Filipino baby names are a beautiful and unique way to keep alive the rich tradition of the Philippines. The culture has many ties to other cultures and you will hear not only traditional Tagalog names but also Spanish, Italian and American names.
Popular Filipino Baby Names
Many of the most common names in the Philippines are also popular in the United States. With that said, if you want to homage to the Filipino culture with a truly unique sounding name, there are plenty of common Filipino baby names that are from Tagalog, Spanish or follow another uniquely Filipino trend like combining names.
Girl
- Althea - wholesome or to heal
- Amihan - Northwest wind
- Angel (f/m) - heavenly being; commonly used as a girl name
- Aurora - dawn
- Bituin - star
- Blessica - to confer blessing; a combo of Bless and Jessica
- Chesa - celestial
- Janella - God has shown favor
- Jasmine - the national flower of the Philippines
- Lyka Mae - pretty face
- Maricar - combo of Maria and Carmen
- Norjannah - variation of the combination of Nora and Joanna
- Princess - royal daughter
- Rowena - white-haired
- Zenaida - life of Zeus
Boy
- Christian - a follower of Christ
- Crisanto - Christ in the Filipino language
- Daniel - God is my judge
- Danilo - God is my judge; Tagalog version of Daniel
- Dranreb - the name Bernard spelled backward
- Gabriel - devoted to God or a hero of God
- Jacob - supplanter
- James - derived from the name Jacob, it means one who follows
- Jejomar (m/f) - combination of the names Jesus, Joseph and Mary; most commonly used as a boy name
- John Mark - two of the four Gospels in the Bible, John means God has been gracious and Mark means war-like
- Joshua - God is salvation
- Mohammed - praiseworthy
- Nathaniel - gift of God
- Rizalino - a derivative of the surname Rizal; popularized by civil rights activist Dr. Jose Rizal
- Rodrigo - famous ruler
Traditional (Tagalog)
Although Tagalog names are considered old-fashioned, you still may hear a few here and there, especially from parents who want to acknowledge their Filipino culture while also having a unique name.
Girl
- Atay - liver
- Diwa (f/m) - gift of god
- Diwata - guardian spirit of nature in Filipino mythology
- Eeya - generous and helping
- Kulay-abo - gray
- Ligaya - happiness
- Luningning - brilliance
- Luwalhati - glory, splendor
- Mahalina - to be fascinated
- Marikit - beautiful or pretty
- Mayumi - tender
- Mutya - talisman, jewel or pearl
- Sampaguita - the Filipino word for the flower Jasmine
- Tadhana - destiny or fate
- Tala - goddess of the stars
Boy
- Alab - blaze
- Banoy - eagle
- Buwan - moon
- Dakila - great
- Datu - chief
- Heherson - he is her son
- Isagani - character in a novel by Rizal
- Joriz - abbreviation of the name Jose Rizal, a Filipino national hero
- Kidlat - lightening
- Makisig - handsome
- Magiting - heroic
- Ramil - sand
- Sinag (m/f) - ray
- Tanashiri (m/f) - sacred lotus
- Ulan (m/f) - rain
Filipino Baby Names With Italian Origins
As it happens, Italy plays host to the largest population of Filipino migrants of any country in Western Europe. Sharing both Catholic routes, and a love for Italian culture, it's no wonder that there are quite a few Italian names that you'll hear in the Philippines.
Girl
- Adelfa - a derivative of Adelphia meaning 'from the same womb'
- Amalia - vigor or work
- Arianna - very sacred or pure
- Arminda - Jerusalem liberated
- Bianca - white
- Candida - pure or innocent
- Corina - maiden
- Dafrosa - rose belt
- Daria - to possess
- Emerlinda - one who takes care of the house
- Mimosa - a tropical tree
- Rea - flowing
- Ricci - forever strong
- Rosio - rose
- Teodorica - variation of Theodore, which means God's gift
Boy
- Arnulfo - strong as an eagle, smart as a wolf
- Asterio - star
- Aquilino - brown or dark
- Aurelio - golden
- Basilio - chief or master
- Benigno - good, affable, loving and gentle
- Brando - sword
- Claudio - lame or crippled
- Concordio - harmony
- Dante - patience or virtue
- Edgardo - propserous spearman
- Edilberto - noble and bright
- Liberato - liberty
- Macario - fortunate, supremely blessed
- Vedasto - a saint
Filipino Baby Names With Spanish Origins
Many names that are somewhat common in the Philippines are Spanish because the Philippine Islands were colonized by Spain for more than 300 years. During that time, Spanish rulers insisted on Catholic or Spanish-sounding names both as first and last names.
Female
- Amor - love
- Belen - Spanish for Bethlehem
- Benilda/Benilde - she who fights with bears
- Carmelita - garden (as in garden of Eden)
- Cassandra - one who shines
- Cecilia - blind
- Charo - nickname for Rosario
- Cielo - sky
- Dolores - pain
- Flordeliza - the name is derived from the Spanish, 'flor de Liza' or Liza's flower
- Imelda - powerful fighter
- Marisol - a combination of Miriam and Soledad
- Nieves - snow
- Perlita - pearl
- Reyna - Spanish for queen
Male
- Agapito - loved
- Alejandro - helper of mankind
- Amado - loved
- Ambrosio - Based on Saint Ambrose
- Antonio - Spanish for Anthony which means highly praiseworthy
- Andres - brave and manly
- Efren - Spanish version of Ephraim; fertile and fruitful
- Ernesto - Spanish version of Ernest; meaning serious or resolute
- Esteban - crown or garland
- Homobono - Spanish for 'good man'
- Honesto - honest
- Joaquin - lifted by Yahweh
- Joselito - God will increase, based on the name Joseph
- Pacifico - of the Pacific
- Renaldo - wise ruler, or advice from a ruler
Naming Trends
Filipinos today tend to prefer Spanish or American names, and so you will hear many familiar names if you head to the Philippines or variations of something both traditional and American, making it a uniquely Filipino American name. In addition, Filipinos are comfortable using last names as first names. For example, Dalisay, Abaya, and Umali all can be first-name options, even though they are Filipino surnames. The end result is a large variety of names from several different cultures all of which make beautiful boy and girl names.
