292 Portuguese Baby Names From The Atlantic Coast

There are very few languages as beautiful as Portuguese. Abundant in soft vowels and vibrant consonants, the language is mainly spoken in Portugal, Brazil, and some regions of Guinea—Bissau, Mozambique, and Angola (1). Portuguese baby names will appeal to those with Portuguese heritage or who simply want a melodic name for their child. This country of port wine, Christiano Ronaldo, the Fado and Saudade musical styles, and the capoeira has a well-defined yet flexible naming system. The Portuguese law establishes that a child must be given at least one first name and one surname. The maximum number of surnames allowed is four. A few naming laws limit the parents to only traditional Portuguese names. However, a positive consequence of these rules is the rise of a wide variety of diminutives, commonly ending with -inho for boys and -inha for girls (2). A Portuguese title comprises one or more given names, followed by some family names. Typically, the first surname is taken from the maternal side, and the second is taken from the paternal side. These surnames may be written separately or joined with e. But for official surnames, individuals can use only one surname, typically the last one. After marrying, a woman can keep her maiden name or add her husband’s paternal family name to her name. Also, she may add both the husband’s family names to hers or remove her maternal family name, substituting it with her husband’s paternal family name (2). The Bible or saints inspire most first names in Portugal, a 97% Roman Catholic country. Portuguese first names have distinctive pronunciations. Wherever possible, first names in this country end with -ez, and family names usually end in -es. This is an important distinction between Portuguese and Spanish naming conventions because the latter is directly opposite to this rule. Thus, Luiz Gomes is Portuguese, but Luis Gomez is Spanish (2). You can browse our complete list of Portuguese baby names with meanings below to find the perfect one for your child.

Name		Gender	Meaning
Olivia		Girl	Peace; Olive tree
Amelia		Girl	Hardworking and industrious
Emilia		Girl	Rival; To emulate; Excel
Thomas		Boy	Twin
Alice		Girl	Noble; Kind
Natalia		Girl	Born on Christmas
Jose		Boy	God will give
Eva		Girl	Life; The living one
Liliana		Girl	Lily; Purity; Innocence
Maria		Girl	Bitter
Lucia		Girl	Light
Isabel		Girl	God is my oath
Andrea		Girl	Defender of mankind
Miguel		Boy	Who is like God
Abel		Boy	Breath
Sara		Girl	Princess
Emilio		Boy	Someone who tries to emulate; A rival
Vera		Girl	Faith
Ana		Girl	Favor; Grace; Merciful
Mariana		Girl	Star of the sea
Daniela		Girl	God is my judge
Lucille		Girl	Light; To shine
Francisco		Boy	Frenchman; Free man
Lia		Girl	Weary; Relaxed
Aitana		Girl	Our people
Fatima		Girl	Captivating one
Laura		Girl	Laurel; Victory
Veronica		Girl	She who brings victory; True image
Adelina		Girl	Noble; Nobility
Bianca		Girl	Light; White; Pure
Esmeralda		Girl	Emerald
Amanda		Girl	One who is made for love and respect; Loved by others
Mae		Girl	A bitter pearl
Carolina		Girl	Strong and free woman
Renata		Girl	Born again; Rebirth
Analia		Girl	Gracious; Merciful; Favor
Amalia		Girl	To work; Industrious
Rodrigo		Boy	Famous ruler
Gloria		Girl	Praise; Immortal glory; Renown
Fernanda		Girl	Adventurous; Bold journey
Rosa		Girl	Rose; Dew
Lina		Girl	Tender; Sunlight
Lara		Girl	Protection; Water fairy
Monica		Girl	Advisor; Truth
Mauricio		Boy	A dark-skinned man
Paulina		Girl	Small; Humble
Paula		Girl	Small; Humble
Teresa		Girl	Harvester
Isabela		Girl	God is my oath
Linda		Girl	Beautiful; Soft
Alfonso		Boy	Ready; Prepared
Raquel		Girl	The innocent ewe; Lamb
Luisa		Girl	Famous warrior
Nathalia		Girl	Christmas day
Micaela		Girl	Who is like God
Carla		Girl	Free woman
Mariano		Boy	A hostile, war-like man
Antonia		Girl	Beautiful; Priceless; Praiseworthy
Patricia		Girl	Noble
Sonia		Girl	Wisdom
Lorena		Girl	From Laurentum; Laurel
Cristina		Girl	Christian; Followers of Christ
Rebeca		Girl	To tie; To bind
Ines		Girl	Pure
Humberto		Boy	A famous fighter
Inez		Girl	Pure; Holy
Lidia		Girl	A person who is from Lydia
Neymar		Boy	Not accessible; Not obtainable
Leticia		Girl	Joy; Gladness
Davi		Boy	Beloved
Izabel		Girl	Brazilian version of Isabel; My God is an oath
Estela		Girl	A Spanish word for stars in the sky
Paulo		Boy	One who belongs to the people
Luana		Girl	Lion; Happiness
Beatriz		Girl	Brings joy; Blessed; Happy
Ronaldo		Boy	One who advises with great power
Joao		Boy	Jehovah has been gracious; Jehovah has shown favor
Catarina		Girl	Pure; Clear
Priscila		Girl	Ancient
Manuela		Girl	God is with us
Mateus		Boy	Gift of God
Vianna		Unisex	Alive; Life
Marta		Girl	The Lady; The mistress
Joana		Girl	God is gracious
Carlota		Girl	A strong woman
Elder		Boy	One who has deep connection with the God
Olga		Girl	Holy; Blessed
Adelaida		Girl	Noble kind; Adorned
Roberta		Girl	A woman who is acclaimed and glowing
Rui		Boy	He who is known for his power and fame
Joaquim		Boy	Raised by Yahweh; Established by Yahweh
Leonor		Girl	Light; Luminous; Torch
Rafaela		Girl	God has healed
Christiano		Boy	Follower of Christ
Matilde		Girl	Mighty in battle
Fia		Girl	One who makes a dark peace; Daughter in Italian
Roque		Boy	Crow; Rook
Marques		Boy	One who acts like the Mars, the God of war
Bibiana		Girl	Lively; Dynamic
Jacinta		Girl	Hyacinth flower

Infographic: Profound Portuguese Names For Babies

Portuguese baby names reflect the country’s cultural wealth. These names celebrate the country’s rich history and have deep cultural significance. So, do you want to give a Portuguese name to your baby? Delve into the infographic below as we bring you culturally-rich names from the region and meanings for boys and girls.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team