THIS Year’s Top 20 Filipino baby names and their meanings. Did your name make the cut?

Written By Niko Del Rey

Filipino names? Yeah, they’re a whole vibe. A mix of history, culture, and straight-up creativity, our names are as diverse as our food (and just as iconic). Thanks to centuries of Spanish, Chinese, and American influence, plus a touch of that uniquely Filipino flair, our first names tell stories—sometimes of tradition, sometimes of pop culture, and sometimes just of parents who really wanted to flex their creativity.

If you grew up in a Filipino household, chances are you (or someone you know) fall into one of these name categories: 1. The “J” Squad (Jaden, Joshua, Jinky, because our parents love a good J-name), 2. The “Add-Ons” (John Mark, Mary Joy, Anne Claire, because why stop at one?), 3. The Religious Spanish Classics (Santo Niño would approve), or 4. The Combo Parent Inventions (Hi, MaCris and Joedelle!).

But which Filipino baby names are actually taking over in 2024? Let’s dive into this year’s top 20 picks, meaning, trends, and all. Did your name or baby’s make the cut?

Baby Kaiden. Photo Courtesy of Niko Del Rey.

For our first category, it’s more applicable to millennial / 90s babies, and those are names that have a “J” in the name like JR, JC, AJ, EJ, MJ, etc., the list can go on and on. Second, you might have an added part to your name to honor Catholicism or even involve another family member. You’re a part of this group if you have 2 names like _______ Maria, or _______ Rose, or if you’re a boy and have Jo- as a prefix like Jomar or Jotom. Our third group is a smaller group as names transition to more modern trends, but we have a group of people that still have traditional Spanish / Filipino names such as Virgilio or Lourdes. Our 4th and last group are the one in a million names that are the combination of both parents' names to make a brand new version 2.0 of both. Think of combining names like Donald + Virginia = Dhania but literally apply this equation to any 2 names imaginable. Using a recent study from Pampers.com, let’s jump in to see if your name made the Top 20 most Filipino names in 2024. 

Here are the top 10 Popular Filipino Girl names and top 10 Traditional Filipino Girl names according to a study taken by Pampers.com:

Top 10 Popular Filipino Girl Names

1. Althea: From the word althos meaning healing. 

2. Andrea: The feminine form of Andrew, a common Spanish and English name.

3. Angela: Derived from the name Angel, a common name for traditional roman catholic Filipinos. 

4. Isa: A popular traditional Filipino girls name that’s highly popular at the moment. Isa is a Filipino word meaning “one”, being a top option for your first child. 

5. Jasmine: A popular flower name for girls and reached it’s peak popularity in the 1990s, thanks to the film Aladdin. 

6. Kristine: A good biblical name, being the feminine form of the name Christian. 

7. Nathalie: From the late Latin name Natalia, this moniker has the very festive and sweet meaning of “Christmas Day”

8. Princess: A favorite common word turned into a name, Princess is a great option for a royal baby name. 

9. Samantha:  Feminine form of Samuel, meaning “name of God” in Hebrew. 

10. Sofia: As a Greek word, it means “wisdom”. 

Top 10 Traditional Filipino Girl Names

1. Bernila: Spanish in origin, meaning “Blessed” and comes from the German name Bernihilde. 

2. Carmelita: Derived from the Spanish word meaning “Garden”. Which might also be considered biblical, relating to the Garden of Eden. 

3. Christina: A variation of Kristine, referring to Christian, meaning “follower of Christ”. 

4. Dolores: Honoring the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother). 

5. Evangeline: From the Greek word “bringer of good news”.

6. Liezel: The tagalog form of the name Elizabeth which is a biblical name made popular in many cultures. 

7. Maria: meaning “beloved” or “love”, coming from religious / Christian roots. 

8. Odesa: Greek roots meaning “long journey” and echoing King Odysseus and his ability to withstand strife and endure great pain. 

9. Perlah: Deriving from spanish roots meaning “Pearl” 

10. Reyna: Also from Spanish roots, meaning “Queen”. 

Here are the top 10 Popular Filipino Boy names and top 10 Traditional Filipino Boy names:

Top 10 Popular Filipino Boy Names

1. Jacob: The most popular Filipino boy name in 2020. With Latin, Greek, and Hebrew roots meaning “holder of heel” referring to the Old Testament story of Jacob being born holding his twin brother’s heel and managed to obtain his brother’s birthright. 

2. Nataniel: Originally spelled Nathanael in the Bible, this Hebrew boy name means “God has given”.

3. Gabriel: From Hebrew meaning “God is my strong man.” referencing archangel Gabriel, th messenger on behalf of God. 

4. Nathan: Having ties to both Nathaniel and Jonathan, with three names meaning something similar to “gift of God” or “God has given”.

5. Ethan: Meaning “solid, enduring, firm” is a top 10 Filipino name and was the 15th most popular name in the world in 2024. 

6. Ezekiel: Another Biblical name meaning “strength of God.” Considered one of the greatest prophets of his time, Ezekiel is a top boy name that usually is given the nickname “zeke”

7. Angelo: Of Greek origin meaning “messenger of God” and referencing the term Angel. 

8. James: James is an English version of the name Jacob, has become increasingly popular as a gender-neutral choice which has been seen to be applied to girls as well, making this the 8th most popular Filipino boy name and the number 9th ranked most popular name in the US.  

9. Joshua: Translating to “Yahweh is salvation”, also the name of Moses’s assistant and later successor. 

10. Kyle: A gender-neutral name from the Gaelic word caol, meaning “slender” or “strait”.

Top 10 Traditional Filipino Boy Names

1. Agustin: Inspired by the Latin word Augustus meaning “majestic” or “exalted”. Also made popular in Spanish, Italian, Basque, and French. 

2. Arturo: A legendary name rooted in the Old Celtic name, Arthur, meaning “bear king” or “bear man”. Some may even find an Arturo lined to the Icelandic Arthur, meaning “follower of Thor”.

3. Bagwis: Meaning “wing” in Tagalog. Bagwis was used in a comic series for a powerful angel who was modeled after the warrior archangel Micahel. 

4. Bayani: Tagalog for “her” or “one who sacrifices for the nation (bayan means country of land)”. 

5. Crisanto: From the Greek name Chrysanthos, meaning “golden flower” and also attributing honor to Jesus Christ. Can also be found in Filipino, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish origins. 

6. Dakila: A distinguished masculine name meaning “great” or “noble” in Tagalog. 

7. Hari: In Sanskrit, this name means “brown, yellow, tawny.” Sanskrit is actually one of the many languages modern Filipino borrows from. 

8. Jomari: This Filipino boy name was created by combining the Spanish compound name José  Maria.

9. Kidlat: A unique elemental name meaning “lightning” in Tagalog. 

10. Makisig: This tagalog name translates to “elegant” or “gallant”, of Filipino origin, celebrating a baby’s beauty, inside and out. 

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Written By Niko Del Rey

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