Latin culture is influencing everything in the United States, including baby names.  With the growing prominence of Latin stars and parents of all ethnic backgrounds more interested in using culturally significant names, Hispanic choices are moving up the popularity lists.

　　Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Jessica Alba and Ricky Martin may be among the most famous Latin celebrities, but their names were inspired by the general culture and are hardly inspiring modern baby namers in search of an authentic Latin choice.  The Latin celebrities (and a few fictional characters) from the worlds of film, music, sports, and fashion whose names have proven influential in the U.S. include:

　　Female

　　AMERICA FERRARA

　　CAROLINA HERRERA

　　DAISY FUENTES

　　DORA the Explorer

　　EVA MENDES

　　ISABEL TOLEDO — A favorite designer of Michelle Obama‘s

　　OFELIA — The young heroine of Pan‘s Labyrinth

　　PAULINA RUBIO

　　PENELOPE CRUZ

　　SALMA HAYEK

　　SELENA

　　SHAKIRA

　　SONIA BRAGA

　　THALIA

　　Male

　　ALEX RODRIGUEZ

　　ANTONIO BANDERAS

　　DIEGO LUNA

　　GAEL BERNAL GARCIA

　　IVAN RODRIGUEZ

　　JAVIER BARDEM

　　NARCISO RODRIGUEZ

　　OSCAR de la RENTA

　　RODRIGO SANTORO

　　Several names that rank high on the popularity list in the U.S. have a Latin flavor and are well-used by Hispanic parents along with parents of many other ethnic backgrounds. Isabella, Olivia, Sophia, Angelina, and, for boys, Gabriel fit into this group.  Names (and variations) with a more distinctly Latin heritage that are climbing the popularity list in the United States – and are definitely not for Latin babies only — include::

　　Girls

　　ALEJANDRA

　　ALICIA

　　ALONDRA

　　ANA

　　BIANCA

　　CAMILA

　　DULCE

　　ELIANA

　　ESMERALDA

　　GUADALUPE

　　KARINA

　　LILIANA

　　MARIANA

　　SOFIA

　　VALENTINA

　　VALERIA

　　XIMENA

　　Boys

　　ANGEL

　　ANTONIO

　　CARLOS

　　CESAR

　　CRISTIAN

　　DIEGO

　　EDUARDO

　　EMILIANO

　　FERNANDO

　　HECTOR

　　JESUS

　　JORGE

　　JOSE

　　JUAN

　　LEONARDO

　　LUIS

　　MANUEL

　　MARCO

　　MATEO

　　MIGUEL

　　SANTIAGO

　　SERGIO

　　XAVIER

　　For parents who love Latin names but want to look for choices less well-known in the U.S., here are some names with a Spanish, Catalan, or Basque background virtually unused here but ripe for import:

　　Girls

　　AINHOA

　　AITANA

　　ALBA

　　BELEN

　　CANDELA

　　INES

　　IRATI

　　LAIA

　　LEIRE

　　LORENA

　　MAR

　　MIREIA

　　NAIARA

　　NEREA

　　NOA

　　NURIA

　　ROCIO

　　YAIZA

　　Boys

　　ANDRES

　　DARIO

　　GUILLEM

　　IKER

　　JOAQUIN

　　ORIOL

　　POL

　　UNAI

　　YERAY