Basque Boy Names: a comprehensive guide

Eneko, Xabier, Iñaki, and Iker are some Basque boy names you might encounter while traveling in the Basque region.

The Basque region straddles the border between Spain and France; it includes lovely cities like Bayonne and Biarritz (which are in France) and Bilbao (in Spain).

There’s a reason why Basque boy names can be very unique. Not only is the Basque language unrelated to Spanish and French, but it has no known relationship to any language.

Popular Basque boy names

Every culture has some staple names that seem to never go out of style and remain popular over the years —this is the case for the Basque culture as well.

Here is a list of the most popular Basque boy names.

1 Markel

Markel is a name that often ranks near the top on the charts of the most common boy names in the Basque region. It is the Basque version of the French name Marcel.

2 Asier

The male name Asier was created for a character in the 19th-century romantic historical novel titled “Amaya o los vascos en el siglo VIII.” The name means “the beginning” because it is derived from the Basque word “hasiera” (beginning).

Interestingly, the novel also features a female counterpart called Amaia, meaning “the end”, and it also happens to be a very popular Basque female name.

3 Aitor

Although it had already been invented, the Basque boy name Aitor was made popular through the same novel where Asier and Amaia come from.

In the French Basque Country, the term “aitoren semea,” meaning “son of a good father,” was historically used to refer to noblemen. This term was later turned into a name by a French writer.

4 Iker

Iker originally comes from Visitación, a Spanish girl name, but it only has a male version in Basque. It is made of the word Ikertu, which means “to investigate” in Basque. This name hints at a personality inclined towards curiosity and adventure.

5 Jon

This name may sound familiar as it is very similar to its English version, also known as John. It is a classic Basque boy name, and it has been popular for many generations now.

6 Unai/Unax

Unai and Unax are related names that are popular in the Basque region. These names originate from the Basque word “unai,” which means “cowherd” (a person who herds cattle, basically, a cowboy).

7 Ander

Another very popular Basque boy name, Ander comes from Greek and it is the equivalent of the name Andrew in English.

8 Xabier

Xabier is a widely used Basque boy’s name derived from the Basque words “etxe” (home) and “berri” (new), so it translates to “new home.” It is often used in its short form, Xabi.

9 Julen

Julen is another classic Basque boy name, and it is the Basque version of the name “Julian” in English.

10 Eneko

Eneko is formed by the word ene, which means “mine”, and the suffix -ko, and it was a common Basque boy name during the Middle Ages.

For those who like royalty, it was the name of the first king of Navarre in the 7^th Century, which makes it ten times cooler than naming your kid after the newest royal family member.

11 Iñaki

When Spanish people are asked about Basque boy names, Iñaki is usually one of the first to come to their minds.

It is a bit of a stereotypical name given its popularity in series and TV shows, but it is still very much liked and used. It comes from the Spanish name Ignacio.

12 Oier

This popular Basque boy name comes from the Middle Ages and it was first recorded in the 11^th Century.

13 Mikel

Mikel is a very common name in other languages as well, and it is very similar to Michael, its English equivalent.

14 Ekain

Ekain is a Basque male name whose origin is the Basque vocabulary word for the month of June. This word comes from the words eki (sun) and gain (on top), meaning sun on top.

It is also the name of a famous cave in the Basque Country, home to some very well-preserved Paleolithic paintings.

15 Gorka

This Basque boy's name is slightly less obvious to guess, but it is the Basque version of George in English.

16 Aimar

Aimar was a common Basque boy name in the Middle Ages, and it is believed to come from the German name Eimar.

17 Luka/Luken

Luka and Luken are different Basque boy names, but they are both variations of the name Luke in English.

Basque boy names as elements of nature

The Basque Country has always been a very green place. Surrounded by mountains and the sea, the Basque culture developed a strong connection to nature that has been passed on through generations.

As a result, many Basque boy names are inspired by natural phenomena or elements from the Basque landscape.

18 Ibai

Ibai is the Basque word for “river”, and it is a very popular Basque boy name.

19 Izei

This Basque boy name refers to a type of tree also known as a fir tree in English, and it grows in the Basque Pyrenees.

20 Oihan

Oihan also has a female equivalent, Oihana, and it means forest in Basque. In ancient times, forests used to be worshipped as deities.

21 Ekaitz

This powerful name is present in Basque mythology and it is the word for “storm” in Basque.

22 Ekhi

This Basque boy's name comes from eki, the ancient Basque word for “sun”.

23 Haitz / Harkaitz

Haitz and Harkaitz are both different names with the same origin, and they mean “stone”. Certainly a strong choice.

24 Hodei

Hodei is a unisex Basque name, which means that it can be used for both boys and girls. It is the word for “cloud” in Basque, and it is present in Basque mythology as a being that brings the storm and hail.

25 Gari

This Basque boy's name can be translated as “wheat”, and it has recently become popular due to a Basque singer with the same name.

26 Ibar

The Basque Country is a very mountainous place, and as such, there are a lot of valleys, which is why the Basque boy name Ibar (valley in Basque) came to be.

27 Haritz

Haritz is a Basque boy name in addition to being the Basque word for “oak tree”. Oaks became sacred during Roman times, a period when they were worshipped as gods.

The most famous oak tree is located in Gernika, a town that may sound familiar because of Picasso’s famous painting and the tragic historical events that took place during the Spanish civil war.

This “haritz” tradition is, in fact, still alive nowadays, as the president of the Basque Country usually pledges their allegiance next to Gernika’s oak tree.

28 Gorosti

Like Haritz, Gorosti is another tree name that was made into a Basque boy's name. Gorosti is a holm oak in English.

Beautiful Basque boy names

29 Adei

This beautiful Basque boy's name means “respect” or “deference” in the most noble sense of the word. As an example, this word is commonly used to end formal letters in Basque.

30 Eder

Eder means “beautiful” in Basque, and it so happens that the word “beautiful” makes for a beautiful Basque boy name.

31 Luka/Luken

Luka and Luken are two separate names, but they are both the Basque version of the English name “Luke”.

32 Amets

Amets is the Basque word for “dream”, suitable for those who have always dreamed of having a baby.

33 Gaizka

Gaizka is the Basque translation of “Salvador”, a Spanish name. It also happens to be very close to the word gaizki, which means “bad” in Basque, so this name has a bit of a badass ring to it.

34 Inar

This beautiful Basque boy's name also has a beautiful meaning. It can be translated as “sparkle” or “beam of light”.

35 Anartz

Anartz is a Basque boy's name that was found in old archives, and it does not bear a clear meaning.

36 Danel

This name may sound very familiar, as it is the Basque version of “Daniel” in English.

37 Adur

Adur is a mythological Basque male name. It means “luck”, and it is the name for the power that witches and wizards have, which humans can also possess to dominate mythological beings.

38 Lander

This beautiful Basque boy's name first appeared during the Middle Ages. It has two meanings, one of which is beggar, although it is probably better to go by the other meaning and say it is the word for pilgrim.

39 Enaitz

Enaitz is a Basque boy name that was taken from the name of a mountain peak in the Basque Country.

40 Beñat

This name is the Basque version of Bernard in English, and it is quite popular in the Basque Country.

41 Endika

Another translated name, in this case Endika is the equivalent of Henry in English.

42 Hegoi

Hegoi is the Basque name for the wind that comes from the south. It is taken from the word hego which means “south” in Basque.

43 Aingeru

This beautiful Basque boy's name can be translated as “angel” in Basque.

44 Josu

Josu is a very Christian name, although it is not necessarily regarded as such. It is the translation of the name “Jesús” in Spanish.

45 Oinatz

Oinatz is a beautiful Basque boy name with a beautiful meaning, which is “footprint”.

Rare Basque boy names

Some names are just not as popular or widely used, and there are some hidden gems that even Basque people would find funny or unusual.

46 Ximaur

This is a bit of a bootleg name, as it can’t be found in a simple Google search and it was forbidden to use as a name. It means “manure” in Basque, and rumor has it that someone knew a person called this.

47 Sugar

Sugar sounds very powerful in Basque because it means “flame”. However, for the rest of the world, one cannot help but notice that it looks exactly the same as the English word sugar, even though the pronunciation is different.

48 Irrintzi

An irrintzi in the Basque Country is a special shout that means joy, and it is usually done on special occasions, such as parties or celebrations. What few people know is that it can also be a Basque boy name.

49 Osaba

This name is also unusual and very confusing, as it means “uncle” in Basque. Take a moment to imagine calling your son “uncle”.

50 Seme

This unusual Basque name makes more sense than the name Osaba, as it is the word for “son” in Basque. It is still a bit confusing when put in a sentence like “My son’s name is 'son'”.

51 Herri

Herri means “village” in Basque, and it is rare for a Basque boy's name.

52 Gogor

Another name that even Basque people would not imagine as being a name, is Gogor, which means “tough” in Basque.

53 Zigor

This strong and quite rare Basque boy's name is the word for “punishment”.

Conclusion

Names are a big part of a culture, and it is no different for Basque people, who are very keen on maintaining their special heritage.

Basque names have been growing in popularity in the last few years, as people are looking to branch out and look for names that are more unique than the ones they are used to.

This article provides a chance to find the special name you wanted for your very special newborn.

This article also has a companion article that covers Basque girl names.