304 Portuguese Baby Names With Meanings

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
Vitalina		Girl	Vibrant and full of life
Vitor		Boy	Victorious or conqueror
Wanderlei		Unisex	To wander; To roam
Zebra		Unisex	A type of wild horse native to Africa

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

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