Sooo I posted a similar topic over on the boys’ side, but now it’s time for the gals!
My husband spent a few years living in Mexico and speaks Spanish fluently. Although we are both Caucasian-American, we’d love to chose a Mexican name (either first or middle) to honor that part of our adopted culture. We are planning on living mostly in the US, but there is a good chance we’ll spend at least some time in Mexico.
Here is what we have right now (in no particular order):
[name]Florentina[/name]
[name]Marisol[/name]
Xochitl (He LOVES it, but I don’t know if I’d be up for it as a first name)
[name]Araceli[/name]
[name]Elena[/name]
[name]Esperanza[/name]
[name]Gabriela[/name]
[name]Graciela[/name]
[name]Jacinta[/name]
[name]Magdalena[/name]
[name]Paloma[/name]
[name]Valentina[/name]
[name]Lola[/name]
Comments? Suggestions? Please let me know what you think!
I’d avoid Xochitl because it will have countless pronunciation problems. I think [name]Elena[/name], [name]Gabriela[/name], and [name]Graciela[/name] are the prettiest.
I responded to your posting about boys’ names. My husband is a native Spanish speaker but he’s not from Mexico, so I’m not sure of the current use of these names there.
[name]Florentina[/name] - I have never heard of this form. [name]Florencia[/name] is a pretty common name in [name]Argentina[/name], where my husband is from, but it is a bit dated. Most women who have that name there are in their 30s and 40s now. I don’t particularly care for [name]Florentina[/name], I have to say, and I usually like long elaborate Spanish names for girls like Candelaria.
[name]Marisol[/name] - This is pretty, and I think it would work well in the US.
Xochitl (He LOVES it, but I don’t know if I’d be up for it as a first name) This name, of Aztec origin, whose undoubtedly cause pronunciation problems in the US anywhere there isn’t a sizable Mexican population. Folks in South [name]America[/name] wouldn’t know how to pronounce it either.
[name]Araceli[/name] - I think this is a great option. Pretty, different, but easy for English speakers to say and pronounced the same in Spanish.
[name]Esperanza[/name], [name]Magdalena[/name], [name]Paloma[/name], [name]Valentina[/name]: these are all also good bilingual options I think, also with the same pronunciation in both languages which is always a plus for me.
[name]Graciela[/name] - This is a very dated name in [name]Argentina[/name], found only among women in their 50s -70s, but perhaps the perception in Mexico is different. I can see it working as a good bilingual/bicultural name as it is basically a combination of [name]Grace[/name] and [name]Ella[/name].
[name]Jacinta[/name] - I love this name but my husband vetoed it as it sounded like an old lady to him. You’d have to decide if you would flip-flop between the two pronunciations or not.
[name]Elena[/name] and [name]Gabriela[/name] are classic and international. [name]Lola[/name] is a great nickname, but I would want to use it as a short form for something else.
I adore [name]Esperanza[/name]! It’s long, frilly, and feminine with a little spunk to it. I also think [name]Paloma[/name] sounds so elegant and graceful.
My favourites are [name]Marisol[/name], [name]Elena[/name], [name]Esperanza[/name], [name]Paloma[/name], and [name]Valentina[/name]. I think [name]Elena[/name] would work best in the US, though.
I’d use a name that works in both cultures and isn’t just really bizarre on a Caucasian girl. Xochitl? No.
I have a niece named [name]Ana[/name]. She is a white kid; my brother and ex-[name]SIL[/name] just liked the name. I think [name]Ana[/name] is a great example of a name that is not unheard of on Caucasian kids but also usable in Spanish-speaking cultures. Although, when she was a baby, I made up a song for her called “White [name]Baby[/name] With a Mexican Name,” and I would sing it to her and she loved it. To this day it’s her theme song. She’s three but if I sing it she gets super happy.
Anyway I like [name]Elena[/name], [name]Gabriela[/name], [name]Valentina[/name] and [name]Paloma[/name]. I also humbly suggest [name]Ana[/name]. It’s so simple and beautiful. I also like [name]Esperanza[/name]. It’s pretty strongly Spanish but the nn Espy is so cute.
Some others for your consideration:
[name]Dolores[/name] - probably unfashionable, well, everywhere, but this is one of my favorite names. It’s vintage and lovely.
[name]Pilar[/name] - just gorgeous
[name]Eliana[/name]
[name]Rosa[/name]
[name]Luna[/name]
[name]Estela[/name]
[name]Veronica[/name]
I love Spanish names! So feminine and robust. [name]Dolores[/name] and [name]Pilar[/name] are def my favorite ones.
I’ve got to say, I’m glad you guys have my back on Xochitl! I do like the sound but it would just be a nightmare anywhere but Mexico. I could roll with it in the middle though. I guess I’d have to see how attached hubby is!
Keep the suggestions coming! I am especially thankful to anyone who knows if the names are “dated” in Mexico or not. It’s not necessarily something my husband paid a lot of attention to, ha!
I knew a white girl with some far-off Mexican heritage named Xela ("[name]CHAY[/name]-lah") …I believe she spelled it with an X. Anyway, I always thought it was a pretty name, a bit spicy but also simple. Xochitl makes me think of chilies and hot chocolate, but it’s over-the-top unless used in the middle place. [name]Paloma[/name] is gorgeous, and I think [name]Jacinta[/name] is quite lovely and wearable too.
[name]Araceli[/name] - Like this a lot.
[name]Esperanza[/name] - Like.
[name]Gabriela[/name] - I think people will mispell it with two l’s all the time, which isn’t as nice.
[name]Jacinta[/name] - [name]LOVE[/name] this.
[name]Magdalena[/name] - [name]Love[/name].
[name]Paloma[/name] - Like, if you’re okay with her getting called [name]Polly[/name].
Those are my favourites of your list. Other Spanish names I like a lot:
[name]Rosario[/name]
Noemí
[name]Inez[/name]/[name]Ines[/name]
[name]Ramona[/name]
[name]Esmeralda[/name]
[name]Reina[/name]/[name]Reyna[/name]
[name]Iliana[/name]
[name]Juanita[/name], which is very old-fashioned but I like it.
[name]Araceli[/name] is my favorite. I taught a darling 5 yo [name]Araceli[/name] a couple years ago. It’s uncommon but easy to pronounce for English-speakers, just lovely really.
I also really like [name]Lola[/name], [name]Magdalena[/name], [name]Valentina[/name], and [name]Elena[/name] from your list.
Those are lovely names… But I’d avoid the one w/ the x BC like some said … You’d have a lot of people mispronouncing it.
But I love [name]Pilar[/name], it has a modern stylish charm…
And I love [name]Graciela[/name] a great replacement for the overused grace… And plus it has great nick names: [name]Ella[/name], elly, and the French, ciel(see-elle) …
Also some other mex/Hispanic names are
[name]Isadora[/name]
[name]Catalina[/name]
And … [name]Lisandra[/name]
[name]Pilar[/name] is beautiful! Also, [name]Noemi[/name] (extra points because it is also a Japanese name – I spent a few years in Japan). Thanks for the suggestions!
I have a [name]Paloma[/name] and she is never called [name]Polly[/name]. We often shorten it to Lomy or [name]Loma[/name]. [name]Paloma[/name] is awesome, we get compliments on the name constantly.
[name]Florentina[/name]
[name]Marisol[/name] - ok
Xochitl (He LOVES it, but I don’t know if I’d be up for it as a first name) - I love this, but it would probably be difficult in the US
[name]Araceli[/name] - I like it a lot; it’s common in Mexico, I know various [name]Aracelis[/name]
[name]Elena[/name] - nice, classic
[name]Esperanza[/name] - seems old fashioned
[name]Gabriela[/name] - nice, super popular
[name]Graciela[/name] - not as common as [name]Gabriela[/name], but sounds nice
[name]Jacinta[/name] - seems old fashioned, but [name]Fernanda[/name] did too until it got super popular recently - this has a similar feel
[name]Magdalena[/name] - I like it, but seems a little old fashioned, [name]Magda[/name] is a nice nn
[name]Paloma[/name] - like
[name]Valentina[/name] -like
[name]Lola[/name] - like but seems like a nickname. In Mexico it’s often short for [name]Aurora[/name] which is a great name
Living in [name]Texas[/name], when I hear Xochitl, I think of a brand of tortilla chips that is sold here. (It’s pronounced [name]ZO[/name]-cheel or SO-cheel). And that is actually an indigenous name, not a Spanish name. Unless you have some Mestizo lineage, it would be rather odd for you to use it.
Personally, I’ve always liked the name [name]Consuelo[/name], but think it would be odd to use it considering I have zero ancestry in Mexico, Spain or any other Spanish-speaking country.
Have you thought about something less explicitly Hispanic, like [name]Maria[/name] or [name]Isabel[/name]?