Filipino girl names: 100+ female Tagalog, Spanish-era and modern names
104 names · Updated · By The Nomezo Editors · Save to Pinterest
Filipino girl names range from native Tagalog words like Ligaya (joy), Dalisay (pure) and Tala (star) to Spanish-era names and modern blends like Marites. Among female Filipino names given today, Althea is the favorite: it has topped the Philippine Statistics Authority's list for baby girls every year since 2016.
Below are 100+ Filipina names with their meanings and a simple pronunciation where English speakers may stumble. Sections cover Tagalog girl names, names from Philippine myth and nature, the Spanish Catholic names common in older generations, Maria blends and other modern coinages, today's favorites and the palayaw (nicknames) that Filipino women's names turn into at home.
Can't decide? Shuffle 6 random picks
Purita
Pet form of Purificacion; Spanish pura means pure
Rosalinda
Germanic horse and gentle, later read as Spanish pretty rose
Himig
Melody, tune; Tagalog. Say HEE-mig
Althea
Greek, probably healing; the top Philippine girls' name since 2016
Talya
Short form of Natalia, Christmas Day; also a Hebrew name
Luzviminda
Blend of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the three island groups
Find a Filipino girl name on this page
Narrow 104 names by how common they were for US girls in 2025, by section, length or first letter, or search the meanings.
Tagalog girl names
Native Tagalog words used as given names, so most Filipino relatives will know the meaning at once. Stress matters in Tagalog, so the respellings mark the stressed syllable in capitals.
- Ligaya: Joy, happiness; Tagalog. Say lee-GAH-yah
- Dalisay: Pure, unblemished; Tagalog. Say dah-LEE-sigh
- Mayumi: Gentle, modest, refined; Tagalog. Also a Japanese name
- Marikit: Pretty, lovely; Tagalog. Say mah-ree-KIT
- Marilag: Beautiful, gorgeous; Tagalog. Say mah-ree-LAHG
- Luningning: Brilliance, radiance; Tagalog. Say loo-ning-NING
- Liwayway: Dawn, daybreak; a poetic Tagalog word. Say lee-why-WHY
- Hiraya: From haraya, imagination; part of an old wish for dreams fulfilled
- Lualhati: Glory; an older spelling of the Tagalog word luwalhati
- Mithi: Wish, aspiration, ideal; a Tagalog word
- Mutya: Pearl or lucky charm; also a Philippine beauty pageant title
- Giliw: Darling, beloved; a Tagalog term of endearment
- Lakambini: Muse, noble lady; the Katipunan name of heroine Gregoria de Jesús
- Paraluman: Muse or guiding light; an old word for a compass
- Sinag: Ray of light, sunbeam; Tagalog. Say SEE-nahg
- Sinta: Beloved, sweetheart; Tagalog. Say seen-TAH
- Hiyas: Gem, jewel; Tagalog. Say hee-YAHS
- Adhika: Aspiration, ambition; Tagalog. Say ahd-hee-KAH
- Himig: Melody, tune; Tagalog. Say HEE-mig
- Tadhana: Destiny, fate; Tagalog. Say tahd-HAH-nah
- Laya: Freedom; a short, bright Tagalog word. Say LAH-yah
- Malaya US #775: Free, independent; Tagalog. Say mah-LAH-yah
- Maganda: Beautiful; also the first woman in a Tagalog creation tale
Filipino names for girls from myth and nature
Stars, winds, flowers and figures from Philippine mythology and legend. Goddess names are rare as given names, which makes them stand out.
- Tala: Star; also the goddess of the morning and evening stars
- Bituin: Star; the everyday Tagalog word. Say bee-too-EEN
- Amihan: The cool northeast monsoon wind; a bird deity in Tagalog myth
- Mayari: Moon goddess of Tagalog and Kapampangan myth, sister of Tala
- Diwata: Fairy, nymph or nature spirit; from Sanskrit devata, deity
- Makiling: Guardian spirit of a Laguna mountain in Tagalog legend
- Laon: Visayan creator goddess tied to a volcano; means the ancient one
- Sampaguita: Arabian jasmine, the national flower of the Philippines
- Urduja: Legendary warrior princess, linked by Filipino tradition to Pangasinan
- Inday: Visayan term of endearment for a girl; in Manila it can also mean a housemaid
- Bulawan: Gold; a Visayan word. Say boo-LAH-wahn
Spanish-era Filipino women's names
Catholic and Spanish names that filled Philippine baptismal records for generations. Many were paired with Maria, and many are coming back as vintage picks.
- Consolacion: Consolation, after Our Lady of Consolation; often paired with Maria
- Purificacion: Purification, after a feast of the Virgin Mary
- Visitacion: Visitation, after Mary's visit to her cousin Elizabeth
- Salvacion: Salvation; a Spanish devotional name used in the Philippines
- Teresita: Little Teresa; a Spanish diminutive
- Felicidad: Happiness; a Spanish virtue name. Say feh-lee-see-DAHD
- Inocencia: Innocence; Spanish, from Latin innocentia
- Prosperidad: Prosperity; a Spanish virtue name, also a Mindanao town
- Librada: Freed, delivered; Spanish, after a legendary martyred saint
- Florita: Little flower; Spanish diminutive of Flor
- Elenita: Little Elena; a Spanish diminutive
- Purita: Pet form of Purificacion; Spanish pura means pure
- Rosalinda: Germanic horse and gentle, later read as Spanish pretty rose
- Divina: Divine, godlike; Spanish and Italian. Say dee-VEE-nah
- Erlinda: Spanish form of Herlinde, army and gentle; Germanic
- Nenita: From Spanish nena, baby girl, with a sweet diminutive ending
- Rizalina: Feminine name honoring national hero José Rizal
Maria blends and other Filipino coinages
Filipino parents love fusing two names into one. These are modern coinages, so the meaning comes from the names they combine.
- Marites: Blend of Maria and Teresa; now also slang for a gossip
- Marivic: Blend of Maria and Victoria; a modern Filipino coinage
- Maricar: Short for a Spanish blend of Maria and Carmen
- Maricris: Blend of Maria and Cristina; a modern Filipino coinage
- Marichu: Maria plus Chu, a Spanish pet form of Jesús
- Mariel US #893: Diminutive of Maria, especially popular in the Philippines
- Maan: Short for Maria Ana, Maria Angelica or Mary Ann
- Luzviminda: Blend of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the three island groups
- Minviluz: Mindanao, Visayas and Luzon blended in reverse order
- Rubilyn: Ruby plus the popular -lyn ending; a modern coinage
- Edlyn: Ed plus Lyn; a 20th-century coinage used in the Philippines
- Maricel: María plus Celia or Cecilia; a blend especially popular in the Philippines
Modern female Filipino names
Names popular with Filipino parents today, including English word names and favorites from Philippine Statistics Authority birth data.
- Althea Philippines #1: Greek, probably healing; the top Philippine girls' name since 2016
- Ayesha Philippines #5: Arabic, alive, living; fifth among Philippine girls in 2024
- Kristel: From the word crystal; a longtime Filipino favorite
- Jhoanna: Filipino spelling of Joanna, God is gracious
- Lovely: English word name, popular in the Philippines
- Girlie: English pet word that became a Filipino given name
- Heart: English word name; a sweet modern Filipino choice
- Mary Joy: Mary plus Joy; a favorite Filipino double name
- Mary Ann: Mary plus Ann; a staple Filipino Catholic double name
- Divine: English word name with a devout feel, used across the Philippines
Filipino girl nicknames ending in -ing and -eng
The palayaw (nickname) is how most Filipinas are known at home. A classic recipe shortens the formal name and adds -ing, -eng or -ng.
- Neneng: From nene, little girl; a classic Tagalog pet name
- Gaying: Pet form of Ligaya, joy
- Isang: Pet form of Isabel
- Ising: Pet form of Crescencia, Latin for growing
- Chedeng: Pet form of Mercedes; also slang for a Mercedes-Benz
- Loleng: Pet form of Dolores, by way of Lola
- Maring: Pet form of Maria
- Poleng: Pet form of Paula or Paulina
- Puring: Pet form of Purificacion, by way of Purita
- Rosing: Pet form of Rosa, by way of Rosita
- Trining: Pet form of Trinidad, the Holy Trinity
- Yoling: Pet form of Yolanda
- Auring: Pet form of Aurora, Latin for dawn
- Andeng: Pet form of Andrea
- Biring: Pet form of Virginia
- Crising: Pet form of Cristina or Crisanta
- Feling: Pet form of Felisa or Felicidad, happiness
- Seniang: Pet form of Arsenia
More nicknames for Filipino women
Short forms, doubled syllables and the playful -ay ending. Many Filipinas keep these names all their lives.
- Isay: Pet form of Luisa, Melissa or Clarissa
- Kikay: Pet form of Francisca, by way of Spanish Kika; also slang for a girly girl
- Lotlot: Doubled short form of Charlotte
- Letlet: Doubled short form of Leticia, joy
- Maymay: Pet form of Maria or Mary
- Menchie: Pet form of Carmen, by way of Spanish Menchu
- Pepay: Pet form of Josefa, by way of Spanish Pepa
- Chichay: Pet form of Francisca, by way of Chicha
- Talya: Short form of Natalia, Christmas Day; also a Hebrew name
- Vangie: Pet form of Evangeline
- Zeny: Short form of Zenaida
- Wenna: Short form of Rowena
How to pick the right name
Choose a Tagalog word you love
Names like Ligaya, Tala and Liwayway are everyday Tagalog words, so Filipino relatives will know the meaning. Look up how the word is used in everyday speech, and where the stress falls, before you commit.
Plan the palayaw
Almost every Filipina gets a nickname at home. Say the formal name, then try the home version, such as Ligaya to Gaying, before you decide.
Honor family with a blend
A blend like Marivic or Maricris joins Maria with a grandmother's or saint's name. Keep the result short and easy to spell on forms.
Say it with the middle name
Filipino children usually carry the mother's maiden surname as a middle name, so read the first name, middle name and surname aloud together.
Save this list for later
Pin it to a naming board, or tap the heart next to any name to keep it in your favorites on this device.
Filipino girl names: the Philippines' 2024 top 10, the middle-name custom, and why stress changes a Tagalog name
By The Nomezo Editors · Updated October 25, 2026 · How we research names
Althea has been the most registered girls' name in the Philippines every year since 2016, yet even at No. 1 it goes to only about 0.22% of baby girls, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Native Tagalog names are rarer at home but rising in the US: Tala reached its highest US count in 2025.
A Filipino girl's name also comes with a middle name, usually her mother's maiden surname, and often a palayaw used at home. The finder above narrows the names on this page by section, length and US popularity.
The Philippines' top 10 girls' names, 2024
| Rank | Name | Share of girls |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Althea | 0.22% |
| 2 | Samantha | 0.17% |
| 3 | Angel | 0.16% |
| 4 | Sofia | 0.16% |
| 5 | Ayesha | 0.14% |
| 6 | Zia | 0.14% |
| 7 | Chloe | 0.14% |
| 8 | Princess | 0.13% |
| 9 | Nathalie | 0.13% |
| 10 | Jasmine | 0.13% |
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, as listed by Behind the Name. Names are spread thinly in the Philippines, so even the top names are rare.
Tagalog names: meaning, stress and other senses
- Stress changes meaning. Sinag with the stress on the first syllable means a ray of light, while sinág means seen hazily (Wiktionary), so the respellings on this page mark the stressed syllable.
- Inday depends on where you are. In the Visayas and Mindanao it is a term of endearment and respect for a girl, but in Metro Manila it often refers to a housemaid of Visayan descent (APSSR study, 2020).
- Rising in the US. In 2025 Malaya was No. 775 for US girls, Tala No. 1,217 at its highest count yet, and Mayari reached 49 girls (Social Security data).
How Filipino names are built
- Middle names. A Filipino child's middle name is usually, though not always, the mother's maiden surname. A child of unmarried parents takes the mother's surname and has no middle name unless the father acknowledges the child (Wikipedia).
- Ma. and the blends. Women named María Cristina or María Victoria often write Ma. on forms, and the pair becomes Maricris or Marivic (Wikipedia).
- Surnames from a catalogue. After an 1849 decree by Governor-General Narciso Clavería, families took surnames from an official catalogue, which is why Spanish surnames are so common (Wikipedia).
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular Filipino girl name?
Althea. It ranked first among girls' names in Philippine Statistics Authority birth data for 2024, as it has every year since 2016. Samantha, Angel, Sofia and Ayesha followed in 2024.
What are good Filipino names for girls?
Tagalog names such as Ligaya (joy), Dalisay (pure), Mayumi (gentle), Tala (star) and Liwayway (dawn) are favorites. Spanish-era classics like Teresita and modern picks like Althea are popular too.
Why do so many Filipino women's names start with Maria?
Most Filipinos are Catholic, and Maria honors the Virgin Mary. Families often pair it with a second name and then blend the two, so Maria Teresa becomes Marites and Maria Victoria becomes Marivic.
What is a palayaw?
A palayaw is a Filipino nickname used at home and among friends. Many shorten the formal name and add -ing, -eng or -ay, so Rosa becomes Rosing and Dolores becomes Loleng.
Why do Filipinos have Spanish names?
The Philippines was a Spanish colony for more than 300 years, and Catholic baptism spread names like Consolacion, Purificacion and Teresita. After an 1849 decree by Governor-General Narciso Clavería, most families took surnames from an official catalogue, mostly Spanish.
What middle name will a Filipino baby get?
Usually the mother's maiden surname, placed between the first name and the father's surname. A child of unmarried parents takes the mother's surname as a last name and has no middle name unless the father acknowledges the child.
What does Inday mean?
In the Visayas and Mindanao, Inday is an affectionate, respectful way to address a girl, and it is also used as a given name. In Metro Manila it can refer to a housemaid, so the meaning depends on the region.
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