130+ Common Filipino and Tagalog Baby Names

Updated March 17, 2022
Image of a Filipino baby

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 names that are from Tagalog, Spanish, or that follow another uniquely Filipino trend, like combining names.

Filipino Baby Girl Names

These lovely Filipino girl names are trendy and darling choices for parents who wish to honor their heritage and culture while staying current in their name selection.

  • Althea - Means "wholesome" or "to heal"
  • Andrea - Means "strong and brave"
  • Angel (f/m) - Means "heavenly being;" commonly used as a girl name
  • Angela - Means "messenger of God"
  • Aurora - Means "dawn"
  • Bituin - Means "star"
  • Blessica - Means "to confer blessing;" a combo of Bless and Jessica
  • Chesa - Means "celestial"
  • Jasmine - The national flower of the Philippines
  • Lyka Mae - Means "pretty face"
  • Maricar - Combination of the names Maria and Carmen<</li>
  • Natalie - Means "birthday of the Lord"
  • Norjannah - Variation of the combination of Nora and Joanna
  • Princess - royal daughter
  • Samantha - Means "listens well" or "as told by God"
  • Sofia - Means "wisdom"
  • Zenaida - Means "life of Zeus"

Top Filipino Boy Names

You can be daring in your name choice, or you can select something a bit more mainstream. These are some of the most popular Filipino boy names that parents love.

  • Angelo - Means "messenger"
  • Christian - Means "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
  • Ethan - Means "strong" and "safe"
  • Ezekiel - Means "God will strengthen"
  • Gabriel - Means "devoted to God" or "a hero of God"
  • Jacob - Means "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 - Means "God is salvation"
  • Kyle - Means "narrow"
  • Mohammed - Means "praiseworthy"
  • Nathaniel - Means "gift of God"
  • Rizalino - A derivative of the surname Rizal; popularized by civil rights activist Dr. Jose Rizal
  • Rodrigo - Means "famous ruler"

Traditional Tagalog Names and Their Meaning

sleeping baby

Although Tagalog names are considered old-fashioned, you may still hear a few here and there, especially from parents who want to acknowledge their Filipino culture while also having a unique name. Filipino culture contains names from other parts of the world, largely due to colonial rule for hundreds of years. The following names make a perfect Filipino middle name or first name.

Tagalog Names for Girls

These native Tagalog names for baby girls will help plant strong cultural roots in your growing daughter.

  • Amihan -Means "northwest wind"
  • Atay - Means "liver"
  • Benilda - Classic Filipino name meaning "beautiful"
  • Bighani - Means "charmed" in Filipino
  • Bituin - Means "star" in Filipino
  • Chona - Means "God graciously gave"
  • Dalisay - Means "pure"
  • Diwa (f/m) - Means "gift of god"
  • Diwata - Guardian spirit of nature in Filipino mythology
  • Eeya - Means "generous and helping"
  • Hiraya - An ancient Filipino name meaning "fruit of hope"
  • Hiyas - Means "jewels" in Filipino
  • Kulay-abo - Means "gray"
  • Ligaya - Means "happiness"
  • Luningning - Means "brilliance"
  • Luntian - Means "green"
  • Luwalhati - Means "glory, splendor"
  • Mahalina - Means "to be fascinated"
  • Marikit - Means "beautiful or pretty"
  • Mayumi - Means "tender"
  • Mutya - Means "talisman, jewel or pearl"
  • Sampaguita - The Filipino word for the flower Jasmine
  • Tadhana - Means "destiny or fate"
  • Tala - Goddess of the stars

Tagalog Boy Names

Help your son grow to understand his culture and heritage by giving him a traditional Filipino name from the Tagalog language.

  • Alab - Means "blaze"
  • Alon - Filipino word for "wave"
  • Banoy - Means "eagle"
  • Bayani - Filipino for "hero"
  • Buwan - Means "moon"
  • Dakila - Means "great" in Filipino
  • Datu - Old Filipino term meaning "chief or leader"
  • Heherson - Means "he is her son"
  • Isagani - Character in a novel by Rizal
  • Joriz - Abbreviation of the name Jose Rizal, a Filipino national hero
  • Kidlat - Means "lightning" in Filipino
  • Magtanggol - Means "to defend"
  • Makisig - Means "handsome"
  • Magiting - Means "heroic"
  • Ramil - Means "sand"
  • Sinag (m/f) -Means "ray"
  • Tanashiri (m/f) - Means "sacred lotus"
  • Ulan (m/f) - Means "rain"

Filipino Baby Names With Italian Origins

baby wake up early before daddy and playful on the bed

As it happens, Italy plays host to the largest population of Filipino migrants of any country in Western Europe. Sharing both Catholic roots 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.

Filipino Female Names With Italian Origins

Choose a name that honors Filipino culture and Italian roots with these darling baby names.

  • Adelfa - A derivative of Adelphia meaning "from the same womb"
  • Amalia - Means "vigor or work"
  • Arianna - Means "very sacred or pure"
  • Arminda - Means "Jerusalem liberated"
  • Bianca - Means "white"
  • Candida - Means "pure or innocent"
  • Corina - Means "maiden"
  • Dafrosa - Means "rose belt"
  • Daria - Means "to possess"
  • Emerlinda - Means "one who takes care of the house"
  • Mimosa - Name of a tropical tree
  • Rea - Means "flowing"
  • Ricci - Means "forever strong"
  • Rosio - Means "rose"
  • Teodorica - Variation of Theodore, which means "God's gift"

Filipino Baby Boy Names With Italian Origins

Finding Filipino baby boy names rooted in Italian culture and language is a simple task, as these baby names are widely utilized by the parents in this part of the world.

  • Arnulfo - Means "strong as an eagle, smart as a wolf"
  • Asterio - Means "star"
  • Aquilino - Means "brown or dark"
  • Aurelio - Means "golden"
  • Basilio - Means "chief or master"
  • Benigno - Means "good, affable, loving, and gentle"
  • Brando - Means "sword"
  • Claudio - Means "lame or crippled"
  • Concordio - Means "harmony"
  • Dante - Means "patience or virtue"
  • Edgardo - Means "prosperous spearman"
  • Edilberto - Means "noble and bright"
  • Liberato - Means "liberty"
  • Macario - Means "fortunate, supremely blessed"
  • Vedasto - Meaning unknown

Filipino Baby Names With Spanish Origins

baby boy getting dressed

Many names somewhat common in the Philippines are Spanish, because Spain colonized the Philippine Islands for more than 300 years. During that time, Spanish rulers insisted on Catholic or Spanish-sounding names both as first and last names. This naming practice continues to hold true today for many parents.

Female Filipino Names With Spanish Origins

These names are common among both Spanish parents and Filipino parents. They all make stunning choices for your beautiful baby.

  • Amor - Means "love"
  • Belen - Spanish for Bethlehem
  • Benilda/Benilde - Means "she who fights with bears"
  • Carmelita -Means "garden" (as in the Garden of Eden)
  • Cassandra - Means "one who shines"
  • Cecilia - Means "blind"
  • Charo - Nickname for Rosario
  • Cielo - Means "sky"
  • Dolores - Means "pain"
  • Flordeliza - The name is derived from the Spanish, 'flor de Liza' or Liza's flower
  • Imelda - Means "powerful fighter"
  • Marisol - A combination of Miriam and Soledad
  • Nieves - Means "snow"
  • Perlita - Means "pearl"
  • Reyna/Reina - Spanish for "queen"

Filipino Baby Boy Names With Spanish Origins

Give your son a stunning Filipino name with Spanish flair. With one of these monikers, he will certainly be a handsome and fortunate fellow.

  • Agapito - Means "loved"
  • Alejandro - Means "helper of mankind"
  • Amado - Means "loved"
  • Ambrosio - Based on Saint Ambrose
  • Antonio - Spanish for Anthony, which means "highly praiseworthy"
  • Andres - Means "brave and manly"
  • Efren - Spanish version of Ephraim; means "fertile and fruitful"
  • Ernesto - Spanish version of Ernest; "meaning serious or resolute"
  • Esteban - Means "crown or garland"
  • Homobono - Spanish for "good man"
  • Honesto - Means "honest"
  • Joaquin - Means "lifted by Yahweh"
  • Joselito - Means "God will increase," based on the name Joseph
  • Pacifico - Means "of the Pacific"
  • Renaldo - Means "wise ruler, or advice from a ruler"

Filipino Baby Name Trends

Filipinos today tend to prefer Spanish or American names, so you will hear many familiar names if you head to the Philippines, or name variations that are both traditional and American. In addition, Filipinos are comfortable using last names as first names. For example, Dalisay, Abaya, and Umali are all common first-name options, even though they are Filipino surnames. The result is a large variety of monikers from several cultures, all of which make beautiful boy and girl names.

130+ Common Filipino and Tagalog Baby Names