Guadalupe

Guadalupe is a Spanish place name that became a personal name through devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. It is especially significant in Mexican Catholic tradition and has been used for both girls and boys. Its place-name background includes an Arabic element associated with a river or valley, while the remainder has competing explanations, including a proposed connection with wolves.

The devotional meaning is clearer than any single literal translation of the whole name. The Spanish place and its Marian tradition also precede the Mexican association, so the name’s story spans more than one location. Lupe and Lupita are familiar forms. Neither the nickname nor the religious connection requires accepting the disputed translation “valley of the wolves” as settled fact.