Spanish names that start with ‘P’ include classics like Pablo (widely known thanks to the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso and the Chilean Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda) and Pedro (which you may have heard of through the Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar).
Spanish names that begin with ‘P’ certainly provide plenty of powerful, poetic, and pleasant-sounding choices.
Paula is a name that comes from a Latin word that means “small” or “humble.” It is a popular name not only in Spanish-speaking countries but in many other countries as well.
Paulina is a name that is related to Paula. The French version of this name (Pauline) is also used in English-speaking countries.
Paola is the Italian form of the name Paula, but it is used in Spanish-speaking countries as well.
Paz is a Spanish female name that arose as a shortened form of “María de la Paz.” The Spanish word “paz” means “peace.”
Paloma is a name derived from the Spanish word “paloma” (which means “dove”). The dove is a symbol of peace.
Pamela is a name used in Spanish-speaking countries, and it features the ending in ‘a,’ which is common in Spanish girl names. But the name Pamela was created by an English author, Sir Philip Sidney, in the 16th century for one of his books.
Some Spanish girl names that start with ‘P’ are shortened forms of names that begin with other letters. For instance, Paca and Paquita are diminutives of Francisca, while Pepa and Pepita are diminutives of Josefa.
Religion influenced Spanish naming practices. This is visible in the names given to American cities by Spanish explorers (San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Monica, etc.) named after saints. It is also apparent in some Spanish girl names that begin with ‘P.’
Piedad is a Spanish name that comes from the Spanish word “piedad,” which means “piety.” Purificación is a shortened form of “María de la Purificación” (the Spanish word “purificación” means “purification”).
Pilar is a shortened form of “María del Pilar” (the Spanish word “pilar” means “pillar”)
Pascuala is the feminine form of Pascual, a Spanish name that originates from a Latin word meaning “Easter.”
Pedro is the Spanish form of the English name Peter. Notice how the letter ‘t’ in the English version is replaced by a ‘d’ in the Spanish version. This pattern is also noticeable in some Spanish vocabulary words such as “universidad” (university), “ciudad” (city), and “calidad” (quality).
Some Spanish male names are related to adjectives describing positive personality traits. Among these, those that begin with ‘P’ include Plácido (from the Latin word “placidus” which means “calm” and “tranquil”), Prudencio (from the Latin term “prudens” which means “wise” and “prudent”), and Próspero (from a Latin adjective that means “prosperous”).
Some Spanish names that start with ‘P’ are shortened forms or nicknames derived from longer names that begin with different letters. For instance, Paco, Pancho, Paquito, and Panchito are derived from Francisco. Also, Pepe and Pepito are diminutive forms of the name José.
A famous namesake can make a name more appealing. Below are some examples of well-known individuals with Spanish first names that begin with the letter ‘P.’
| Individual | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Pablo Picasso | Spanish artist |
| Pablo Neruda | Chilean poet |
| Pedro Almodóvar | Spanish filmmaker |
| Plácido Domingo | Spanish opera singer |
| Pío Baroja | Spanish writer |
| Penélope Cruz | Spanish actress |
| Paloma San Basilio | Spanish singer |
| Paco de Lucía | Spanish flamenco guitarist |
| Paquito D'Rivera | Cuban-American musician |
| Paz Vega | Spanish actress |
| Pepe Romero | Spanish guitarist (classical and flamenco) |