Begoña

Refers to Our Lady of Begoña, from the place name Begoña.

Begoña is a feminine name rooted in the Basque Country, taken from Our Lady of Begoña, the Virgin Mary venerated at the sanctuary in Bilbao. She is the patroness of Biscay. The name points to a particular place and devotion; the older meaning of Begoña as a place name remains disputed. The similar-looking flower name Begonia has a different history: it comes from the surname Bégon. That distinction gives Begoña its own story, closely tied to Bilbao, rather than a floral meaning. In Spanish, the stress falls on the middle syllable: Be-GO-ña. The ñ sounds roughly like the ny in canyon. The rounded o followed by the soft ñ and open a gives the name a warm, unhurried finish, while its clear opening keeps it from sounding wispy.

Etymology: A Marian name rooted in the Basque Country and used in Spanish. It comes from the title Nuestra Señora de Begoña; the older meaning of the place name is disputed.