Encanto-Inspired Baby Names: Magical Picks from the Madrigal Family

Disney’s Encanto (2021) drops us into a house that is alive. The Madrigal family lives in a sentient casita folded into the green Colombian mountains, and almost every child, on a certain birthday, receives a magical “gift” from a glowing candle — super-strength, healing, the ability to talk to animals, to control the weather, or to make flowers erupt from the walls. The story belongs to Mirabel, the one grandchild who never got a gift, and who turns out to be exactly what her fracturing family needs.

With Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songs (yes, including the one we are apparently not supposed to talk about) and a cast of warm, specific relatives, the film handed American parents a roster of beautiful Spanish names. Here is the honest part most name lists skip: almost none of these were invented for the movie. They are real, established Hispanic names, many of them centuries old, that Encanto simply introduced to a wider US audience.

So the useful question is not “which Madrigal had the best gift” but “which of these names actually work on a real child in 2026?” Some are effortless and already climbing. A couple are gorgeous but carry weight you should know about. Below, sorted by their place in the family, with true etymologies and frank notes.

The Madrigal sisters

Mirabel and her two older sisters anchor the film, and as a trio they make a surprisingly strong shortlist of girl names — one familiar, one underused, one freshly charming.

• Isabela (Spanish) — the eldest sister, the “perfect” one who makes flowers and vines bloom. Isabela is a Spanish form of Isabella/Elizabeth, ultimately from Hebrew Elisheva, “my God is an oath.” Note the spelling: the film uses the single-L Isabela, which is the standard Spanish form, while Isabella with two L’s is the more common US spelling. Both are deeply wearable. Ranks No. 644.
• Isabella (Spanish/Italian) — the double-L spelling, included for parents who want the Encanto association with the more familiar US look. A perennial favorite. Ranks No. 7.
• Luisa (Spanish) — the middle sister with super-strength who carries the family’s burdens, literally and otherwise. Luisa is the Spanish feminine of Louis, from Germanic roots meaning “renowned warrior.” It is sturdy, soft-sounding, and genuinely underused in the US — a lovely, strong choice that has aged well. Ranks No. 869.
• Mirabel (Latin) — the gift-less heroine whose ordinary love is the real magic. Mirabel comes from Latin mirabilis, “wonderful, admirable” — the same root as “miracle.” That makes it quietly perfect for the film’s theme, and it is eminently beautiful and wearable, with a vintage charm and the easy nickname Mira.

The wider family

Beyond the three sisters, the Madrigal cousins, aunts, and uncles fill out a generous spread of Latina and Latino names. This is where a few of the film’s most surprising hits live — including the boy everyone sings about.

• Antonio (Latin) — the youngest cousin, who receives the gift of talking to animals. Antonio is the Spanish and Italian form of the Roman family name Antonius; the “priceless/praiseworthy” gloss is a later, affectionate folk meaning rather than a proven origin. Warm, classic, and very wearable, with Tonio or Tono as friendly nicknames. Ranks No. 180.
• Camilo (Latin) — the shapeshifting cousin and family charmer. Camilo is the Spanish form of Camillus, an old Roman name once given to youths who served at sacred rites. It needs no nickname, sounds smooth and modern, and is a genuinely charming rising pick.
• Bruno (Germanic) — the misunderstood uncle who sees the future and gets exiled to the walls. Bruno comes from a Germanic root meaning “brown.” “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” turned it into one of the most-sung names of its year, and the irony is that the song made it more lovable, not less. Friendly, vintage-cool, and very wearable. Ranks No. 701.
• Félix (Latin) — Pepa’s easygoing, joyful husband. Félix means “happy, lucky” in Latin, and the name lives up to it. The accent is optional in English use; either way it is a cheerful, established choice on the rise. Ranks No. 177.
• Dolores (Spanish) — the cousin with super-hearing. Here is the honest flag: Dolores comes from María de los Dolores, “Mary of the Sorrows,” and the literal meaning is “sorrows” or “pains.” It is a real, traditional name with deep Catholic roots and a sweet nickname in Lola — but parents should choose it knowing what it means rather than by sound alone.
• Julieta (Spanish) — Mirabel’s mother, who heals people with the food she cooks. Julieta is the Spanish form of Juliet/Julia, from the Roman family name Julius. Romantic, melodic, and a fresh alternative to the more common Julia. Ranks No. 347.
• Pepa (Spanish) — the aunt whose moods literally change the weather. Honest note: Pepa is a casual Spanish nickname for Josefa, not a formal given name. It is endearing as a pet name but unusual as a legal first name; consider Josefa on the birth certificate if you love the connection.
• Agustín (Latin) — Mirabel’s gentle, accident-prone father. Agustín is the Spanish form of Augustine/Augustus, from Latin augustus, “majestic, venerable.” Distinguished without being stuffy, and warmer than the English Augustine. Ranks No. 865.

The elders and founders

The family’s story begins with Abuela Alma and her late husband Pedro — the couple whose sacrifice created the miracle in the first place. Their names are among the most quietly beautiful in the film.

• Alma (Spanish/Latin) — the matriarch, Abuela, who holds the family together by holding on too tightly. Alma means “soul” in Spanish (from Latin almus, “nourishing, kind”). It is short, luminous, cross-cultural, and among the most wearable picks the film gives us. Ranks No. 472.
• Pedro (Greek/Spanish) — Abuela’s husband, who dies protecting his family at the start of the story. Pedro is the Spanish form of Peter, from Greek petros, “rock, stone.” Steady, classic, and a handsome Spanish-language staple. Ranks No. 401.

Beautiful Spanish names from the film’s world

One of the best things Encanto did was put established Colombian and Spanish names in front of US parents who had not considered them. If you love the sound but want something slightly off the obvious Madrigal roster, these picks share the film’s spirit — melodic, traditional, and ready to wear.

• Camila (Latin) — the feminine of Camilo, sharing the same Roman root. Already a major hit in the US and a natural sister name to the film’s Camilo. Ranks No. 11.
• Mateo (Hebrew/Spanish) — not a Madrigal, but the kind of warm Colombian boy name that lives in the film’s world. Mateo is the Spanish form of Matthew, “gift of God.” Ranks No. 7.
• Valentina (Latin) — from valens, “strong, healthy.” A lush, popular pick that fits the film’s romantic, mountain-village register. Ranks No. 47.
• Emilio (Latin) — from the Roman Aemilius; smooth, classic, and squarely at home among the Madrigal men. Ranks No. 152.

Why these names feel so rooted

Part of what makes Encanto’s names land is that the filmmakers did their homework. The Madrigals are placed in a specific cultural world — the green coffee-country mountains of Colombia, a multigenerational household, Catholic naming traditions, and the rhythm of Spanish vowels that Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songs lean into. The names were not picked to sound exotic; they sound the way a real Colombian family of that era plausibly would.

That authenticity is exactly why they translate so well into real life. A name like Alma or Pedro is not a costume — it is a living name carried by millions of Spanish speakers today. Choosing one connects your child to the film, yes, but also to a much older and deeper tradition. If your family has Colombian or broader Hispanic roots, these names can honor heritage and a beloved story at once. If it does not, they remain perfectly respectful choices, used here as the genuine names they have always been rather than invented fantasy words.

It is also worth noticing the generational layering. Abuela’s generation carries grand, devotional names (Alma, Pedro). The parents’ generation softens into warm classics (Julieta, Félix, Agustín). The youngest cousins get the freshest, most playful forms (Antonio, Camilo, Mirabel). That arc is a useful map: if you want a name that reads timeless, look to the elders; if you want something current and lively, look to the kids.

Gorgeous but loaded — choose with eyes open

A few Encanto names sound lovely but carry meanings or forms worth weighing before you commit.

• Dolores revisited: a real, dignified traditional name, but “sorrows” is a heavy thing to hand a child. The Lola nickname softens it considerably if the sound is what you love.
• Madrigal itself is the family surname — and, fittingly for a musical, a madrigal is a type of unaccompanied part-song. It is evocative, and we understand the temptation, but it reads firmly as a surname or word-name rather than a first name. Better admired than used.

How to choose your Encanto name

A few practical notes for turning a Madrigal into a real first name:

Mind the spelling. The film’s Isabela (one L) is the correct Spanish form and a beautiful choice; just know most Americans will default to Isabella. Decide which you want before the birth certificate, because corrections are a hassle.

Separate names from nicknames. Pepa is charming but informal; if you want it on paper, build it on Josefa. The same logic protects you with Lola (from Dolores) and Mira (from Mirabel).

Lean into the underused ones. Familiar Encanto names like Isabella, Camila, and Valentina are already popular. The film’s quieter treasures — Luisa, Mirabel, Alma, Julieta, Camilo — give you the connection without the crowd, and they pair naturally with magical and nature themes that run through the story.

Think in pairs. Because the Madrigals come as a family, several of these names sit beautifully beside each other for siblings. Isabela and Luisa already are sisters; Camilo and Camila make a natural twin or sibling set; Alma and Pedro echo the founding couple; and a softer trio like Mirabel, Julieta, and Alma shares the film’s gentle, vowel-rich music without sounding matchy. If you are naming more than one child, picking from a single coherent world like this gives a sibling set a quiet through-line.

Here is the full Madrigal-and-friends list with origins and meanings, lightly sorted so you can scan for your favorite.

Quick reference list

• Isabela (Spanish) — “my God is an oath”; the flower-growing eldest sister; one-L Encanto spelling. Ranks No. 644.
• Isabella (Spanish/Italian) — double-L US-standard spelling of the same name. Ranks No. 7.
• Luisa (Spanish) — “renowned warrior”; the super-strong middle sister; underused gem. Ranks No. 869.
• Mirabel (Latin) — “wonderful, admirable”; the gift-less heroine; nickname Mira.
• Camila (Latin) — feminine of Camilo; popular and warm. Ranks No. 11.
• Julieta (Spanish) — form of Juliet; Mirabel’s healing mother. Ranks No. 347.
• Alma (Spanish/Latin) — “soul”; the matriarch Abuela; cross-cultural and luminous. Ranks No. 472.
• Dolores (Spanish) — “sorrows”; super-hearing cousin; loaded meaning, sweet Lola nickname.
• Josefa (Hebrew/Spanish) — formal name behind the nickname Pepa, the weather-controlling aunt.
• Valentina (Latin) — “strong, healthy”; lush and popular. Ranks No. 47.
• Antonio (Latin) — Roman family name; the animal-talking youngest cousin. Ranks No. 180.
• Camilo (Latin) — old Roman name; the shapeshifting charmer.
• Bruno (Germanic) — “brown”; the exiled fortune-teller; made famous by the song. Ranks No. 701.
• Félix (Latin) — “happy, lucky”; Pepa’s joyful husband. Ranks No. 177.
• Agustín (Latin) — “majestic, venerable”; Mirabel’s gentle father. Ranks No. 865.
• Pedro (Greek/Spanish) — “rock, stone”; Abuela’s late husband, the founder. Ranks No. 401.
• Mateo (Hebrew/Spanish) — “gift of God”; in the film’s warm Colombian register. Ranks No. 7.
• Emilio (Latin) — from Aemilius; smooth and classic. Ranks No. 152.

That is the gift of Encanto for name-hunters: not a pile of made-up movie words, but a doorway into real, time-tested Spanish names — soulful Alma, sturdy Luisa, wonder-rooted Mirabel, and a Bruno we are, in fact, very happy to talk about. Pick the one whose meaning you would be proud to explain when your child is old enough to ask. The best movie-inspired names are the ones that outlast the movie — and these, having existed long before the casita ever appeared on screen, are built to do exactly that.