The Short Long-List of the Best Latin Names
Old Latin is an ancient language spread by the Romans during their rise in the first century AD. Before, Latin is usually used as a language exclusive for scholars and government administrators until it becomes spread together with Roman Empire’s expansion throughout Europe. Languages like French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italic, and Sicilian, are all derived from the old Latin language. Other languages are cousins to Latin, like Romanian, Glacian, Sardinian, Catalan, and Venetian.
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Article Summary:
- Latin is an ancient language that spread across Europe through the Roman Empire’s expansion. French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italic, and Sicilian, among others, are all derived from Latin.
- Latin names are diverse and influenced by different cultures due to the Latin language’s widespread use.
- Most old masculine Latin names end with suffixes –us or –um, while feminine Latin names end with –a or –am.
- Some of the popular Latin names for boys are Epidicus, Quintinus, and Laurentius, while popular Latin girl names include Claudia, Esperanza, and Adela.
- Latin names are still considered cool and awesome, and some examples include Adrianus, Anatolius, and Ambrosius.
In our present time, the idea of Latino and Latina names often pertains to Latin Americans or South Americans. The continent was coined Latin America due to the century’s influence left by the colonization of Spain and Portugal. Regardless of the origin or place, Latina names remain a popular choice among parents as their choice for baby names.
The Latin Names
Latin is a flexible language. During the Middle Ages, as it become more dominantly used in Europe, names from other languages started to have their “Latin versions”. The most influential language to have the Latin version was the Anglo-Saxon or the English language. Additionally, the introduction of Catholicism also forced some non-Latin-speaking countries to adapt to the Latin language. Different translations of their native language began to have Latin translations until most of them become well-accustomed to the Latin language. Therefore, Latin names across Europe became diverse and influenced by different cultures.
Latin Naming Convention
Since Latin names have influenced other languages, it is quite common to see names that are shared by different languages. For example, the name Alejandro is a Latin version of the Greek name Alexander. It is quite common among Spanish and Portuguese people. Other Latin names were translated from different languages such as Lucas (Hebrew), Santiago (Hebrew of Jacob), and Theodore (Greek, Theos).
Another common observation of Latin names is their use of feminine and masculine forms. Most old masculine Latin names end with suffixes –us or –um, while feminine Latin names end with –a or –am. Adamus, Aloicius, and Brianus are all masculine Latin names, while Mariam, Blanca, and Cara are old feminine Latin names.
Popular Latin Names for Boys
Epidicus | Cenaeus | Primanus |
Tycho | Aristophontes | Valentinian |
Quintinus | Flavillus | Philto |
Philippus | Trenus | Adelphasium |
Polybius | Gordio | Agorastocles |
Stadius | Siricus | Balbillus |
Nolus | Theodorus | Aureolus |
Elpidius | Robertus | Acaunus |
Tranio | Laurentius | Sisenna |
Adventus | Citrio | Cacistus |
Veranius | Catius | Scipio |
Latina Girl Names With Meaning
Latin Girl Name | Meaning |
Claudia | Elegant, pretty |
Esperanza | Hope or being hopeful |
Aitanna | To be glorious, or glory |
Rafaela | A devolve in the spelling of the name Raphaela |
Vida | Life, being, or existence |
Dolores | To be sorrowful, or describe sorrow |
Esmeralda | Spanish term for “emerald” stone |
Fabia | A female Latin version for Fabio or Fabius |
Aida | A “gift” or a “reward” |
Rita | An indirect Spanish term for “pearls” |
Adela | Noble or royal |
Imelda | A fighter or a battle. Derived from the German name Irmhilde |
Drusilla | Has its Celtic origin and often describes a strong or valiant woman. |
Iyana | Directly translates as “God is Gracious” |
Guadalupe | A Wolf valley |
Zamora | A female Latin name often describes someone from Zamora, Spain. |
Lucia | Translates as “Light” in Spanish |
Priscilla | A Latin term for being “venerable”. Derived from the name Priscus which means the same. |
Barbara | Meaning “foreign” or “strange”. Derived from the Greek term Barbaros. |
Bianca | Synonymous with the name Blanca, which means “White” |
Some Coolest Latin Names to Consider
Despite being an old language or classical, Latin names remain to be a top choice for modern-day parents nowadays. This is mainly because most known Latin names are cool and awesome even for today’s era. Below are some of our compiled list of the coolest Latin names that you can consider for your baby or characters. Don’t worry, we also included direct translations for each names in case you are wondering what are some of their alternatives today. Check them out below.
Latin Names | Modern-day Version Translation |
Adrianus | Adrian |
Anatolius | Anatole |
Baldvinus | Baldwin |
Renata | Renee, Renée |
Everardus | Everett |
Montacutus | Montague, Monty |
Amadeus | Amadeus |
Zacharias | Zachary |
Theodorus | Theodore, Tudor |
Lazarus | Lazarus, Eleazar, Lazare |
Thomas | Thomas, Tom |
Marcellus | Marcel |
Otho | Otto |
Stephanus | Stephen, Steven, Steve, Etienne |
Alexander | Alexander |
Leonardus | Leonard |
Caietanus | Cajetan, Gaetan |
Ambrosius | Ambrose, Emrys |
Ansgarus | Oscar |
Beniaminus | Benjamin |
Conradus | Conrad, Kurt |
Varinus | Warren |
Magdalena | Magdalen, Madeleine |
Helena | Helen, Eileen |
Patricius | Patrick, Patrice, Padraig |
Sigismundus | Sigmund, Sigismund |
Stanislaus | Stanley, Stanislav |
Nicolaus | Nicholas, Nick, Niko, Nicolas |