Browse Names - Behind the Name

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Alma 1 f English, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Albanian, Slovene, Croatian
This name became popular after the Battle of Alma (1854), which took place near the River Alma in Crimea and ended in a victory for Britain and France. However, the name was in rare use before the battle; it was probably inspired by Latin almus "nourishing". It also coincides with the Spanish word meaning "the soul".

Almudena f Spanish
Derived from Arabic المدينة (al-mudayna) meaning "the citadel", a diminutive form of the word مدينة (madīna) meaning "city". According to legend, it was in a building by this name that a concealed statue of the Virgin Mary was discovered during the Reconquista in Madrid. The Virgin of Almudena, that is Mary, is the patron saint of Madrid.

Araceli f Spanish
Means "altar of the sky" from Latin ara "altar" and coeli "sky". This is an epithet of the Virgin Mary in her role as the patron saint of Lucena, Spain.

Buenaventura m & f Spanish
Spanish form of Bonaventura.

Heliodoro m Spanish, Portuguese
From the Greek name Ἡλιόδωρος (Heliodoros), derived from the elements ἥλιος (helios) meaning "sun" and δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift". Saint Heliodoro was a 4th-century bishop of Altino.

Luna f Roman Mythology, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, English
Means "the moon" in Latin (as well as Italian, Spanish and other Romance languages). Luna was the Roman goddess of the moon, frequently depicted driving a white chariot through the sky.

María Auxiliadora f Spanish
Means "Mary the helper" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María de Jesús f Spanish
Means "Mary (the mother) of Jesus" in Spanish, a compound of María and Jesús.

María de la Cruz f Spanish
Means "Mary of the cross" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María de la Luz f Spanish
Means "Mary of the light" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María del Mar f Spanish
Means "Mary of the sea" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

María de los Ángeles f Spanish
Means "Mary of the angels" in Spanish, a devotional title of the Virgin Mary.

Marisol f Spanish
Short form of María Soledad. It is sometimes considered a combination of María and Sol 1, or from Spanish mar y sol "sea and sun".

Maristela f Portuguese, Spanish (Rare)
From the title of the Virgin Mary, Stella Maris, meaning "star of the sea" in Latin. It can also be a combination of Maria and Estela.

Quetzalli f Nahuatl
Means "feather (from the quetzal bird)" or "precious thing" in Nahuatl.

Sol 1 f Spanish, Portuguese
Means "sun" in Spanish or Portuguese.

Tonalli m & f Nahuatl
Means "day, warmth of the sun" in Nahuatl.

Tonatiuh m Aztec and Toltec Mythology, Nahuatl
Means "sun" in Nahuatl. This was the name of the Aztec sun god.

Xavier m English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, Spanish
Derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who was born in a village by this name. He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries. His surname has since been adopted as a given name in his honour, chiefly among Catholics.

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