Most popular baby names in Spain

If your ancestors come from Spain, you may have a great-grandfather named Antonio, a great-aunt Carmen, or a great-uncle José. These names were among the most popular in Spain in past generations.

For decades, the three most popular names for boys and girls were the same for all Spaniards. According to data from Spain's National Institute of Statistics, María, Carmen (or María Carmen), and Josefa were the most popular names in Spain for girls born during of the first half of the 20th century. Until 1950, these three names consistently occupied the top three spots.

The same thing was true with boys' names: José, Antonio, Manuel, and Francisco were the four most popular boys' names in Spain for many years. Only in the 1970s did a few new names begin to appear on the list of most popular names.

Pre-1920 and 1920s: Tried-and-true names

There was little variation in boys' names among those born before 1920 and those born during the 1920s.

The situation was similar for girls born before 1920 and during the 1920s. Rankings on the popularity chart changed, but the names themselves remained the same.

1930s and 1940s: The tradition continues

During the next several decades, the most popular boys and girls names were practically the same, with slight variations in their standings on the list. In the 1930s and 1940s, the list of most popular names for boys barely changed.

The most popular girls' names barely changed during these two decades:

1950s and 1960s: The double-name twist

In these decades, a new fad began in Spain: double names beginning with María. You'll find many names such as María Dolores, María Pilar, and María Teresa.

A similar trend was happening in boys' names in the 1950s and '60s. The favorites continued to be Antonio, José, Manuel, and Francisco, but double names that incorporate José and Juan started appearing as well.

1970s and 1980s: New names for a new Spain

Along with major political, cultural, and social changes in Spain during the 1970s came a new wave of baby names. For the first time since before 1920, the most popular boys' name wasn't Antonio, José, Manuel, or Francisco. More Spanish families now opted for David, and the trend continued in the decades that followed.

Many new names became popular, especially in the 1980s, when Javier, Sergio, Carlos, and Rubén were among the top ten. For the first time since before 1920, José was not one of the ten favorite names.

The same thing happened to girls' names. In the 1970s, Raquel, Sonia, Susana, and Yolanda were among the ten favorites. And in the 1980s, it was Patricia, Verónica, Sara, and Beatriz – names that had previously never made it to the top ten.

1990s and the new century

Double names for Spanish girls disappeared in the 1990s. Most of the new names were short and simple. Oddly enough, in spite of a departure from traditional names, the favorite girls' name since 1990 has been María.

Although less innovative than names picked for girls, boys' names also underwent a transformation in these years. One of the most significant changes was that none of the most common names from previous decades – such as Antonio, Manuel, José, and Francisco – appeared among the top ten. David, Daniel, Alejandro, and Javier have been some of the most popular.