Cruz

♂ Boy

Pronounced KROOZ /kɹuːz/High

Meaning: From the Spanish and Portuguese word 'cruz', meaning cross, derived from Latin 'crux'. In the Christian tradition, it refers to the cross of Christ.High

In 30 seconds: Cruz is a bold, one-syllable Spanish name with the simplest and most profound meaning in Christianity: the Cross. Sharp, strong, and unmistakably Catholic in heritage.

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Origin HighSpanish, Latin, Portuguese

MeaningFrom the Spanish and Portuguese word 'cruz', meaning cross, derived from Latin 'crux'. In the Christian tradition, it refers to the cross of Christ.

U.S. rank (2025)#331 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births1,025 boys (0.06% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2013

Total births (all-time)≈ 30,780

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Cruz derives from the Latin crux, meaning cross, via the Spanish and Portuguese cruz. The cross holds central significance in Christian theology as the instrument of Christ's crucifixion. As a personal name, Cruz developed in Catholic Spain and Portugal as a devotional name honoring the Holy Cross, following the tradition of naming children after sacred symbols.

Cruz has been used as both a surname and a given name across the Spanish-speaking world for centuries. As a first name, it gained broader international attention in English-speaking circles when celebrity couple Victoria and David Beckham named their son Cruz in 2005. This gave the name a stylish, cosmopolitan profile alongside its deeply Catholic roots. It now ranks in the US top 200 boys' names.

Did you know? Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) is one of the most common place names in the Spanish-speaking world — there are major cities named Santa Cruz in Bolivia, California, Argentina, the Canary Islands, and the Philippines — all honoring the same sacred meaning as this name.

Overall data confidence 95%

Real Academia Espanola — Spanish word cruz and its Latin root cruxSocial Security Administration Name Data — US popularity trends for Cruz

Variations

Cruzito

Nicknames

Cruzy

Famous Bearers

★Cruz Beckham (2005–)
Son of David and Victoria Beckham, whose naming helped popularize Cruz in the English-speaking world.

If you like Cruz…

Felix— one or two-syllable Spanish Catholic name with a single-word Latin meaning and crisp sound

Santiago— Spanish Catholic devotional name (Saint James) with deep Iberian and Latin American heritage

Diego— Spanish classic with Catholic associations and a similarly sharp, strong character

Frequently Asked

What does the name Cruz mean?

Cruz means 'cross', from Spanish and Portuguese cruz (Latin crux) — referring to the Christian cross.

How do you pronounce Cruz?

Cruz is pronounced KROOZ (/kɹuːz/), a single syllable rhyming with 'blues'.

Is Cruz a boy or girl name?

Cruz is used predominantly as a boy's name, though it occasionally appears for girls in some Spanish-speaking communities.

How popular is Cruz?

Cruz ranks in the US top 200 boys' names and has risen since David Beckham named his son Cruz in 2005.