Picking a baby name is tough to begin with. But for Latinas, we must factor in our parents' and grandparents' ability to pronounce our child's name. I mean, my grandmother is fluent in English and Spanish and I still can't imagine names like Asher and Avery rolling off her tongue so easily (sorry, Nana!). Check out my top picks for boys and girls, perfect for our bilingual world.
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Girl Names
1. Arianna
Say it aloud. Now, say it with a Spanish accent. Sounds even prettier doesn't it? I don't know any Ariannas, but it's Marc Anthony's daughter's name and he wrote a beautiful song for her, which makes me smile every time I hear the name.
2. Liliana
This is just a gorgeous name with roots in Spain that sounds amazing in both languages. And the nickname Lili is an adorable bonus.
3. Sophia
Though Sophia sounds very Spanish, its origins are actually Greek. It later became popular in Spain, making all of our ancestors familiar with it. Spell it with an "f" and an accent and your mom will be even more pleased.
4. Isabela
Did you know that the name Isabela is actually the Spanish form of Elizabeth? I didn't, but I'm glad I do now. Now I can pretend that people choose this name for more reason than their love of "Twilight."
5. Maria
You absolutely can't go wrong with this classic name. It will always be a name filled with meaning and history, whether that be based on religion, culture or mere popularity.
Boy Names
1. Mateo
This is probably the most Latino name to make the entire list of popular boy names last year, and for good reason. It's the Spanish translation of Matthew (another good name) and means gift of God.
2. Gabriel
I might be biased since both my paternal grandfather and my younger brother are named Gabriel, but this old-fashioned name has made a come back, and I hope it stays around for a while.
3. Sebastian
Sebastian has long been a popular name in Latin American countries and that's finally starting to manifest on U.S. soil. And I mean, how could a kid not be cool with this name?
4. David
Again, just a great-sounding name in both English and Spanish. It's strong, it's masculine, and it's a classic, that any grandparent could be proud of.
5. Thomas
Tomas is close enough to Thomas that even grandparents will be able to pronounce it! Plus, it's a great-sounding name that will stand the test of time.
