Basque Girl Names: a comprehensive guide

Are you looking for a Basque name for your new-born daughter? Are you curious to learn how names in this ancient language sound like? If so, this is the right article for you.

Basque is an isolated and unique language, which results in some very original names. In fact, Basque names have become more and more popular among people from other places of Spain, as Spanish people have also wanted to embrace these cool-sounding names.

Basque girl names could be divided into two groups. Some of them are translations from ancient Latin names, mostly of Catholic origin. Others are entirely Basque and can refer to a different set of topics.

From natural phenomena to locally worshipped virgins, this list offers a wide variety of names to choose from.

Popular Basque girl names

Every culture has some staple names that never seem to grow out of fashion and have remained popular over the years. Basque culture is no different in this regard. To prove it, here is a list of the most common Basque girl names.

1 Ane

Ane was recently the most popular Basque girl name, which is not surprising given that it has always been a very popular name. Growing up in the Basque Country, it was not uncommon for there to be more than one girl named Ane in the same school year.

The name is quite straightforward, as it is the Basque version of “Anne”.

2 Laia

Laia, is a Basque girl name with has become more popular in recent years, and there seems to be some controversy surrounding its origin.

Catalan people claim it as theirs, as it is very popular in Catalonia, and it is short for “Eulàlia” in Catalan.

However, there is also a neighbourhood and a mountain called “Laia” in the Basque Country, which gives Basque people a reason to choose this name for their daughter.

3 June

June is a Basque medieval name. In fact, it can be traced as far back as the 12^th century, and it still keeps going as one of the most popular Basque girl names.

4 Nahia

Nahia is one of those Basque names that has a beautiful meaning behind it. It means “wish” in the Basque language, although it can be translated along the lines of “what I wanted/what I wished for”.

5 Ainhoa

Ainhoa is a very common Basque girl name, and it is also the name of a village in the French Basque Country, which is home to the Virgin of Ainhoa.

6 Maddi

Maddi is a very popular Basque name, it comes from the name Mary.

7 Miren

Miren is another Basque name which comes from the name Mary, although both Maddi and Miren are regarded as completely different names from each other.

8 Izaro

The name Izaro comes from a small island next to a Basque village, and it is a great name choice for those who like a tragic love story.

According to tradition, a monk who lived in Izaro island fell in love with an inland girl and swam to her every night guided by her light.

One night, the superior monk took notice and decided to also shine a light to fool him into a cliff. Sadly, the monk died at sea.

9 Irati

The name Irati translates to “fern field”, and is also the name of a forest and a virgin in Navarre.

10 Maialen

Maialen has been popular Basque girl name for a long time. Maialen is the Basque version of the name Madeleine.

11 Malen

Malen also comes from Madeleine, although it is regarded as a completely separate name from Maialen.

12 Amaia

Amaia is very popular name which is taken from a novel. This name originates from the Basque word “amaiera”, which means “the end”.

An interesting fact: when Basque names were prohibited during Franco’s dictatorship, the name Amaia was translated to Spanish as “Mary End” or “María Fin”.

13 Maider

The Basque name Maider comes from Mari (miss) and Eder (beautiful), so it is essentially the short form of “miss beautiful”.

14 Eider

Eider is a Basque name which comes from Eideard, a Scottish and Irish gaelic name, and it is the only Basque name with a gaelic influence. It is also very close to the word Eder (beautiful) in Basque.

15 Alaia

The girl name Alaia simply means “cheerful” in the Basque language. This makes it a very positive name to get a good start in life.

16 Uxue

Uxue is the name of a village, and it also means pigeon in Basque. According to the story, this pigeon guided a shepherd to the virgin’s image, and that is where the name comes from.

17 Elene

This popular name is the Basque version of Helen.

18 Libe

Libe comes from the Spanish name “Libia”.

19 Nerea

Another name with an endearing meaning, Nerea means “mine”, although it does not sound so possessive in Basque.

20 Naroa

It originally means “abundant”, although Naroa was also used in the Basque coast as a way to describe the tranquillity that is felt when a wave pulls back after breaking in the shore.

21 Leire

Leire owes its name to a beautiful monastery in Navarre.

22 Garazi

Garazi is none other than the Basque version of Grace.

23 Kattalin

Another latin-rooted name, Kattalin is the equivalent of Katherine

24 Andrea

Andrea is a Greek name to the rest of the world. However, Basque people have their own version. It first appeared in the Middle Ages and it means “woman” or “madam”.

Basque girl names as elements of nature

The Basque Country is a very green place, where mountains, forests, and the sea can be seen everywhere across the region. As such, Basque culture has always been closely tied to nature, and it is no wonder that many names and surnames refer to elements that can be found in the Basque landscape.

25 Ainara / Enara

This is the Basque name for a type of bird called swallow. According to literature, it is the symbol of spring.

26 Amalur

Amalur means mother earth in Basque. In Basque mythology, Amalur is the highest deity. It is regarded as the source of life, and it is also the mother of the sun and the moon

27 Eguzki

Eguzki is a common girl name and it means “Sun” in Basque.

28 Ilargi

This pretty Basque girl name can be translated as “Moon” in English.

29 Haizea

As it happens with the sun and the moon, haizea (the wind), is also present in Basque mythology. “The winds” are animate beings, and the winds from the north-east are married to the winds from south and west.

30 Itsaso

The Basque girl name Itsaso comes from the Basque word for "Sea" (itsaso).

31 Hodei

Hodei is the Basque word for "cloud". It is also a unisex Basque name which is suitable for both boys and girls. In Basque traditions, clouds were regarded as mythological beings who bring in the storm and hail.

32 Garoa / Iratxe

Both Garoa and Iratxe mean “fern” in Basque. This plant is everywhere in the Basque Country, and it is a big representative of Basque nature.

33 Ibarne

Ibar means valley, and -ne is a suffix which turns this noun into a girl name.

34 Izar

Izar is a female name that means “Star” in Basque.

35 Lorea

This beautiful Basque girl name comes from the Basque word for “Flower”.

36 Oihana / Oihane

Both synonyms, Oihana means jungle in Basque.

37 Udane

This Basque girl name is made of the word uda, which means summer, and the suffix -ne, which turns the noun “summer” (uda) into a girl name.

Beautiful Basque girl names

Because of their uniqueness, people often find Basque names striking when they are first introduced to them, especially since they are usually unaware of the existence of the Basque language. Basque girl names are beautiful because they sound stark and strong while also remaining feminine. Here is a list of examples.

38 Aiora

Aiora was a very common Basque female name in the Middle Ages, and it was first recorded during the 11^th Century.

39 Maite

Maite comes from the adjective maitea, which means “loved-one” in Basque. This beautiful Basque girl name is also very close to the word maitia, a very popular term of endearment.

40 Nora

Although Norah is commonly known as a Greek name, there is an ancient church in Navarre with this same name, which is why Nora is popular in the Basque Country. As an interesting fact, nora also functions as the question mark “where” in Basque.

41 Mirari

Mirari comes from the Spanish name Milagros, and it means “miracle”.

42 Idoia

Idoia is originally the Basque word for “swamp”, but it is also the name of a local virgin in Navarre. According to history, people used to visit this virgin to get rid of headaches.

43 Gadea

Gadea is the Basque version of Agatha.

44 Saioa

This beautiful Basque girl name is also the name of a mountain in the Navarre region.

45 Aroa

Aroa has more than one meaning, although the general idea is that it refers to the seasons. It can mean era, weather, or good climate.

46 Olatz

This pretty Basque girl name is the name of a local Basque virgin.

47 Edurne

This name is the equivalent of Nieves in Spanish. Edur means snow, while -ne is a common suffix to make names feminine. As a fun fact, Snow White was translated as Edurne Zuri (zuri being white) for the Disney film.

48 Lide

Lide is a Basque girl name that comes from the Greek name “Lidia”.

49 Itziar

Itziar is the name of a local Basque virgin, and it means “dry reed bed” in ancient Basque, which probably refers to the landscape of the village at the time. It also happens to be the name of the person who may or may not be writing this article.

50 Alaitz

Alaitz is a beautiful Basque girl name that comes from the Middle Ages, and it is also the name of a mountain range in the Basque Country.

51 Ihintza

Ihintza is the Basque equivalent of the name “Rocío” in Spanish, and it can be translated as “dew”.

52 Ilazki

This pretty Basque girl name is related to the name Ilargi, as they both mean “moon”.

53 Nagore

Nagore is the name of a virgin in Navarre, and it is quite a common name.

54 Naiara

Naiara owes its name to a virgin and a village where the members of the court of Navarre lived.

55 Janire

Janira originally comes from Greek mythology, and it was introduced as a Basque name by adding the suffix -e, which is how many Basque girl names are formed.

56 Eneritz

This Basque girl name comes from a virgin in Navarre. Religion used to play a big role in Basque culture and, as a result, many names are of religious origin.

Rare Basque girl names

After covering the ground in the most popular and beautiful Basque girl names, it is time to discover names that even Basque people would find unusual. Only suitable for the most curious.

57 Bihotza

Bihotza means “heart” in Basque, and many people use it as a term of endearment. What many people don’t know is that it can be a girl's name.

58 Aia

The name Aia is usually associated with a mountain range and a town, but it can also make for a beautiful Basque girl name.

59 Amets

Amets is the Basque word for “dream”. For some, bringing new life into this world is a dream come true.

60 Andreumea

The name Andreumea is a present from the Middle Ages, and it is made up of two words: andre (woman) and umea (child). This goes to show that the term “woman-child” or “man-child” is not a product of the modern world.

61 Eneka

This name is rare because Basque people usually only know its male version, Eneko. By changing the letter o for an a, it can be made into a pretty Basque girl name.

62 Iluntze

This Basque girl name is perfect for night owls, as it is the equivalent of “dawn” in English.

Conclusion

Basque people have always been proud of their name culture and will continue to be this way, especially since people are more eager to embrace their roots nowadays.

However, the story does not end here. Basque names have become increasingly popular in places outside of the Basque Country.

If you are interested in more original and less obvious names for your new-born, this article gives the necessary information to hop on this growing trend.

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