There are many good reasons to opt for a Spanish name for your daughter — Spain has a rich heritage and culture, its names roll off the tongue nicely (for the most part), and your child’s classmates will be unlikely to share the same name. But if you specifically want a Spanish girl’s name starting with an “I,” you might be struggling to find one that really speaks to you.
Isabella I of Castile was a badass. After winning a civil war, she came to power and secured the Spain we know today by unifying the country through her marriage to Ferdinand II of Aragon. Not a bad legacy! If you want a traditional Spanish name for your daughter and see her as your little queen, Isabella could be a perfect choice.
Spain has never had a queen with the name Ines, but that doesn’t make it any less of a worthy name. It’s the equivalent of the English name Agnes and has origins in Spain, France, Greece, and Portugal (where the famous Inês de Castro was the wife of a twelfth-century king). It means “pure” or “holy” and also has the variant Inez (although this is rarely used in Spain).
As you can probably guess yourself, “Innocencia” is Spanish for “Innocence.” Perhaps you’ll be able to claim you foresaw the innocent nature of your child, or maybe you’ll be able to laugh about the irony. Either way, it’s a lovely name.
The name Irene comes from Greece and is used in many cultures, so it might surprise you that it’s also a reasonably popular name in Spain, where it’s pronounced “ee-re-nay.” Its origins come from the word “peace” in Greek, and isn’t that what we all want for our children ultimately?
Ib
Meaning: Beautiful
Origin: Spanish
Idoia
Meaning: Reference to the Virgin Mary
Origin: Spanish
Ignacia
Meaning: Fire
Origin: Spanish
Igone
Meaning: Ascension
Origin: Spanish
Ikerne
Meaning: Visitation
Origin: Spanish
Iliana
Meaning: Variant of Elena
Origin: Spanish
Iluminada
Meaning: Illuminated
Origin: Spanish
Imelda
Meaning: Powerful fighter
Origin: Spanish
Isabella
Meaning: My God is bountiful
Origin: Spanish
Iolanda
Meaning: Violet flower
Origin: Spanish
Ines
Meaning: Meek
Origin: Spanish
Innocencia
Meaning: Innocent
Origin: Spanish
Itzel
Meaning: Star of the aurora sky
Origin: Spanish
Irene
Meaning: Peace
Origin: Spanish
Isa
Meaning: Beautiful
Origin: Spanish
Isidora
Meaning: Gifted with many ideas
Origin: Spanish
Itsaso
Meaning: Sea
Origin: Spanish
Itxaro
Meaning: Hope
Origin: Spanish
Ivanna
Meaning: Gift of the gods
Origin: Spanish
Izarra
Meaning: Star
Origin: Spanish
