Cruz

How to say it

/kruːz/

What it means

Spanish and Portuguese for 'cross,' a devotional name pointing to the Christian cross.

Cruz is the Spanish and Portuguese word for 'cross,' originally a devotional name and surname (as in de la Cruz) honoring the cross of Christ. It moved into first-name use as a short, punchy choice, with a celebrity nudge from Cruz Beckham. Single-syllable and crisp, it crosses easily from Latino families into broader use. Penélope Cruz keeps the surname famous too.

Heads-up notes

• Worth knowing

  A devotional name meaning 'cross'; common across Latino communities and increasingly beyond.

Who's worn it

Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.

• Cruz Beckham son of David and Victoria Beckham

Spelling variants

• Cruze
• Kruz

Names with the same feeling

• Mateo Gift of God
• Diego Supplanter
• Santiago Saint James
• Gael Joyful, or 'Gaelic'
• Enzo Ruler of the home, or short for Lorenzo

See Cruz from another angle