Boy name · Germanic
Fernando
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: brave journeyFernando is a boy's name that comes from Germanic and means "brave journey". It is used in Spanish and Portuguese.
- Meaning
- Brave journey
- Origin
- Germanic
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- fer-NAHN-doh (Spanish)
Meaning and origin of Fernando
As a boy's name, Fernando comes from Germanic and means "brave journey". It is used in Spanish and Portuguese.
In Spanish, say fer-NAHN-doh. Respellings are a guide; accents vary by region.
Its meaning puts Fernando on our names that mean strong list.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Fernando on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Fernando on 4 lists.
“A fern who loves seventies pop music”
From Funny names for gardeners, houseplant pun names
“A classic pick, with a famous ABBA song to match”
From Funny plant names, names for fern
“Brave journey; Germanic. Say fer-NAHN-doh”
From Mexican boy names, classic Mexican male names
“Brave journey; Germanic. The king of Aragon who married Isabel I”
From Spanish boy names, royal and historic Spanish boy names
How popular is Fernando?
- US rank in 2025
- #387
- 819 babies, 479 per million boys
- Best rank
- #149 in 1997
- Most babies: 2,758 in 2006
- Babies since 1880
- At least 103,139
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 48 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 41 per million |
| 1900s | 67 per million |
| 1910s | 78 per million |
| 1920s | 128 per million |
| 1930s | 134 per million |
| 1940s | 142 per million |
| 1950s | 247 per million |
| 1960s | 317 per million |
| 1970s | 555 per million |
| 1980s | 715 per million |
| 1990s | 998 per million |
| 2000s | 1,260 per million |
| 2010s | 737 per million |
| 2020s | 537 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #289 | #306 | #311 | #316 | #342 | #358 | #342 | #344 | #352 | #387 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Fernando
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Nandotraditional short form (Spanish)
Other forms of Fernando
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- FerdinandBrave journey (Germanic, boy)
- HernánBrave journey (Germanic, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- AmeliaPossibly vigorous, brave (Germanic, girl)
- LeonardoBrave lion (Germanic, boy)
- RicardaBrave ruler (Germanic, girl)
- AndreaManly, brave (Greek, girl)
- AndreasManly, brave (Greek, boy)
- BahadurBrave, valiant (Turkic, boy)
- BernadetteBrave bear (Germanic, girl)
- BernardBrave bear (Germanic, boy)
- BernardoBrave bear (Germanic, boy)
- GerardBrave spear (Germanic, boy)
Middle names for Fernando
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Germanic
- HugoHeart, mind (Germanic, boy)
- LiamShort for William, will helmet (Germanic, boy)
- RobertBright fame (Germanic, boy)
- LambertBright land (Germanic, boy)
- AlaricRuler of all (Germanic, boy)
- AlbertNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- AlbertoNoble and bright (Germanic, boy)
- ArmandoArmy man (Germanic, boy)
- ArnoEagle (Germanic, boy)
- ArnoldEagle power (Germanic, boy)
Fernando: common questions
What does the name Fernando mean?
Fernando comes from Germanic and means "brave journey".
Is Fernando a boy or girl name?
Fernando is mainly a boy's name.
What are nicknames for Fernando?
Common nicknames for Fernando include Nando.
How do you pronounce Fernando?
In Spanish, say fer-NAHN-doh. Pronunciation can vary between languages and regions.
How popular is the name Fernando?
Fernando ranked #387 in the US in 2025, with 819 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Fernando?
Forms of Fernando with the same meaning and origin include Ferdinand (German) and Hernán (Spanish).
What middle names go with Fernando?
Middle names that flow well with Fernando include Ansel, Cedar, David, Drake and Jude. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.