Speaking guides

How to say 'What is her name?' in Spanish

Updated 2026-09-20

A woman introducing another woman in a casual Spanish conversation

To ask "What is her name?" in Spanish, say ¿Cómo se llama ella? (neutral) or ¿Cuál es su nombre? (slightly more formal). Both work for asking about a woman's name; the first is the everyday choice, the second appears in polite or written contexts. Practice the question aloud with a Langel until the rhythm feels natural—about five minutes is enough.

The two everyday forms

¿Cómo se llama ella? KOH-moh seh YAH-mah EH-yah This is the most common way to ask. Se llama is the third-person singular of llamarse (to be called), and ella makes it clear you're asking about a woman. You'll hear it in any conversation: ¿Cómo se llama ella? Se llama María.

¿Cuál es su nombre? KWAHL ehs soo NOHM-breh Literally "What is her name?" — su covers both "her" and "his" (and formal "your"). It sounds a touch more formal, so you'll see it in emails, introductions, or when speaking to someone you'd address as usted.

When to add ella and when to drop it

In ¿Cómo se llama ella?, the ella is optional but helpful for clarity. Without it, ¿Cómo se llama? could mean "What's his name?", "What's her name?", or even "What's your name?" (formal). Add ella when the context doesn't make the person obvious: Esa mujer de la foto… ¿cómo se llama ella?

With ¿Cuál es su nombre?, the su already signals third person, so ella isn't used. You'd simply say ¿Cuál es su nombre? and the listener knows you mean "her" (or "his") from context.

Answering the question

The reply mirrors the verb:

Both are neutral. If you're introducing someone, Se llama… flows better in speech; Su nombre es… appears more in writing.

Common mistakes a Langel will catch

A Langel repeats the correct form inside her reply so you hear the contrast without a grammar lecture.

Practice pattern with a Langel

  1. Start with the dial on Talk to me. Run the exchange three times:

- You: ¿Cómo se llama ella? - Langel: Se llama Lucía. - You: ¿Cuál es su nombre? - Langel: Su nombre es Lucía.

  1. Nudge the dial toward Teach me and ask: "Why se and not te?" The Langel explains the reflexive pronoun shift for third person without jargon.
  2. Slide back to Talk to me and keep speaking—maybe add a follow-up: ¿De dónde es ella?

Five minutes of this loop builds the muscle memory better than an hour of flashcards.

With a Langel

> You: ¿Cómo se llama ella? > Langel: ¿Cómo se llama ella? > You: Se llama Carmen. > Langel: Se llama Carmen. > You: ¿Cuál es su nombre? > Langel: ¿Cuál es su nombre? > You: Su nombre es Carmen. > Langel: Su nombre es Carmen.

Frequently asked questions

Is ¿Cómo se llama ella? only for women?

No. ¿Cómo se llama? works for anyone. Add él for "him" (¿Cómo se llama él?) or drop the pronoun when context is clear. Ella simply specifies "she."

Can I use ¿Cuál es su nombre? for a man?

Yes. Su covers "his," "her," "your" (formal), and "their." The phrase is gender-neutral.

What's the difference between se llama and su nombre es?

Se llama = "is called" (verb llamarse). Su nombre es = "her name is" (noun + ser). Both answer the question; se llama is more conversational, su nombre es slightly more formal.

Do I need the upside-down question marks?

In writing, yes—Spanish uses ¿ at the start and ? at the end. In speech they're invisible, but a Langel will model the intonation so your voice does the work.

Lucía
LucíaEspañol
Talk to Lucía in Español →

Related guides