Mexican Names: 147 Girl and Boy Names

Mexican names range from Spanish favorites like Regina, Fernanda, Santiago and Emiliano to Nahuatl names like Xóchitl and Cuauhtémoc and faith names like Guadalupe and Refugio, and this list gives a checked meaning and origin for 147 girl and boy names used in Mexico.

Mexican names come from several traditions at once. Most are Spanish names, many of them shaped by Catholic tradition. Nahuatl, Maya and Zapotec names come from Indigenous peoples of Mexico, and some newer names spread through music and television.

We grouped the names by style: current girl names, current boy names, Nahuatl and Indigenous names, names from Catholic tradition, classic Spanish names, compound names and nicknames. Then come practical notes on two surnames, accent marks and pronunciation.

Key Takeaways

Familiar Mexican names include Regina, Fernanda and Jimena for girls and Santiago, Emiliano and Alonso for boys.
Xóchitl (flower), Ameyalli (spring, fountain) and Cuauhtémoc (descending eagle) come from Nahuatl, not Spanish.
Guadalupe, Refugio, Trinidad and Reyes are used for girls and boys, according to Behind the Name.
Mexican names usually carry two surnames: the father’s family name, then the mother’s.
Accent marks are part of the Spanish spelling, but U.S. paperwork does not always carry them, so plan ahead.

Table of Contents

Mexican Names at a Glance

Quick Answer

Standout Mexican names for girls include Regina, Fernanda, Jimena, Lucero and Itzayana; for boys, Santiago, Emiliano, Alonso, Tadeo and Julián. From Nahuatl and other Indigenous languages of Mexico come Xóchitl (flower), Metztli (moon) and Cuauhtémoc (descending eagle). Catholic tradition gives Guadalupe, Refugio and Socorro, and family nicknames include Chuy, Pancho and Lupe.

Every gender label, usage label and meaning on this page was checked against the name’s own entry on Behind the Name in October 2026. Where the reference says a meaning is unknown, uncertain or only possible, we say so too. Where an entry only says “form of” another name, we give that name’s meaning from its own entry.

Behind the Name describes Mexican names as names used in the country of Mexico, and that covers a lot of ground. Most Mexican baby names are Spanish names: some are shared with Spain and the rest of Latin America, and a few carry the reference’s narrower label Spanish (Mexican). Others come from Nahuatl, the language of the Nahua peoples, or from Maya and Zapotec. Many more come out of Catholic devotion, including titles of the Virgin Mary that turned into first names.

If you want the wider Spanish-speaking picture, we already have separate lists of Hispanic girl names and Hispanic boy names. This page focuses on names with a documented place in Mexico. Use the table below to jump to the style you like.

Style	Examples on this page	Where to find them
Current Mexican girl names	Regina, Fernanda, Jimena, Galilea, Lucero	Mexican Girl Names
Current Mexican boy names	Santiago, Emiliano, Alonso, Tadeo, Julián	Mexican Boy Names
Nahuatl, Maya and Zapotec names	Xóchitl, Ameyalli, Cuauhtémoc, Zazil, Xiadani	Nahuatl and Indigenous Roots
Faith and feast-day names	Guadalupe, Refugio, Socorro, Natividad, Reyes	Catholic Tradition
Grandparent-era classics	Teresa, Esperanza, Aurora, Jorge, Ramón, Benito	Classic Spanish Names
Double names	Dulce María, José Antonio, Juan Manuel, Julio César	Compound Names
Family nicknames	Chuy, Pancho, Paco, Lupe, Tere	Mexican Nicknames

Mexican names on this page, grouped by style.

Mexican Girl Names

These Mexican girl names have a polished, current feel. Most are Spanish names that families in Mexico share with the rest of the Spanish-speaking world, and Lucero is one that the reference labels Spanish (Mexican) and calls most common in Mexico and Colombia. Several are simple Spanish words: libertad means freedom, lluvia means rain and lucero is a bright star.

Name	Gender	Meaning and origin (per Behind the Name)
Alejandra	Feminine	Spanish. Spanish form of Alexandra, the feminine form of Alexander: Greek, “defending men”
Fernanda	Feminine	Spanish, Portuguese, Italian. Feminine form of Ferdinand, from a Gothic name built from “peace” (or perhaps “journey”) and “boldness, daring”
Regina	Feminine	Spanish, English, Italian and more. “Queen” in Latin; a Christian name from early times, borne by a 2nd-century saint
Paulina	Feminine	Spanish, Portuguese, Polish and more. Feminine form of Paulinus, a derivative of Paulus: Latin, “small”
Adriana	Feminine	Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and more. Feminine form of Adrian, from the Roman cognomen Hadrianus: “from Hadria”
Jimena	Feminine	Spanish. Variant of Ximena, the feminine form of Ximeno; Ximena was the name of the wife of El Cid
Montserrat	Feminine	Catalan, Spanish. From a mountain near Barcelona: Latin mons serratus, “jagged mountain”; its monastery houses a famous statue of the Virgin Mary
Galilea	Feminine	Spanish (rare), Italian (rare), English (modern). Feminine form of Galileo: Latin galilaeus, “Galilean, from Galilee”
Aranza	Feminine	Spanish. Spanish form of Arantza: Basque, “thornbush, thorn”
Angélica	Feminine	Spanish, Portuguese. Form of Angelica: Latin angelicus, “angelic”
Celeste	Feminine and masculine	Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English. Form of Caelestis: Latin, “of the sky, heavenly”
Lucero	Feminine and masculine	Spanish (Mexican), Spanish (Latin American). “Light source, bright star, morning star” in Spanish, from luz, “light”; most common in Mexico and Colombia
Libertad	Feminine	Spanish. “Freedom, liberty” in Spanish
Lluvia	Feminine	Spanish (modern). “Rain” in Spanish
Rosalía	Feminine	Spanish, Galician. Form of Rosalia, a Late Latin name from rosa, “rose”; the name of a 12th-century Sicilian saint
Maricela	Feminine	Spanish. Combination of María and Celia

Mexican girl names: Spanish names used in Mexico, with usage and meaning as Behind the Name gives them.

A second group feels newer. Behind the Name labels Itzayana and Iridián as modern Spanish (Mexican) names, and the rest of this table as Latin American Spanish. Yesenia is a good example of how names travel: per the reference, it comes from the name of a genus of palm trees and was popularized by a 1970 Mexican telenovela of the same name. Yadira’s meaning is unknown, and the reference says it has been used in Mexico since at least the 1940s.

Name	Gender	Meaning and origin (per Behind the Name)
Itzayana	Feminine	Spanish (Mexican, modern). Possibly an elaboration of Itzel, a Mayan name of uncertain meaning
Iridián	Feminine	Spanish (Mexican, modern). “Related to Iris or rainbows”, ultimately from Greek iris
Yareli	Feminine	Spanish (Latin American, modern). Possibly an elaboration of Yara, a variant of the Tupi name Iara
Yesenia	Feminine	Spanish (Latin American). From Jessenia, a genus of palm trees; popularized by Yolanda Vargas Dulché’s 1970 Mexican telenovela Yesenia
Yadira	Feminine	Spanish (Latin American), American (Hispanic). Meaning unknown, possibly from an Arabic name; used in Mexico since at least the 1940s
Arleth	Feminine	Spanish (Latin American). Variant of Arlette (a French form of Herleva) in use in Latin America
Lizbeth	Feminine	English, Spanish (Latin American). Short form of Elizabeth
Janeth	Feminine	Spanish (Latin American), Eastern African. Variant of Janet (a medieval diminutive of Jane), in use in Latin America and East Africa
Yamileth	Feminine	Spanish (Latin American). Variant of Yamila, a form of Jamila used especially in Latin America
Cristal	Feminine	Spanish (Latin American). Spanish form of Crystal, from the English word for clear glass; ultimately Greek krystallos, “ice”
Yoselin	Feminine	Spanish (Latin American). Spanish form of Jocelyn

Modern Mexican and Latin American girl names.

Some of these modern names are built on older ones. Itzayana is possibly an elaboration of Itzel, a Mayan name, and Yamileth goes back to Arabic Jamila through Latin American Yamila. If you love light and sky meanings, Celeste, Lucero and the Maya name Zazil (further down) pair well with the picks in our names that mean light list.

Mexican Boy Names

These Mexican boy names are widely used in Spanish and easy to carry across languages. Many are Spanish forms of saints’ names (Martín, Damián, Julián, Fabián, Valentín, Tadeo), and others are Spanish forms of Germanic or English names (Alberto, Gerardo, Eduardo). Emiliano and Santiago both have long Spanish histories: per the reference, Emiliano was the name of a 6th-century Spanish saint, and Santiago means “Saint James”, the patron saint of Spain.

Name	Gender	Meaning and origin (per Behind the Name)
Alonso	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish variant of Alfonso, from a Visigothic name meaning “noble and ready”
Emiliano	Masculine	Spanish, Italian, Portuguese. Form of the Roman cognomen Aemilianus, from the family name Aemilius (Latin aemulus, “rival”); a 6th-century Spanish saint
Santiago	Masculine	Spanish, Portuguese. “Saint James”, from santo, “saint”, and Yago, an old Spanish form of James, the patron saint of Spain
Adrián	Masculine	Spanish, Hungarian, Slovak. Form of Hadrianus: Latin, “from Hadria”
Damián	Masculine	Spanish, Czech. Form of Damian: from Greek damazo, “to tame”
Julián	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Iulianus, from the Roman family name Julius
Fabián	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Fabianus, from the Roman family name Fabius
Valentín	Masculine	Spanish, Slovak. Form of Valentinus, from Latin valens, “strong, vigorous, healthy”
Martín	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Martinus, derived from the name of the Roman god Mars
Emilio	Masculine	Spanish, Italian. Form of Aemilius: Latin aemulus, “rival”
Mauricio	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Mauritius, a derivative of Maurus
Sergio	Masculine	Spanish, Italian. Form of Sergius, a Roman family name possibly meaning “servant” in Latin, but most likely of unknown Etruscan origin
Eduardo	Masculine	Spanish, Portuguese. Form of Edward: Old English, “rich guard”
Alberto	Masculine	Spanish, Italian, Portuguese. Form of Albert: Germanic, “noble and bright”
Gerardo	Masculine	Spanish, Italian. Form of Gerard: Old German ger, “spear”, and hart, “hard, firm, brave”
Arturo	Masculine	Spanish, Italian. Form of Arthur, a name whose meaning is unknown (possibly Celtic “bear” combined with “man” or “king”)
Tadeo	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Thaddeus, possibly from Aramaic tad, “heart, breast”
Patricio	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Patricius: Latin, “nobleman, patrician”
Isaías	Masculine	Spanish, Portuguese. Form of Isaiah: Hebrew, “Yahweh is salvation”
Josué	Masculine	Spanish, French, Portuguese. Form of Joshua: Hebrew, “Yahweh is salvation”
Ezequiel	Masculine	Spanish, Portuguese. Form of Ezekiel: Hebrew, “God will strengthen”
Efraín	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Ephraim: Hebrew, “fruitful”

Mexican boy names: Spanish names used in Mexico, with usage and meaning as Behind the Name gives them.

Isaías, Josué, Ezequiel and Efraín are Spanish forms of Old Testament names. If that style appeals to you, our biblical boy names list has many more, with their English forms.

The next group is newer. Behind the Name links Yahir to the Mexican singer known as Yahir, who appeared on the reality show La Academia in 2002, and it calls Kael a recently created name, probably inspired by Gael.

Name	Gender	Meaning and origin (per Behind the Name)
Yahir	Masculine	Spanish (Latin American). Possibly a variant of Yair; borne by the Mexican singer known as Yahir, who appeared on the reality show La Academia in 2002
Yair	Masculine	Hebrew, Spanish (Latin American). Hebrew form of Jair (“he shines”), as well as a Spanish variant
Jair	Masculine	Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese (Brazilian), Biblical. “He shines” in Hebrew; in the Old Testament, a son of Manasseh and one of the judges of the Israelites
Izan	Masculine	Spanish (modern). Spanish form of Ethan (Hebrew, “solid, enduring, firm”), reflecting the English pronunciation
Kael	Masculine	Spanish (Latin American, modern). Recently created name, probably inspired by Gael

Modern Mexican and Latin American boy names.

How do you choose between the two tables? The first holds names with centuries of use behind them, so a Julián or a Martín will be familiar to great-grandparents and classmates alike. The second holds names with shorter histories, which some parents like because they feel fresh. Neither group is more Mexican than the other: both appear in Behind the Name’s list of names used in Mexico. If you are torn, try one of each as a first and middle name, such as Tadeo Yahir or Alonso Kael, and see which order sounds right with your surname.

Names From Nahuatl and Indigenous Mexican Roots

These are not Spanish names. Per Behind the Name, Nahuatl names are used by the Nahua peoples of Mexico and Central America, Mayan names by the Maya people of Mexico and Central America, and Zapotec names by the Zapotec people of southern Mexico. Every row keeps the reference’s own label. “Hispanicized” means the name is written in a Spanish spelling, as with Xóchitl and Cuauhtémoc, which carry an accent mark that the Nahuatl forms do not.

Name	Gender	Meaning and origin (per Behind the Name)
Xóchitl	Feminine	Nahuatl (Hispanicized). Spanish form of Xochitl: “flower” in Nahuatl
Ameyalli	Feminine	Nahuatl. “Spring, fountain” in Nahuatl
Malinalli	Feminine	Nahuatl. “Tall grass” in Nahuatl
Yoloxochitl	Feminine	Nahuatl. From Nahuatl yollotl, “heart”, and xochitl, “flower”
Zeltzin	Feminine	Nahuatl. Uncertain meaning, said to mean “delicate”
Tlalli	Feminine	Nahuatl. “Earth, land, soil” in Nahuatl
Xitlalli	Feminine	Nahuatl (Hispanicized). Variant of Citlalli: “star” in Nahuatl
Xochiquetzal	Feminine	Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl. From xochitl, “flower”, and quetzalli, “quetzal feather, precious thing”; the Aztec goddess of love, flowers and the earth
Metztli	Feminine and masculine	Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl. “Moon” in Nahuatl; the Aztec god (or goddess) of the moon
Tonalli	Masculine and feminine	Nahuatl. “Day, warmth of the sun” in Nahuatl
Yolotl	Feminine and masculine	Nahuatl. “Heart, spirit” in Nahuatl
Yolotzin	Feminine and masculine	Nahuatl. “Beloved heart”, from yollotl, “heart”, and the suffix tzin, “beloved, revered”
Cipactli	Masculine and feminine	Nahuatl. “Crocodile, alligator, caiman, monster”; the first day of the tonalpohualli, the Aztec 260-day calendar
Tonatiuh	Masculine	Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl. “Sun” in Nahuatl; the Aztec sun god
Cuauhtémoc	Masculine	Nahuatl (Hispanicized). Spanish form of Cuauhtemoc: “descending eagle”; the last Aztec emperor
Moctezuma	Masculine	Nahuatl (Hispanicized). Spanish form of Motecuhzoma: “he becomes angry like a lord”; borne by two Aztec emperors
Nicte	Feminine	Mayan (Hispanicized). From Yucatec Maya nikte’, “flower” or specifically “plumeria flower”
Sacnicte	Feminine	Mayan (Hispanicized). “White plumeria flower”, from Yucatec Maya sak, “white”, and nikte’
Zazil	Feminine	Mayan. “Clear, light, clarity” in Yucatec Maya
Yatzil	Feminine	Mayan. “Love, mercy, charity” in Yucatec Maya
Yaxkin	Feminine and masculine	Mayan. From Yaxk’in, the seventh month of the Maya calendar: yax, “green, first”, and k’in, “sun, day”
Itzamna	Masculine	Mayan Mythology, Mayan. Built on Classic Maya itzam (possibly “enchanted, nectar” plus “grandfather”) and nah, “great”; the Maya creator god
Anayeli	Feminine	Zapotec (Hispanicized). Variant of Nayeli, possibly from Zapotec nadxiie lii, “I love you”, or nayele’, “open”
Xiadani	Feminine	Zapotec. Meaning uncertain, said to mean “the flower that arrived” in Zapotec
Xquenda	Feminine and masculine	Zapotec. From Zapotec guenda, “spirit, soul, essence”, with the possessive prefix x-
Yunuen	Feminine and masculine	Spanish (Mexican). Meaning unknown, probably of Indigenous (maybe Purépecha) origin; the name of an island on Lake Pátzcuaro in Mexico

Nahuatl, Maya, Zapotec and other Indigenous names used in Mexico.

A few notes. Metztli, Tonatiuh and Xochiquetzal are also the names of Aztec deities (of the moon, the sun, and love and flowers), and Itzamna was the Maya creator god, so some families will see them as mythology names first. Cuauhtémoc and Moctezuma were the names of Aztec emperors. Cipactli is the first day of the Aztec 260-day calendar, and Yaxkin is a month of the Maya calendar. Zeltzin and Xiadani have uncertain meanings, and Yunuen’s meaning is unknown: the reference thinks it is probably of Indigenous (maybe Purépecha) origin and notes it is the name of an island on Lake Pátzcuaro.

Nature runs through this group: flower (Xóchitl, Nicte), spring (Ameyalli), earth (Tlalli), moon (Metztli) and star (Xitlalli). Our names that mean moon and flower names lists have more in this spirit. If a name comes from a community outside your own family, take time to learn how it is said and used before you commit.

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Names From Mexican Catholic Tradition and Saints’ Days

Catholic devotion shaped a large share of Mexican names. Many feminine names are titles of the Virgin Mary or of a feast in the church year, which is why everyday Spanish words such as socorro (help), refugio (refuge) and dolores (sorrows) became first names. The meanings below come straight from each entry.

Name	Gender	Meaning and origin (per Behind the Name)
Guadalupe	Feminine and masculine	Spanish. From Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, “Our Lady of Guadalupe”; Guadalupe is a Spanish place name, probably from Arabic wadi, “valley, river”, possibly with Latin lupus, “wolf”
María Guadalupe	Feminine	Spanish (Mexican). Combination of María and Guadalupe
Refugio	Masculine and feminine	Spanish (Mexican). “Refuge, shelter” in Spanish; as a feminine name often part of María del Refugio, from Nuestra Señora del Refugio, “Our Lady of Refuge”
Socorro	Feminine	Spanish. “Succour, help, relief”; from María del Socorro, “Mary of Perpetual Succour”
Dolores	Feminine	Spanish, English. “Sorrows”; from Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, “Our Lady of Sorrows”
María de la Luz	Feminine	Spanish. “Mary of the light”, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary
María de Jesús	Feminine	Spanish. “Mary (the mother) of Jesus”, a compound of María and Jesús
Natividad	Feminine	Spanish. “Nativity”, commemorating the birth of either Jesus or the Virgin Mary
Candelaria	Feminine	Spanish. “Candlemas”, from candela, “candle”; honors the feast of the presentation of Christ in the temple
Ascensión	Feminine	Spanish. “Ascension”, in reference to the Ascension of Jesus into heaven
Trinidad	Feminine and masculine	Spanish. “Trinity”, referring to the Holy Trinity
Reyes	Feminine and masculine	Spanish. “Kings”; from La Virgen de los Reyes, “The Virgin of the Kings”
Jesús	Masculine	Spanish, Catalan. Spanish and Catalan form of Jesus, used as a personal name; ultimately from Hebrew Yehoshua, “Yahweh is salvation”
José	Masculine and feminine	Spanish, Portuguese, French. Form of Joseph: Hebrew, “he will add”; occasionally a feminine middle name or second part of a double name, often after María

Names from Catholic tradition, with the title or feast each refers to.

Guadalupe deserves its own note. Behind the Name says Our Lady of Guadalupe supposedly appeared in a vision to a native Mexican man in the 16th century, and that she is now regarded as a patron saint of the Americas. The entry lists Guadalupe as both feminine and masculine, and Refugio, Trinidad and Reyes carry both labels too. For more names that work for any child, see our gender-neutral names.

Some families also choose a name because of the saint whose feast falls near the birthday, or the feast itself, as with Natividad, Candelaria (Candlemas) and Ascensión. That is a family choice rather than a rule, so ask relatives which names and feast days matter to them.

If a devotional name feels heavy for daily life, the tables give you options. Socorro, Refugio and Dolores can sit in the middle name spot, a compound such as María de la Luz can be shortened to Mariluz (see the compound names section), and Guadalupe comes with the ready-made short form Lupe. Jesús and José remain everyday first names for boys, and José also appears as the second part of feminine double names.

Classic Spanish Names Common in Mexico

These are the names you may find in a family tree: grandmothers named Teresa, Esperanza or Aurora, and grandfathers named Jorge, Ramón or Benito. Behind the Name labels every one of them Spanish (often along with other languages), and many are ready for a revival.

Name	Gender	Meaning and origin (per Behind the Name)
Teresa	Feminine	Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and more. Form of Theresa; meaning uncertain, possibly from Greek theros, “summer”, or therizo, “to harvest”; borne by Saint Teresa of Ávila
Juana	Feminine	Spanish. Spanish form of Iohanna, the feminine form of Juan (from Hebrew, “Yahweh is gracious”)
Josefina	Feminine	Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish. Feminine form of Joseph: Hebrew, “he will add”
Esperanza	Feminine	Spanish. Spanish form of Sperantia, from Latin spero, “to hope”
Aurora	Feminine	Spanish, Italian, English and more. “Dawn” in Latin; the Roman goddess of the morning
Leticia	Feminine	Spanish. Spanish form of Letitia: Latin Laetitia, “joy, happiness”
Adela	Feminine	Spanish, English and more. Originally a short form of names beginning with Old German adal, “noble”
Imelda	Feminine	Spanish, Italian. Form of Irmhild: Old German irmin, “whole, great”, and hilt, “battle”
Griselda	Feminine	Spanish, English. Possibly from Old German gris, “grey”, and hilt, “battle”, though not attested as a Germanic name
Rosaura	Feminine	Spanish. “Golden rose”, from Latin rosa and aurea; used by Calderón de la Barca for a character in his play Life Is a Dream (1635)
Patricia	Feminine	Spanish, English and more. Feminine form of Patricius: Latin, “nobleman, patrician”
Jorge	Masculine	Spanish, Portuguese. Form of George: Greek georgos, “farmer, earthworker”
Guillermo	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of William: Germanic, “will helmet”
Enrique	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Heinrich (Henry): Germanic, “home ruler”
Ramón	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Raymond, from Germanic regin, “advice, counsel”, and munt, “protection”
Rubén	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish form of Reuben: Hebrew, “behold, a son”
Benito	Masculine	Spanish, Italian. Contracted form of Benedicto (Latin Benedictus, “blessed”); borne by Mexican president Benito Juárez (1806 to 1872)
Porfirio	Masculine	Spanish, Italian (rare). From the Greek name Porphyrios, from porphyra, “purple dye”; borne by several early saints
Lázaro	Masculine	Spanish, Portuguese. Form of Lazarus, a Greek form of Eleazar used in the New Testament
Rogelio	Masculine	Spanish. From the Late Latin Rogellus or Rogelius, probably related to the Germanic name Hrodger; a 9th-century martyr from Córdoba
Rigoberto	Masculine	Spanish. Form of Rigobert: Old German rih, “ruler, king”, and beraht, “bright”
Humberto	Masculine	Spanish, Portuguese. Form of Humbert: Old German hun, “bear cub”, and beraht, “bright”
Gilberto	Masculine	Spanish, Italian, Portuguese. Form of Gilbert: Old German, “bright pledge”

Classic Spanish names for girls and boys that are long established in Mexico.

One of these entries points straight to Mexican history: the reference notes that Benito was borne by Mexican president Benito Juárez. Porfirio comes from the Greek word for purple dye, and Rosaura was used for a character in a 1635 play by Calderón de la Barca.

Compound Names: Dulce María, José Antonio and Juan Manuel

Two given names are a familiar part of Mexican naming. The Cultural Atlas, a cultural reference site, says Mexican names follow Spanish naming customs, and that people may have two personal names. It adds that the second personal name does not always reflect the person’s gender, and that the first of the two may be used on its own but the second should not be.

That gender point matters in practice. Behind the Name notes that José is occasionally used as a feminine middle name or as the second part of a double name, often paired with María. Several double names have also been shortened into a single name: Maricarmen, Marijose and Mariluz.

Name	Gender	Meaning and origin (per Behind the Name)
Dulce María	Feminine	Spanish. Combination of Dulce and María
Maricarmen	Feminine	Spanish. Contraction of María Carmen or María del Carmen
Marijose	Feminine	Spanish. Short form of María José
Mariluz	Feminine	Spanish. Short form of María de la Luz
José Antonio	Masculine	Spanish. Combination of José and Antonio
José Manuel	Masculine	Spanish, Portuguese. Combination of José and Manuel
José Ángel	Masculine	Spanish. Combination of José and Ángel
José Miguel	Masculine	Spanish. Combination of José and Miguel
Juan Manuel	Masculine	Spanish. Combination of Juan and Manuel
Juan Antonio	Masculine	Spanish. Combination of Juan and Antonio
Luis Ángel	Masculine	Spanish. Combination of Luis and Ángel
Marco Antonio	Masculine	Spanish. Combination of Marco and Antonio, referring to the Roman triumvir Mark Antony
Julio César	Masculine	Spanish. Combination of Julio and César, referring to the Roman general Julius Caesar
Francisco Javier	Masculine	Spanish. Combination of Francisco and Javier, referring to Saint Francis Xavier

Mexican compound names and the short forms that grew out of them.

If you would rather keep the second name as a middle name in the U.S. sense, our middle names guide covers rhythm, flow and initials.

Mexican Nicknames: Chuy, Pancho, Paco and Lupe

Mexican nicknames often look nothing like the full name, which can surprise people outside the family. The Cultural Atlas says that among friends and family, Mexicans often use nicknames, and that they may be based on a shortened first name or on an easily noticeable personal trait. Each row below gives the short form exactly as Behind the Name describes it.

Name	Gender	Meaning and origin (per Behind the Name)
Chuy	Masculine	Spanish. Diminutive of Jesús
Chucho	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish diminutive of Jesús
Pancho	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish diminutive of Francisco; borne by the Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa (1878 to 1923)
Paco	Masculine	Spanish. Diminutive of Francisco
Juancho	Masculine	Spanish. Diminutive of Juan
Goyo	Masculine	Spanish. Spanish diminutive of Gregorio
Kike	Masculine	Spanish. Diminutive of Enrique
Berto	Masculine	Spanish, Italian. Short form of Roberto, Alberto and other names containing berto (often from Old German beraht, “bright”)
Fito	Masculine	Spanish. Diminutive of Adolfo or Rodolfo
Lupe	Feminine and masculine	Spanish. Short form of Guadalupe
Concha	Feminine	Spanish. Diminutive of Concepción; also the Spanish word for “seashell”
Juanita	Feminine	Spanish. Diminutive of Juana
Teresita	Feminine	Spanish. Spanish diminutive of Teresa; most common in the Philippines and Latin America
Tere	Feminine	Spanish. Spanish short form of Teresa
Rosita	Feminine	Spanish. Spanish diminutive of Rosa
Adelita	Feminine	Spanish (Latin American). Spanish diminutive of Adela; used especially in Mexico, where it is the name of a folk song about a female soldier

Mexican nicknames and short forms, as the reference describes them.

So a baby named Jesús may grow up as Chuy or Chucho, a Francisco as Pancho or Paco, and a Guadalupe as Lupe. If you are choosing a full name, say the likely nickname out loud too. For more ideas, see our list of nicknames for girls.

How Mexican Naming Works: Two Surnames

According to the Cultural Atlas, Mexican names follow Spanish naming customs: one or two personal names, then the father’s paternal family name, then the mother’s paternal family name.

Everyday use: the Cultural Atlas says the father’s family name is often used alone as the surname, while using the mother’s family name alone is uncommon.
Marriage: it says Mexican women typically change their name at marriage by adding or substituting the husband’s father’s family name, joined with “de”, and that some women keep their original family names.
U.S. forms: with two surnames, decide early how you will enter both on a U.S. birth certificate and other paperwork, for example with a space or a hyphen, and use the same form everywhere.

Here is a simple way to picture it. If a baby’s father carries the surnames Ruiz Torres and the mother carries Díaz Romero, the custom the Cultural Atlas describes would give the baby the surnames Ruiz Díaz: the first surname of each parent, father’s first. The given name or names come before both. Because the father’s family name is often used alone in everyday life, you may want to decide whether a space or a hyphen will keep both surnames together on school and medical records.

Rules and customs differ by country and by family, so check what applies where your baby will be registered, and talk it through with your partner before the hospital paperwork arrives.

How to Choose a Mexican Name

A few practical steps help narrow a long list:

Start with family: ask parents and grandparents which names, saints or feast days matter to them. A grandparent’s name such as Esperanza or Rogelio can become a middle name.
Check the meaning: use the tables above, and remember that several meanings are uncertain or unknown in the reference.
Say it in both languages: Spanish x, j and g can be pronounced differently than in English. Xóchitl, Jimena and Jorge are good examples.
Plan for accents: accent marks are part of the Spanish spelling of names like Iridián, Julián and José, but U.S. paperwork does not always carry accents or special characters, so decide early how you will write the name.
Mind the nickname: expect Chuy for Jesús and Pancho or Paco for Francisco.

For pronunciation, we print only what Behind the Name gives, in the International Phonetic Alphabet. Many entries, especially Nahuatl and Maya ones, list no pronunciation, so ask a native speaker when you can.

Name	Pronunciation given by Behind the Name
Xóchitl	/ˈso.t͡ʃitl/ or /ˈʃo.t͡ʃitl/ (Spanish)
Xochiquetzal	/ʃoː.t͡ʃi.ˈket.saɬ/ (Nahuatl)
Jimena	/xi.ˈme.na/
Guillermo	/ɡi.ˈʝeɾ.mo/
Jorge	/ˈxoɾ.xe/ (Spanish)
Itzayana	/it.sa.ˈʝa.na/
Lucero	/lu.ˈse.ɾo/ (Latin American Spanish)
Refugio	/re.ˈfu.xjo/
Chucho	/ˈt͡ʃu.t͡ʃo/
Guadalupe	/ɣwa.ða.ˈlu.pe/

Pronunciations as printed on each name’s Behind the Name entry.

To see how common a name is in the United States, use the Popularity of a Name search on the Social Security Administration (SSA) baby names page. Pairing ideas, not rules: Regina Lucero, Jimena Socorro, Xóchitl Esperanza, Santiago Rubén, Emiliano Jorge and Tadeo Cuauhtémoc.

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The Bottom Line

Mexican names cover a wide range: current Spanish names like Regina, Fernanda, Santiago and Emiliano; Nahuatl, Maya and Zapotec names like Xóchitl, Ameyalli, Cuauhtémoc and Zazil; faith names like Guadalupe, Refugio and Socorro; and family nicknames like Chuy, Pancho and Lupe. Shortlist three to five, read the meaning, decide how you will handle accent marks and two surnames, and say each name out loud with the full family name.

Once the name is settled, sleep is the next project: our newborn sleep schedule week by week is a gentle place to start.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are common Mexican names?

Common Mexican names include Spanish names such as Regina, Fernanda, Jimena, Santiago, Emiliano and Alonso, faith names such as Guadalupe and José, and Nahuatl names such as Xóchitl and Cuauhtémoc. Behind the Name describes Mexican names as names used in the country of Mexico, so the list mixes Spanish and Indigenous origins.

What are some pretty Mexican girl names?

Pretty Mexican girl names include Lucero, meaning bright star or morning star, Celeste, meaning heavenly, and Aurora, meaning dawn. From Nahuatl come Xóchitl, meaning flower, and Ameyalli, meaning spring or fountain. Nicte, a Maya name, means flower, and Zazil means clear, light or clarity in Yucatec Maya.

What are strong Mexican boy names?

Mexican boy names with strong meanings include Valentín, from a Latin word for strong and vigorous, Ezequiel, meaning God will strengthen, and Cuauhtémoc, meaning descending eagle in Nahuatl. Classic choices include Santiago, Emiliano, Alonso and Jorge. Each meaning here follows the name’s entry on Behind the Name.

What are Aztec names for babies?

The Aztec language was Nahuatl. Nahuatl names used today include Xóchitl (flower), Ameyalli (spring, fountain), Tlalli (earth), Yolotl (heart, spirit) and Cuauhtémoc (descending eagle). Some, such as Tonatiuh, Metztli and Xochiquetzal, are also names of Aztec deities, so families may see them as mythology names.

Why do Mexicans have two last names?

Mexican names follow Spanish naming customs, according to the Cultural Atlas: one or two given names, then the father’s paternal family name, then the mother’s paternal family name. In everyday life the father’s family name is often used alone. Many women add the husband’s family name with de at marriage, and some keep their original names.

What is Chuy short for?

Chuy is a diminutive of Jesús, and so is Chucho, according to Behind the Name. Other common Mexican nicknames include Pancho and Paco for Francisco, Lupe for Guadalupe, Kike for Enrique and Goyo for Gregorio. Nicknames often look very different from the full name, so it helps to know them before you choose.

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