Spanish names tend to draw curiosity towards them. If you have been wondering about the roots of these Spanish names then read on to find out how the Bible has influenced the Spanish names that we hear today.
Over the course of history many different nations have had the chance to rule over Spain. The region was under Greek governance for quite some time. Then entered the Muslims who ruled Spain for several hundred years. The Christians gained dominance once again and left a lasting impression that can still be seen in many aspects of the Spanish culture. One of the most prominent remnants of Christianity can be seen in the names of the people of that region. Many of the Spanish names that we get to hear today have been derived from the bible.
Spanish Biblical Names for Boys
The public was greatly encouraged by the Church to take on names of biblical characters and saints. This was done so as to establish the roots of Christianity within the Spanish people. The biblical names were passed down the generations as given names and family names as well. One of the most popular biblical names is Adan which is a Spanish version of the name Adam. The name of another Prophet who is believed to be the one where the Christian and Muslim ancestry meets, has found its way into Spanish traditions as Abrahamo. In English the name if known as Abraham.
Some of the Spanish biblical names are the exact same as the English ones. Examples include Abel, David and Gabriel. The biblical name Luke finds itself as the often heard of Spanish name Lucas. Juan as John and Jobo as Job are other fine examples of biblical Spanish names. Noe is a shortened version of the name of the Prophet whose story of the Ark is mentioned in the bible. The name Zacarias is also a Spanish version of the name Zachary.
Spanish Biblical Names for Girls
Parents would be encouraged to name both baby boys and girls with biblical names. This is why we find a lot of Spanish biblical names for girls as well amongst the collection of Spanish names. Like Adan is the Spanish version of Adam, Eva is the Spanish version of Eve. Ruth as Rut, Esther as Ester and Anne as Ana are other examples how Spanish biblical names are different in spellings as well as pronunciation from the English biblical ones. Other female names have been derived from the male versions of the name for example Gabriela is derived from Gabriel. Other such examples include Daniela from Daniel, Josefina from Joseph and Juana from John.
Often times we see that Spanish names are derived from the teachings of Christianity and special events in the life of Jesus Christ as mentioned in the present day New Testament. Ascencio is a name that actually means “ascension”. Similarly Bautista means Baptist and Cruz is a name symbolizing the cross. Female names have also been derived out of the life and times of Jesus Christ as recorded in the bible. Jesusa is actually a Spanish biblical name which is a female form of the name Jesus. Other examples include Manola, Belen and Epifania. Similarly there are some names that revolve around the character of Mary as portrayed in the bible such as Carmela, Luz and Mercedes.
