Nickname help!
We want to name our baby Penelope but we can’t decide on a nickname? Help!
Brazilian names are inspired by Latin languages (especially Portuguese, of course) as well as Brazil’s indigenous cultures.
So there are hundreds of beautiful Brazilian baby boy names to choose from!
So whether your little one has Brazilian heritage, or you’re just looking for a name with some South American flair, we’ve got you covered.
To get you going, we’ve put together this list of our favorite 76 Brazilian baby boy names.
In this article: 📝
- What are some Brazilian boy names?
- What is the rarest Brazilian boy’s name?
- What is the most common boy name in Brazil?
- What is a badass name for a boy?
- What are some native Brazilian boy names?
What are some Brazilian boy names?
If you’re considering a Brazilian name for a boy, there are many to choose from.
We’ve listed some of our favorites and their meanings:
- Adriano. A Latin name meaning “one who comes from Adria” or Northern Italy. It’s also the name of the famous Brazilian soccer player Adriano “Emperor” Ribeiro.
- Afonso. A Portuguese name that means “noble” and “brave.”
- Benicio. “Blessed”
- Bento. A Portuguese derivative of “Benedict,” meaning “blessed” or “well spoken of.”
- Bernardo. This name means “strong as a bear,” so watch out when your baby boy starts moving!
- Bruno. The meaning of this Portuguese and Italian name is simple – “brown” – but it still packs a punch.
- Caio. This super sweet Brazilian name means “happy.”
- Cristiano. Yes, like that soccer player. It means “Christian man.”
- Damião. It’s the Portuguese version of Damian, but it comes from the Greek for “to tame.”
- Danilo. It means “God is my judge.”
- Davi. This adorable Portuguese name means “beloved,” just like your peanut.
- Diego. This Spanish and Portuguese name is related to the name Santiago and also to the English name James.
- Eduardo. “Guardian of wealth”
- Edvaldo. It means: “one whose strength resides in wealth.”
- Emanuel. A Hebrew name meaning “God is with us.”
- Enzo. More popular as an Italian name but also used in Brazil, it means “one who rules the home” – perfect for those little ones who take charge.
- Estevão. A Spanish origin name meaning “crown.”
- Felipe. A really popular Brazilian name with Greek origins. It means “friend of the horses.”
- Flavio. It means “golden” and “blonde.”
- Gael. The name is actually of Celtic origin, and it means “healer.”
- Guilherme. The Portuguese variation of William, it means “determined protector.”
- Gilberto. It means “bright promise.”
- Heitor. Popular across the continent, this name means “holding fast.”
- Henrique. Perfect for your own little prince, this name means “prince or lord of home.”
- Horácio. From Latin, this name means “timekeeper.”
- Isaque. Derived from Hebrew, this adorable name means “the one who laughs.”
- Joaquim. It means “established by God.”
- Luciano. Popular also in Spanish and Italian-speaking countries, it means “light.”
- Mathues. It means “gift from God.”
- Manuel. Similar to the name Emanuel above, it also means “God is with us.”
- Marcelo. If having a simultaneously cute and powerful name is your thing, this name means “little warrior.”
- Murilo. This adorable name originally meant “small wall.”
- Nelson. It can mean “son of Nell” or “son of Eleanor,” both of which mean “son of a champion.”
- Norberto. It means “bright North.”
- Octávio. Technically “eighth son,” but definitely doesn’t mean you need to be on baby number 8 to go for this beautiful name.
- Orlando. From the Germanic “hrod,” meaning “famous” and “land,” it literally means “famous land.”
- Osvaldo. Another German name, it means “God’s power.”
- Paco. This cute baby boy’s name means “free” and is a popular nickname for Francisco.
- Pascoal. Ideal for a springtime baby, this name means “one born on Easter day.”
- Rafael. “God has healed”
- Reginaldo. This Latin name means “ruler’s advisor.”
- Renato. “To be born again”
- Ricardo. The Portuguese and Spanish variation of Richard, it means “brave ruler.”
- Roberto. Meaning “bright fame,” this one lends itself to a host of nicknames, including Bobby and Beto.
- Ronaldo. Associated with many famous Brazilian soccer players, this name means “advice ruler.”
- Rodrigo. “Famous ruler”
- Salvador. This name means “savior” in Portuguese.
- Santiago. The Spanish name for Saint James.
- Sebastião. It means “venerable” or “revered.”
- Thiago or Tiago. “May God protect”
- Tomás. Like its English version, Thomas, this name means “twin.”
- Teodoro. This Portuguese name means “God’s gift.”
- Vicente. This Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese name means “to conquer.”
- Vitor. It means “champion,” perfect for a baby who has already won your heart.
What is the rarest Brazilian boy’s name?
If you want your baby to stand out from the crowd, you might want to consider some of these unique Brazilian names for boys:
- Abilo. No pressure, baby, but this name means “one who is skilled in whatever he does.”
- Luan. This rare but handsome Portuguese name means “moon.”
- Thales. This Greek origin name means “to blossom.”
- Kaique. This indigenous Brazilian name means “water bird.”
- Kauê. This gentle indigenous name means “kind man.”
- Gasper. “Treasurer”
- Vanderlei. This name comes from the Dutch surname “van der Leij” and has roots in the Dutch colonization of Brazil in the 1600s. “Wanderley” is an intriguing variation.
What is the most common boy name in Brazil?
If those names are a bit too unusual, maybe a popular name is more your thing?
If you’re looking for a Brazilian male name that’s a little more common, you’re sure to fall in love with one of these names:
- José. A Latin name meaning “God will give.”
- Gabriel. Just like the angel, this name means “messenger of God.”
- João. Meaning “graced by God,” this is the Portuguese version of John.
- Antonio. A Latin name believed to mean “priceless,” just like your little peanut.
- Jorge. This popular name originally comes from Greek and means “farmer.”
- Pedro. It’s the Portuguese and Spanish variation of Peter and perfect for pairing with another Brazilian name like João or Miguel.
- Carlos. “Free man”
- Lucas. This handsome name means “bringer of light.”
- Marcos. This name derives from Mars, the Roman god of war.
What is a badass name for a boy?
If you’re looking for a badass name for your son, Brazil has you covered:
- Cauã. This cool indigenous Brazilian name means “hawk.”
- Hélio. A Greek origin name meaning “sun.”
- Júlio. This powerful name is mostly associated with the Roman God Jupiter, the god of sky and thunder.
- Leandro. A blend of the Latin words “Leo,” which means “lion,” and “Andro,” which means “man,” you can see why naming your peanut “Lion-man” would be a pretty badass thing to do.
- Oscar. It might look unassuming at first, but this name means “spear of the Gods.”
- Inacio. Look out, mama, this name means “fiery one.”
What are some native Brazilian boy names?
After something with some history?
These native Brazilian names come from the indigenous Brazilian people, such as Tupi, and Guarani.
- Acauã. Meaning “hawk” in Tupi-Guarani.
- Araribóia. Meaning “red macaw” in Tupi.
- Anhanguera. Meaning “devil” or “evil spirit” in Tupi.
- Aruanã. Meaning “river dolphin” in Tupi.
- Caiapó. Meaning “forest man” in Tupi.
- Cauê. Meaning “mountain” in Tupi.
- Caubi. Meaning “white man” in Tupi.
- Guará. Meaning “red fox” in Tupi.
- Guaraci. Meaning “sun” in Tupi.
- Iberê. Meaning “archer” in Tupi.
- Irajá. Meaning “honey lips” in Tupi.
- Irapuã. Meaning “valiant warrior” in Tupi.
- Itamar. Meaning “rock of the sea” in Tupi.
- Jandira. Meaning “bee” in Tupi.
- Jatobá. Meaning “hardwood tree” in Tupi.
- Juruá. Meaning “black water river” in Tupi.
- Karan. Meaning “horn” in Tupi.
- Karuê. Meaning “fisherman” in Tupi.
- Kiriri. Meaning “swift” in Tupi.
- Maracajá. Meaning “ocelot” in Tupi.
- Marajó. Meaning “island of the macaws” in Tupi.
- Moacir. Meaning “son of the sorceress” in Tupi.
- Potiguara. Meaning “friendly people” in Tupi.
- Suruí. Meaning “people of the stars” in Tupi.
- Tapajós. Meaning “clear water” in Tupi.
- Tatu. Meaning “armadillo” in Tupi.
- Timbira. Meaning “warrior” in Tupi.
- Uirapuru. Meaning “magical bird” in Tupi.
Brazilian names certainly tick a lot of boxes, and there’s a perfect name out there for every baby.
We hope this journey through Brazilian boy names has given you plenty of inspiration.