Aranza is a Spanish short form of Arantzazu, the Basque title of the Virgin Mary venerated at the sanctuary of Arantzazu; the place name contains the Basque arantza and means "thornbush" or "place of thorns". It is popular in Mexico and arrived in the United States through Mexican American families. Aranza entered the top 1000 at number 611 in 2014, its peak, dropped out again in 2018 and ranks number 1486 in 2025.