishized form of the name Jesus. From Hebrew it is translated as "salvation from God."

Now we list the top Mexican female names.

• Bonita. In Russian it means "beautiful".
• Dorothea. A very beautiful name, usually translated as "given by God."
• Isabelle. Derived from the Hebrew Jezebel. Means "dedicated to God."
• Camila. This name can be translated as "the best".
• Consuel. Translated into Russian, this name means "consolation".
• Pauline. Conveys the concept of modesty and insignificance.
• Pilar. Usually this name is translated as "column", that is, the base of something.
• Regina. Roman name meaning "queen".
• Esperanza. A name that is a direct translation of the Russian name "Nadezhda".

Behind every name, male or female, there is a story. It is almost impossible to determine exactly where and under what circumstances children were first called by one name or another. Each has a story, rooted in ancient myths and legends. Most likely, most names simply denote a character trait that they want to instill in a child.

But why do new names appear? The reasons are different: wars, geographical or scientific discoveries, emigration and immigration of the population.

If you look at the document of a Spanish citizen, you can see no more than 2 names and 2 surnames there, despite the fact that in most European countries their number is unlimited. This is due to the fact that the state takes this issue seriously enough to avoid numerous confusions. When baptizing babies, you can assign any acceptable (approved) names by the church in unlimited quantities. As a rule, this is done like this:

• The eldest son receives the first name of the father, the second - the grandfather in the male line;
• The eldest daughter first takes the name of her mother, and then the name of her maternal grandmother.

In general, a Spanish name consists of three main elements: a personal name ( nombre) and two surnames ( appellido): father ( appellido paterno or primer appellido) and mother ( apellido maternoorsegundo appellido).

The Spaniards are believing Catholics, they give great importance to the church in their lives, and therefore most of the names are rooted in Catholic saints. Spaniards do not like unusual and extravagant names and do not accept them in their lives. There are cases when the state refused to receive foreigners due to the fact that their names were rather unusual (for example, it was impossible to determine the gender of the carrier).

Many associate with Spain and the country Latin America, since in these territories Spanish is the official language, and when learning Spanish, the teacher can emphasize the differences between cultures and pronunciations. As for the names, there are also very big differences, despite the fact that Hispanics use Spanish names. The only difference is that they can name the child whatever they want. Children are called by English, American or even Russian names, if their parents like it, and this will not be punished by the state.

You can take a terrorist from Venezuela as an example. His name was Ilyich, and his brothers Lenin and Vladimir Ramirez Sanchez. A staunch communist father displayed his views on life through the names of his children.

But such exceptions are extremely rare, although there are no boundaries and stereotypes for modernity. In Spain, simple and classic names with complex meanings remain at the peak of popularity, for example, Juan, Juanita, Julio, Julia, Maria, Diego, etc.

Separately, I would like to highlight the names and their origin (female):

• Biblical names: Anna, Mary, Martha, Magdalena, Isabel;
• Latin and Greek names: Barbora, Veronica, Elena, Paola;
• Germanic: Erika, Motilda, Carolina, Louise, Frida.

• Biblical names: Miguel, Jose, Thomas, David, Daniel, Adan, Juan;
• Greek and Latin names: Sergio, Andres, Alejandro, Hector, Pablo, Nicholas;
• Germanic: Alonso, Alfonso, Luis, Carlos, Raymond, Fernando, Enrique, Ernesto, Raul, Rodrigue, Roberto.

Spanish female names and their meaning

• Agatha (Agata) - good
• Adelita (Adelita), Alicia (Alicia) Adela, Adela (Adela) - noble
• Adora - adorable
• Alondra - protector of humanity
• Alba (Alba) - dawn, dawn
• Alta (Alta) - high
• Angelina (Angelina), Angel (Ángel), Angelica (Angélica) - angel, angelic, messenger
• Anita (Anita) - diminutive of Ana (Ana) - benefit
• Ariadna (Ariadna) - perfect, pure, immaculate
• Arcelia (Arcelia) Araceli, Aracelis (Aracelis) - wanderer, traveler
• Benita (Benita) - blessed
• Bernardita - bear
• Blanca - pure, white
• Benita (Benita) - blessed
• Valencia (Valencia) - imperious
• Veronica - victorious
• Gertrudis, Gertrudis - the power of the spear
• Gracia - graceful, graceful
• Jesus (Jesusa) - saved
• Juana (Juana), Juanita (Juanita) - merciful
• Dorothea (Dorotea) - God's gift
• Elena (Elena) - moon, torch
• Josephine (Josefina) - retributor
• Ibbi, Isabel - an oath to God
• Ines (Inés) - innocent, chaste
• Candelaria - candle
• Carla (Carla), Carolina (Carolina) - human
• Carmela and Carmelita - a name in honor of Our Lady of Carmel
• Constance (Constancia) - constant
• Consuela - comforter, the name is given in honor of Our Lady of Comfort (Nuestra Señora del Consuelo)
• Conchita is a diminutive of Concepción, derived from the Latin concepto meaning "to conceive". The name is given in honor Immaculate Conception Virgin Mary (Inmaculada Conception)
• Christina (Cristina) - Christian
• Cruz - cross, pectoral cross
• Camila (Camila) - servant of the gods, priestess
• Catalina - a pure soul
• Leticia - joyful, happy
• Laura (Laura) - laurel, ("crowned with laurel")
• Luis (Luisa), Luisita (Luisita) - warrior
• Marita (Marita) - diminutive of Maria (María) - desired, beloved
• Marta (Mistress of the House)
• Mercedes (Mercedes) - merciful, all-merciful (in honor of the Virgin - María de las Mercedes)
• Maribel - fierce
• Nina (Nina) - baby
• Ofelia (Ofelia) - assistant
• Pepita - God will give another son
• Pearl (Perla), Perlita (Perlita) - pearl
• Pilar (Pilar), Pili (Pili) - pillar, column
• Paloma (Paloma) - dove
• Ramona - wise protector
• Rebeca (Rebeca) - alluring in the network
• Reina (Reina) - queen, queen
• Renata - reborn
• Sarita (Sarita) diminutive of Sara (Sara) - a noble woman, mistress
• Sofia (Sofía) - wise
• Susana - water lily
• Trinidad - Trinity
• Francisco (Francisca) - free
• Chiquita is a diminutive name meaning little girl.
• Abigail - joy for the father
• Evita (Evita) - diminutive of Eva (Eva) - lively, lively
• Elvira - benevolent
• Esmeralda (Esmeralda) - emerald
• Estela (Estela), derived from Estrella (Estrella) - a star

Male Spanish names and their meaning

• Agustin (Agustin) - great
• Alberto (Alberto), Alonso (Alonso), Alfonso (Alfonso) - noble
• Alfredo (Alfredo) - elf
• Amado (Amado) - beloved
• Andres (Andrés) - warrior
• Antonio (Antonio) - flower
• Armando - strong, brave
• Aurelio - gold
• Basilio - regal
• Benito - blessed
• Berenguer (Berenguer), Bernardino (Bernardino), Bernardo (Bernardo) - the strength and courage of the bear
• Valentine (Valentin) - healthy, strong
• Victor (Víctor), Victorino (Victorino), Vincente - winner and conqueror,
• Gaspar - teacher, master
• Gustavo - staff, support
• Horatio (Goracio) - excellent vision
• Damian (Damián) - to tame, subdue
• Desi - desired
• Herman (German) - brother
• Gilberto - light
• Diego - doctrine, teaching
• Jesus (Jesús) - named after Jesus, diminutives: Chucho, Chuy, Chuza, Chuchi, Chus, Chuso and others.
• Ignacio - fire
• Yousef - God will give another son
• Carlos - man, husband
• Christian (Cristian) - Christian
• Leandro (Leandro) - a man-lion
• Lucio (Lucio) - light
• Mario - male
• Marcos (Marcos), Marcelino (Marcelino), Marcelo (Marcelo), Marcial (Marcial), Martin (Martín) - names derived from the name of the Roman God of war - Mars, warlike
• Mateo (Mateo) - a gift from Yahweh
• Mauricio (Mauricio) - dark-skinned, Moor
• Modesto (Modesto) - modest, moderate, sober
• Maximino (Maximino), Maximo (Máximo) - great
• Nicholas (Nicolás) - victory of the people
• Osvaldo (Osvaldo) - owning, having power
• Pablo (Pablo) - baby
• Paco - free
• Pasqual (Pasqual) - child of Easter
• Pastor - shepherd
• Patricio (Patricio) - noble, noble origin
• Pio (Pío) - pious, virtuous
• Rafael - divine healing
• Ricardo (Ricardo), Rico (Rico) - strong, persistent
• Rodolfo (Rodolfo), Raul (Raúl) - wolf
• Rodrigo (Rodrigo) - ruler, leader
• Rolando - famous land
• Reinaldo - sage - ruler
• Sal (Sal), diminutive of Salvador (Salvador) - savior
• Sancho, Santos (Saint)
• Severino (Severino), North (Severo) - strict, harsh
• Sergio (Servant)
• Silvestre, Silvio - forest
• Salomon - peaceful
• Tadeo - grateful
• Teobaldo (Teobaldo) - a brave man
• Thomas (Tomás) - twin
• Tristan (Tristán) - rebel, rebel
• Fabricio (Fabricio) - artisan
• Fausto (Fausto) - a lucky guy
• Felipe - horse lover
• Fernando (Fernando) - bold, courageous
• Fidel (Fidel) - the most devoted, faithful
• Flavio (Flavio) - golden-haired
• Francisco (Francisco) - free
• Juan (Juan), Juanito (Juanito) - good God
• Julian (Julián), Julio (Julio) - curly
• Edmundo - prosperous, protector
• Emilio - rival
• Enrique (Enrique) - a powerful ruler
• Ernesto (Ernesto) - diligent, diligent
• Esteban (Esteban) - the name means - the crown
• Usebio, Usebio - devout

The most popular names among the adult population:

• Jose (Jose)
• Antonio (Antonio)
• Juan (Juan)
• Manuel
• Francisco (Francisco)

Among newborns:

• Daniel
• Alejandro (Alejandro)
• Pablo (Pablo)
• David (David)
• Adrian (Adrian)

If we return to female names, then names are now popular among women:

• Maria (Maria)
• Carmen
• Ana (Ana)
• Isabel (Isabel)
• Dolores (Dolores)

And among girls, that is, recently born children:

• Lucia (Lucia)
• Maria (Maria)
• Paula (Paula)
• Sarah
• Carla (Carla)

As you have noticed, it is very important for Spaniards that their names are easily perceived, refusing rare and unusual variants, which significantly affects the reduction of the language barrier with foreign citizens.

Sometimes it is almost impossible to determine by ear the connection between the full and diminutive names: for example, the houses of little Francisco can be called Paco, Pancho and even Curro, Alfonso - Honcho, Eduardo - Lalo, Jesus - Chucho, Chuy or Chus, Anunciación - Chon or Chonita. In the same way, it is difficult for foreigners to understand why we call Alexander Shurik 🙂

Almost all Spanish names are simple but beautiful. We hope that getting to know them will make it easier for you to communicate with native Spanish speakers, because now you know a little more about the Spaniards!