304 Most Popular Portuguese Baby Names

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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
Mariano	Boy	A hostile, war-like man
Maristela	Girl	Star of the sea
Mariz	Unisex	Beloved; Admired
Marques	Boy	One who acts like the Mars, the God of war
Marquese	Boy	A man who is like Mars the God of War
Marquess	Boy	A nobleman of the hereditary rank
Marta	Girl	The Lady; The mistress
Martim	Boy	A warlike individual
Mateus	Boy	Gift of God
Matilde	Girl	Mighty in battle

Mauricio	Boy	A dark-skinned man
Mel	Unisex	Brave; Strength
Micaela	Girl	Who is like God
Miciela	Girl	A blessed gift from God
Miguel	Boy	Who is like God
Monica	Girl	Advisor; Truth
Mota	Unisex	A person who lived beside the hillock
Nadalia	Girl	Born on Christmas day
Natalia	Girl	Born on Christmas
Nathalia	Girl	Christmas day

Neiva	Unisex	Snow
Nelinha	Girl	The gem in the ocean
Nelio	Boy	The creation of a tough job
Neves	Girl	Small ice flakes that fall from white clouds
Neymar	Boy	Not accessible; Not obtainable
Nicolau	Boy	Brazilian variant of Nicholas, meaning victory of people
Noemia	Girl	Pleasantness
Nuno	Boy	The ninth grandfather; Honored
Nuria	Girl	Lord of the burning fire
Olga	Girl	Holy; Blessed

Olimpia	Girl	The one who is from the hill Olympus
Olivia	Girl	Peace; Olive tree
Paolina	Girl	A small and passionate individual
Pascoal	Boy	A variant of Pascal; Child of Easter
Patricia	Girl	Noble
Paula	Girl	Small; Humble
Paulina	Girl	Small; Humble
Paulo	Boy	One who belongs to the people
Paulos	Boy	One who does good things for people
Pedrina	Girl	Rock

Pires	Boy	Son of Pedro, or son of the one who is like a stone
Pote	Unisex	Pot; Jar
Priscila	Girl	Ancient
Quim	Boy	Established by God
Radamel	Unisex	Adventurous; Brave
Rafaela	Girl	God has healed
Ralo	Unisex	Warrior; Attractive
Raquel	Girl	The innocent ewe; Lamb
Rebeca	Girl	To tie; To bind
Remigio	Boy	A person who is a rower

Renata	Girl	Born again; Rebirth
Renda	Unisex	To weave; Net
Rida	Unisex	A God-fearing pious person who is devoted to God
Rio	Boy	One who is like the river
Rita	Girl	Pearl; A variant of name Margarita
Roberta	Girl	A woman who is acclaimed and glowing
Rodrigo	Boy	Famous ruler
Rodrigues	Unisex	famous ruler or son of Rodrigo
Ronaldo	Boy	One who advises with great power
Roque	Boy	Crow; Rook

Rosa	Girl	Rose; Dew
Rozario	Unisex	Devotion to the rosary
Rudolfo	Boy	A wolf who is a legend
Rufino	Boy	A man who has red hair
Rui	Boy	He who is known for his power and fame
Rute	Girl	A friendly woman
Rwakaikara	Boy	God of the Banyoro people
Safira	Girl	Sapphire
Samila	Unisex	Peacemaker
Santiago	Unisex	Saint James

Sara	Girl	Princess
Silva	Unisex	Family of the forest
Silvino	Boy	He who is a man from the forest
Smaragda	Girl	Emerald
Sofia	Girl	Wisdom; Learned
Sonia	Girl	Wisdom
Soraia	Unisex	Princess of the sky
Susana	Unisex	Graceful lily; Lotus
Suzana	Girl	Lily
Tadeu	Boy	Given by God

Tarso	Boy	An ancient Asian city in Turkey
Tavaris	Unisex	Of misfortune; A hermit
Telma	Girl	She who has will
Teresa	Girl	Harvester
Tereza	Girl	To harvest
Theresa	Unisex	To harvest
Thomas	Boy	Twin
Tiburcio	Boy	One who is from Tibur
Tina	Girl	A Christian girl; She who follows Christ
Tome	Boy	A twin baby boy

Tristao	Boy	A variant of Tristan, tumult or outcry
Tristessa	Girl	A hope or the hope to free from sadness
Uiara	Girl	The water lady
Ulisses	Boy	Angry; To hate
Umoja	Boy	Unity; Harmony
Vera	Girl	Faith
Veronica	Girl	She who brings victory; True image
Vianna	Unisex	Alive; Life
Vieira	Unisex	Scallop
Vierra	Unisex	Faith

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Portuguese is a distinctly beautiful language. Many parents look for Portuguese baby names to give their children melodious names with traditional values. The language subtly differs from Spanish and consists of many unique phrases that cannot be translated into English. You will undoubtedly love browsing this list and discovering plenty of unique names. You will also find biblical or mythological names if you prefer them. So, no matter the gender of your child, there's a lovely Portuguese name waiting for them.

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.

popular portuguese names for your baby (infographic)

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are some popular Portuguese names?

Francisco, Afonso, and João are among the most popular names for boys, while Maria, Alice, and Leonor are popular for baby girls.

2. How do you name a baby in Portugal?

A Portuguese name usually consists of one or two personal names, the mother's family surname and the father's surname. In formal situations, using only the last surname for simplicity is common.

3. What name means moon in Portuguese?

The Portuguese names Lua, Luan, and Louna mean ‘moon.’ These names may have been derived from the Latin term ‘Lunar.’

4. What are some unique or uncommon Portuguese names that are gaining popularity?

Alegria, meaning ‘joy,’ Chuva, meaning ‘rain,’ and Escura meaning ‘dark,’ are some examples of unique and uncommon Portuguese names that are gaining popularity.

5. What are some unisex names commonly used in Portugal?

Elyah meaning ‘my God is Yahweh,’ Noa, meaning ‘comfort’ or ‘movement,’ and Luca meaning ‘bringer of light,’ are some unisex names in Portugal.

References

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