10 Unisex Latinx Baby Names to Honor Your Roots
Choosing a baby name can be tricky. Here’s how to choose one for your baby that has meaning.
By Christina Montoya Fiedler
Choosing a baby name is undoubtedly one of the hardest decisions a parent can make — it’s the one gift you give your child that they will potentially carry on for the rest of their life. No pressure, right? Chances are if you’re searching for a name you’ve exhausted all the pages of that baby names book your great aunt gifted you, so why not take your search in a different direction by incorporating your family’s rich history into a name that serves as a unique representation of what makes your familia special. Perhaps you come from a long line of Manuels or your family holds a strong devotion to St. Teresa. Maybe you have a cousin Tito who meant the world to you.
Your family’s lineage is a great resource for your baby name research. For some this means choosing the name of a family member they’ve held close to their hearts. “We gave our daughters middle names that are the names of important/beloved ancestors. My partner is Latino and so our oldest has Guillermina as a middle name, for his grandmother, who was awesome,” says Katia Grubisic, of Montreal, Canada.
For others, it means choosing a name that has been passed down from generations. “Mine is pretty simple – We are Jewish and I chose Jewish names. They are the same names my family has been using for centuries. Not exciting names, but solid Old Testament names,” says Jamie Davis Smith of Washington, DC.
Considering a special location in Latin America could be another meaningful way to choose name. And for one mom we spoke to, passing down her maiden name to her son as a middle name felt like the best way preserve her culture. “My husband is white, but we worked together to pick a Spanish name for my son, Rio. I also gave him my last name as his middle name so that he would always stay connected to our Cuban heritage,” says Irina Gonzalez of Westminster, Colorado.
Whichever way you choose a name taking your family’s legacy into account will ensure that your baby’s name will having meaning.
Here are 10 Unisex Latine Baby Names to Honor Your Roots
Dani
Dani can be the shortened version of Danielle or Daniel, or it can stand alone as a unisex name. In Hebrew, it means God is my judge.
Gabi
Short for either Gabriel or Gabriella, Gabi is a common gender-neutral name that means hero of God.
Belén
This gender-neutral name has Spanish origins and means Bethlehem or house of bread.
Desi
Desi is a Spanish name that means desired. The most famous Desi has to be Desi Arnaz, the Cuban band leader married to Lucille Ball. But it can also be a girl’s name.
Gael
Gael means “the light,” and can be used for both boys and girls.
Sol
Sol means sun in Spanish and is great nature inspired name for both boy or girl.
Fran
While sometimes short for Francesca or Francisco, Fran is gender-neutral. It means free one.
Cruz
Often a very common surname in Latinx culture Cruz feels fresh as a first name. It is derived from the word cross.
Erendirani
If you’re looking for a name that is derived from indigenous culture this could be the one for your baby. Meaning “happy” Erendirani comes from the Purépecha Indigenous community.
Paz
Meaning “peace” Paz can work great for any gender. And can’t we all use a little more peace in our lives?
