German Brazilian names
In towns like Blumenau and across Rio Grande do Sul, German immigrant families kept their given names largely intact for generations, even as they became fully Brazilian in every other way. Finding an Ingrid, Herbert, or Ottokar carrying a Portuguese surname is common, a quiet echo of nineteenth century settlers still audible today.
Adalberto noble and bright (Portuguese form of the German Adalbert)
Adelina noble (Portuguese form of the German Adelheid)
Ademar noble and famous (Portuguese form of the German Adhemar)
Anelise combination of Ana and Elise (from Elisabeth); an especially popular name in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina's German-Brazilian communities
Arnaldo eagle power (Portuguese form of the German Arnold)
Bernardo brave as a bear (Portuguese form of the German Bernhard)
Brunilde armored battle-maiden (Portuguese form of the German Brunhilde, the Nibelungenlied heroine)
Cristiane variant of Cristiana
Edgar wealthy spear
Edite prosperous in war (Portuguese form of the German Edith); kept by older-generation families
Egon formidable; a distinctive heritage name still found in southern Brazil's German colonies
Elke noble one; stayed in steady use among Blumenau and Pomerode's German-Brazilian families
Ernestina serious, resolute (feminine of Ernest); a vintage name kept among older Italian- and German-Brazilian families alike
Erwin friend of the boar/army; kept as a heritage spelling in Blumenau's German-Brazilian colonies
Ewaldo powerful in law (Portuguese form of the German Ewald)
Frederico peaceful ruler (Portuguese form of the German Friedrich)
Frieda peace; kept as a heritage spelling in Blumenau and Pomerode's German-Brazilian families
Gertrudes spear strength (Portuguese form of the German Gertrude); kept by older colonist families
Gisela pledge, hostage; kept generation to generation in Blumenau and Pomerode's German-Brazilian colonies
Guilherme Portuguese form of William ("will helmet"); one of Brazil's most common boys' names, with especially deep roots in the German-settled south
Gustavo possibly 'staff of the Geats' (the root form Gautstafr is not well attested), or from Old Slavic Gostislav; Portuguese form of Gustav
Heidi of noble kind (short form of Adelheid)
Helga holy, blessed; a heritage grandmother name kept in Blumenau's German-Brazilian colonies
Henrique home ruler (Portuguese form of the German Heinrich)
Hermann army man; kept in its German spelling by families that maintain German orthography in Blumenau and Pomerode
Ilse God is my oath (variant of Elisabeth); a heritage name kept among older Blumenau women
Ingeborg Ing's fortification (Norse deity Ing); a rare, authentic heritage name from Brazil's German colonies
Ingrid Ing's beauty (Old Norse Ingiridr, the god Ing + frid 'beautiful, beloved'); a durable classic across Blumenau and Pomerode's German-Brazilian families
Isolda Portuguese form of the Germanic/Celtic legend Isolde
Karla feminine form of Karl/Carl (Germanic karl, 'man')
Kurt bold counsel (short form of Konrad); kept as a heritage spelling in the German colonization belt
Leopoldo bold people (Portuguese form of the German Leopold); the namesake of Sao Leopoldo, RS, Brazil's first official German immigration colony (1824)
Mafalda mighty in battle (Iberian form of the German Mechthild/Matilda); famously borne by the Portuguese Infanta Mafalda; also used by German-Brazilian families
Marlene combination of Maria and Magdalene; a heritage name still given across Brazil's German colonies
Matilde battle-mighty (Portuguese form of the German Mathilde)
Norberto brightness of the north (Portuguese form of the German Norbert)
Osvaldo god power (Portuguese form of the German Oswald)
Otto wealth, prosperity; kept as a heritage spelling in Blumenau's German-Brazilian families
Otília fortune, wealth (Portuguese form of the German Ottilie/Odilia); a devout name used by German-Brazilian Catholic families
Reinaldo counsel power (Portuguese form of the German Reinhold/Reginald)
Ricardo brave ruler (Portuguese form of the German Richard); common throughout Brazil, including the German colonization belt of Santa Catarina
Roberta bright fame (feminine of Robert)
Rodolfo famous wolf (shared Italian/Portuguese form of the German Rudolf)
Rogério famous spearman (Portuguese form of the German Roger)
Rolando famous land (Portuguese form of the German Roland)
Rosemarie combination of Rose and Marie; a heritage name kept by German-Brazilian families
Roswitha famous strength; a rare but real heritage name still found in Santa Catarina's German colonies
Rudi nickname-style short form of Rudolf, popular across Brazil's German colonies
Ubaldo bold mind (Portuguese/Italian form of the German Hubald)
Ursula little she-bear
Valquíria chooser of the slain (Portuguese spelling of Valkyrie, Norse/Germanic mythology); a distinctive pick honoring Brazil's Germanic mythological heritage
Vilma form of Wilma, short for Wilhelmina ("will helmet"); the spelling Brazilian families gave the German Wilma
Waldemar famous ruler; genuinely documented among German-Brazilian men in the southern colonies
Werner defending army; a real surname-turned-given-name in Blumenau's German-Brazilian families
Which of these fits YOUR family? →