How to Say "to name" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “to name” is “llamar” — use 'llamar' when you are simply giving a name to a person, pet, or object, like deciding on a baby's name or a nickname.
llamar
ya-marʝaˈmaɾ
Examples
Decidieron llamar al perro 'Fido'.
They decided to name the dog 'Fido'.
En el trabajo me llaman 'el nuevo'.
At work they call me 'the new guy'.
A eso yo lo llamo una buena idea.
That's what I call a good idea.
'llamar' vs. 'llamarse'
Mistake: “Él llama Juan.”
Correction: Él se llama Juan. Use 'llamar' when you are actively calling someone a name ('Le llaman Juan'). Use 'llamarse' to say what someone's name IS ('His name is Juan').
nombrar
nom-BRAHRnomˈbɾaɾ
Examples
Ella no quiso nombrar a sus amigos.
She didn't want to name her friends.
Por favor, nombra tres colores en español.
Please, name three colors in Spanish.
Me olvidé de nombrar ese detalle en la reunión.
I forgot to mention that detail in the meeting.
The Personal 'A'
When you use this verb to talk about a specific person, you must put the word 'a' before their name. For example: 'Nombro a María'.
Nombrar vs. Llamar
Use 'nombrar' when listing names or mentioning someone. Use 'llamar' when you are saying what someone is called or when you are shouting for them.
Missing the 'A'
Mistake: “No quiero nombrar mi hermano.”
Correction: No quiero nombrar a mi hermano. (In Spanish, specific people who receive an action need 'a' before them.)
bautizar
bau-tee-sarbau̯tiˈθaɾ
Examples
Mañana van a bautizar a mi sobrino.
Tomorrow they are going to baptize my nephew.
Sus amigos lo bautizaron como 'El Flaco'.
His friends nicknamed him 'The Skinny One'.
El capitán bautizó el barco con una botella de champán.
The captain christened the ship with a bottle of champagne.
The 'Z' to 'C' Spelling Change
In Spanish, the letter 'z' usually changes to a 'c' before the letter 'e'. This is why the 'yo' form in the past is 'bauticé' and not 'bautizé'. It sounds the same, it's just a spelling rule!
Using 'a' with People
When you baptize a person, you must use the 'personal a'. For example: 'Bautizar a María' (to baptize Maria).
Spelling Error in Past Tense
Mistake: “Yo bautizé al bebé.”
Correction: Yo bauticé al bebé. Remember that 'z' becomes 'c' before 'e'.
identificar
ee-den-tee-fee-KARi.ðen.ti.fiˈkaɾ
Examples
Pudimos identificar la causa del problema rápidamente.
We were able to identify the cause of the problem quickly.
La policía identificó al sospechoso por las cámaras de seguridad.
The police identified the suspect using the security cameras.
Necesitas identificar tu equipaje antes de salir del aeropuerto.
You need to identify (tag/claim) your luggage before leaving the airport.
The 'c' to 'qu' Spelling Rule
In the Preterite 'yo' form (identifiqué) and the Subjunctive, the 'c' changes to 'qu' to keep the hard 'k' sound that the verb has in its base form. This is very common for -car verbs!
Forgetting the Spelling Change
Mistake: “Yo identificé (Incorrect spelling in preterite)”
Correction: Yo identifiqué. The 'c' must change to 'qu' before 'e' to maintain the correct pronunciation.
designar
deh-seen-yardesiɣˈnaɾ
Examples
El director designó a María para liderar el proyecto.
The director appointed María to lead the project.
Me designaron como el encargado de las llaves.
They named me as the person in charge of the keys.
Es necesario designar a un representante legal pronto.
It is necessary to appoint a legal representative soon.
The 'Personal A'
Since this word often refers to people being appointed, you must use the word 'a' before the person: 'Designaron A Pedro' (They appointed Pedro).
Passive Sentence Structure
This word is often used in the passive form to say someone 'was appointed' using 'ser': 'Fue designado' (He was appointed).
Confusing Designar with Diseñar
Mistake: “Quiero designar un vestido.”
Correction: Quiero 'diseñar' un vestido. 'Designar' means to appoint a person or pick a place, while 'diseñar' means to design or sketch something artistic.
denominar
deh-noh-mee-nahrdenomiˈnaɾ
Examples
Los científicos decidieron denominar a la nueva especie en honor al investigador.
The scientists decided to name the new species after the researcher.
Este proceso se suele denominar 'oxidación'.
This process is usually called 'oxidation'.
El comité puede denominar a un representante para la reunión.
The committee can designate a representative for the meeting.
Using 'a' with People
When you are naming a specific person, you must use the 'personal a' before their name or title: 'Denominaron a Juan como líder'.
Formal Contexts
While 'llamar' is used for names in casual settings, use 'denominar' when discussing scientific terms, official titles, or formal categories.
Casual Introductions
Mistake: “Me denomino Carlos.”
Correction: Me llamo Carlos. 'Denominar' is too formal for introducing yourself to a friend.
nominar
noh-mee-nahrnomiˈnaɾ
Examples
El botánico decidió nominar la planta según su región.
The botanist decided to name the plant according to its region.
Naming vs. Proposing
While 'nominar' can mean 'to name' in high-level academic Spanish, 99% of people will use 'nombrar' or 'llamar' instead.
Llamar vs. Nombrar
Related Translations
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