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Brazilian Names - Boys

Beort12
By Beort12
Updated Mon May 22 2023
Brazilian names are general very traditional, but often Brazilians will have (and use) more than one first name. Nicknames are also VERY common, although they are generally not consistent - you can call within a day the same person by several diminutives. Here I have stuck to traditional names and traditional spelling, although, like anywhere, Brazilians like to mess with spelling to make their names more "unique".
  1. Lucas

    • Origin:

      Latin form of Luke

    • Meaning:

      "man from Lucania"

    • Description:

      Lucas is a Top 10 boys' name with a slightly-less-popular almost-identical twin brother, Luke. Like Elijah and Elias, Lucas and Luke come from the same root and have the same meaning and so feel even more popular than they are.
  2. Luca

    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Luke and Lucas

    • Meaning:

      "man from Lucania"

    • Description:

      The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world.
  3. David

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "beloved"

    • Description:

      David is an enduring worldwide classic, used from ancient times to the present day.
  4. Gabriel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is my strength"

    • Description:

      Gabriel has become a biblical favorite, an angelic choice that's lighter and less patriarchal than some of his Old Testament brethren. Derived from the Hebrew name Gavri’el, Gabriel is taken from the elements gever, meaning "strong," and ’el, in reference to God.
  5. Daniel

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is my judge"

    • Description:

      Daniel is one of only a handful of male names that sounds both classic and modern, strong yet approachable, and popular but not cliched. It also has a solid Old Testament pedigree. The only real downside: There are about 10,000 Daniels named each year, making it a less than distinctive choice.
  6. Rafael

    • Origin:

      Spanish; German; Croatian; Portuguese, variation of Raphael

    • Meaning:

      "God has healed"

    • Description:

      Energetic, sunny, and slightly romantic, Rafael is a popular choice in Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia. Used internationally, Rafael is a Spanish variation of Raphael, that lends itself easily to the nicknames Rafi, Rafa and Rafe.
  7. Leandro

    • Origin:

      Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian variation of Leander

    • Meaning:

      "lion-man"

    • Description:

      Leandro is a variation of the Ancient Greek name Leander, created by combining the Latin words leo and Andro together, to get a meaning that suggests strength, power, and bravery. The Hero and Leander myth lends the name a romantic, poetical feel, while it's association to Bishop Leander of Seville gives it a more saintly quality.
  8. Nicolas

    • Origin:

      French and Spanish variation of Nicholas, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "people of victory"

    • Description:

      Nicolas is the French and Spanish form, or streamlined spelling, of Nicholas, popularized by actor Nicolas Cage. Nicolas has been consistently on the charts since Social Security began releasing data, but the name did not truly take off until around the 70s. Today Nicolas is popular among Spanish and Portuguese-speaking parents, ranking in the Top 30 in Spain, Brazil, and Chile.
  9. Thiago

    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Tiago, diminutive of Santiago

    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"

    • Description:

      Some high-profile soccer stars, such as Thiago Silva, have contributed to its success. The correct Portuguese pronunciation is chee-AH-go. Thiago is ranked Number 2 for boys in Puerto Rico.
  10. Manuel

    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Emmanuel, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "God is with us"

    • Description:

      Popular among Hispanic communities but also used internationally, Manuel is a name with a regal history.
  11. Francisco

    • Origin:

      Spanish, Portuguese

    • Meaning:

      "free man"

    • Description:

      Francisco is one of the more popular Spanish names for boys in the US, which is unsurprising given its popularity back in Spain and Portugal as well as Latin America, coupled with its classic status. It also has a cool hipster vibe to it, given the reputation of the city of San Francisco.
  12. Gustavo

    • Origin:

      Latinate variation of Gustav

    • Description:

      Well used in the Latino and Italian-American communities.
  13. Luis

    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Louis

    • Meaning:

      "renowned warrior"

    • Description:

      Luis has long been one of the most popular Hispanic names in America — it was in the Top 100 every year from 1980 to 2014, though it's dropped a bit in popularity. It's familiar, yet would add a worldly touch to a basic surname.
  14. Miguel

    • Origin:

      Spanish and Portuguese variation of Michael, Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "Who is like God"

    • Description:

      Mike Tyson put a twist on his own name by naming a son Miguel. It's the first name of Cervantes, the great Spanish novelist and poet who wrote Don Quixote.
  15. Yuri

    • Origin:

      Russian variation of George

    • Description:

      Common Russian name familiarized here via cosmonaut Yury Gagarin and a character in Dr. Zhivago, but we don't see it ever gaining permanent resident status.
  16. Rodrigo

    • Origin:

      Spanish and Portuguese variation of Roderick

    • Meaning:

      "famous ruler"

    • Description:

      Rhythmically appealing international spin on the stiff original.
  17. Marcelo

    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Marcellus

    • Meaning:

      "little warrior"

    • Description:

      Both the Spanish Marcelo and Italian Marcello would work well for children of any backgrounds. The name has been in the US Top 1000 consistently since the mid-90s and has been steadily climbing upwards. Deriving from the Roman family name, Marcellus, itself a diminutive of Marcus, Marcelo currently ranks above Marcello and Marcel in the states.
  18. Eduardo

    • Origin:

      Spanish and Italian variation of Edward

    • Meaning:

      "wealthy guardian"

    • Description:

      A stalwart of Latin nomenclature that could work just as well for Anglos. Proof lies with the celebrity birth announcement — Hilaria and Alec Baldwin named their fifth child Eduardo Pau Lucas in 2020. This doesn't seem to have much impact on other parents, though: over 900 boys received the name in 2021, but the number is steadily decreasing.
  19. Alexandre

    • Origin:

      French variation of Alexander

    • Meaning:

      "defending men"

    • Description:

      What's the difference between Alexander, the usual English spelling of this deeply classical name, and Alexandre, the French version? English speakers might find the proper French pronunciation challenging: a-lehk-SAHN-dreh, but that last syllable is barely pronounced. Americans might an an a or an ee on the end of the name, or simply pronounce it as Alexander, for better or worse.
  20. Pedro

    • Origin:

      Spanish; Portuguese variation of Peter, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "rock, stone"

    • Description:

      Pedro is one of the most familiar Spanish names for boys, via baseball star Pedro Rodriguez and many others.