Paloma

About Paloma

Paloma is a Spanish name meaning “dove.” Its bird imagery is immediate in Spanish, while its history also includes devotion to Madrid's Virgen de la Paloma. Jewelry designer Paloma Picasso supplies another recognizable connection. Three open syllables give the name a flowing rhythm, with the strongest emphasis in the middle.

Meaning and origin

The Spanish word paloma means “dove” or “pigeon.” It developed from Latin words for the wood pigeon, including palumbus and palumbes. As a personal name, Paloma carries the familiar bird word directly into naming rather than shortening a longer traditional name.

Dove offers an English comparison in meaning, although it is a translation rather than a spelling variant. Paloma has its own established Spanish use and religious history. This distinguishes it from a recently invented nature name chosen solely for the image of a bird.

Madrid and the Virgen de la Paloma

Paloma's devotional connection is with the Virgen de la Paloma in Madrid. The name refers to a Marian image and the religious tradition surrounding it. In that setting, the bird word and the title of the Virgin meet within the same personal name.

The annual procession takes place on August 15, the feast of the Assumption. The parish's account describes this as Madrid's day of the Virgen de la Paloma, placing the name within a living neighborhood celebration rather than only an old calendar of saints.

That association gives Paloma a particular geographical setting. Its history is tied to Madrid even though the Spanish word itself is understood much more widely. For a reader encountering the name through its literal meaning, the devotional tradition adds another substantial part of its story.

Paloma Picasso

Paloma Picasso was born in Vallauris in 1949, the daughter of artists Pablo Picasso and Françoise Gilot. Her own career developed in design, including jewelry and perfume. Her first name became part of a public creative identity distinct from the fame of her parents.

Her collaboration with Tiffany & Co. began in 1980. The company's account connects the invitation to an earlier exhibition of her table-setting designs. Her jewelry brought references from city life into precious materials, with graffiti providing inspiration for one of her recognizable collections.

This association links Paloma with modern design as well as traditional Spanish naming. It also gives the name a well-known adult bearer whose work can be encountered in objects and collections, rather than only in a biographical list.

Pronunciation and popularity

In Spanish, Paloma is pronounced pah-LOH-mah, with three syllables and the stress on the middle one. The l is a single consonant, and each written vowel has a place in the spoken name.

In the United States, Paloma was given to 411 girls in 2009, ranking #706. In 2025, 343 girls received it, at #793. Those figures show an established but relatively uncommon American presence for the exact spelling, alongside its longer Spanish history.

How popular is Paloma?

In 2025, Paloma ranked #793 among girls in the United States, with 343 recorded uses. The U.S. birth records first list this spelling for girls in 1921; its largest annual count was 411 in 2009. Rankings count each spelling separately. They describe national use, so local familiarity can differ. The popularity chart shows whether the name has remained common, returned after a quieter period, or risen recently.