Spain’s naming habits are changing noticeably. Sofia and Mateo now lead the rankings for newborns, while very different traditional names continue to dominate among the population as a whole
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
Call out “Sofia!” or “Mateo!” in a Spanish playground these days and there is a fair chance that more than one child will turn around. The two names currently top Spain’s rankings for newborn babies.
According to the latest official figures from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), Sofia is the most popular name for newborn girls, while Mateo takes first place among boys.
The rankings offer an intriguing snapshot of how dramatically naming preferences in Spain have shifted from one generation to the next.
Sofia overtakes Lucía and Martina
Among girls, Sofia has moved into the top position. The name has been a favourite among Spanish parents for years and has another advantage in an increasingly international society: it works easily across numerous languages and countries.
The five most popular names for newborn girls are:
- Sofia
- Lucía
- Martina
- Olivia
- Valeria
The list reveals an interesting mixture of recognisably Spanish names and those with a distinctly international appeal. Olivia, for example, has become enormously popular not only in Spain but also in Britain, the United States and elsewhere in Europe.
Mateo is Spain’s number one for boys
There is also a clear leader among boys. Mateo is currently the most frequently chosen name for newborn boys in Spain.
The top five are:
- Mateo
- Hugo
- Martín
- Leo
- Luca
A similar trend can be seen here: short, easily pronounced names are proving particularly popular. Names such as Leo and Luca work just as comfortably in Madrid or Málaga as they do in London, Berlin or Rome.
In a country where international families and cross-border lifestyles are increasingly common, choosing a name that travels well may also be becoming more important to parents.
Across Spain as a whole, the picture is very different
The rankings become particularly interesting when newborn babies are compared with Spain’s entire population.
Here, the traditional names of previous generations continue to dominate.
María Carmen remains the most common female name in Spain, while Antonio is still the most common male name.
The contrast between the names given to babies today and those most frequently found among the wider population tells its own story about social change in Spain.
For decades, names such as María Carmen, Carmen, José, Manuel and Antonio defined entire generations. Today’s parents are increasingly turning towards shorter names, many of which also have a more international feel.
From María Carmen to Sofia
The generational shift is particularly striking among girls. Double names and strongly religious naming traditions, once extremely common in Spain, are far less dominant among younger families.
Names such as Sofia, Lucía, Martina and Valeria have a more contemporary feel while remaining sufficiently established to avoid sounding like passing trends.
A similar transformation can be seen among boys. Mateo, Hugo, Martín, Leo and Luca have increasingly replaced many of the traditional favourites that dominated Spanish birth registers in previous decades.
Names are a reflection of their time
First names can reveal more about social change than might initially be expected. International mobility, social media, television, celebrities and the desire for names that work in several languages can all influence the choices made by new parents.
That does not mean Spain’s traditional names are disappearing. Given the age structure of the population, María Carmen and Antonio are likely to remain among the country’s most common names for years to come.
Among Spain’s youngest generation, however, the picture already looks very different.
Sofia and Mateo are the new leaders – and could become two of the names that define a generation of children growing up in Spain.
