Save Type Surname (from location) Usage Spanish Pronounced Pron. a-LAM-bra [key·IPA] Meaning & History Refers to the Alhambra, a palace complex located in Granada, Spain. The name itself is derived from Arabic الْحَمْرَاء (Al-Ḥamrā) meaning "the red one" or, ultimately, from Arabic أَحْمَر (ʾaḥmar) "red".