Italian Brazilian names
In the coffee towns of São Paulo and the vineyards of Rio Grande do Sul, names like Giovanni, Bruna, and Vittoria blend seamlessly into Portuguese pronunciation while keeping their Italian spelling and soul. Descendants of Veneto and Calabrian immigrants still reach for these names to honor the ship that brought their family over.
Ada noble, of noble kind (short form of Adelaide); kept among older-generation Italian-Brazilian families, now revived elsewhere too
Adriano from Adria
Alessandra defender of mankind (feminine of Alessandro)
Angelo messenger, angel
Antonella feminine diminutive of Antonio, from the Roman name Antonius, of uncertain Etruscan origin
Assunta taken up, assumed (honoring the Feast of the Assumption); still found among elderly Italian-Brazilian women
Aurora dawn
Aurélio golden (Portuguese form of the Italian Aurelio, shared spelling)
Bianca white
Bruna brown-haired (feminine of Bruno)
Bruno brown-haired
Camila ceremonial attendant (Brazilian single-consonant spelling of the Italian Camilla)
Chiara clear, bright, famous
Cristiano Italian and Portuguese form of Christian
César long-haired, or from Caesar (Portuguese form of the Italian Cesare)
Dante enduring, steadfast
Domingos belonging to the Lord (Portuguese form of the Italian Domenico); a heritage name from Italian colonist families in Rio Grande do Sul
Emanuel God is with us (shared Italian/Portuguese form)
Emilia rival, industrious (Portuguese form of the Italian Emilia, shared spelling)
Enzo ruler of the household, or short form of Lorenzo/Vincenzo; one of Brazil's most popular boys' names in the 2010s-2020s, especially strong among Italian-Brazilian families
Fabrício traditionally from Latin faber, 'craftsman' (Portuguese form of the Roman Fabricius)
Filomena friend of strength; a classic name carried by early-generation Italian-Brazilian grandmothers
Fiorella little flower
Francesca Italian feminine form of Francis ("Frenchman")
Fábio Italian and Spanish Fabio and Portuguese Fábio continue the Roman family name Fabius; its origin is uncertain, sometimes linked to Latin faba, bean
Gabriela God is my strength (Brazilian spelling of the Italian Gabriella)
Gelsomina jasmine flower
Giovana God is gracious (Brazilian-Portuguese spelling of Giovanna, dropping the double consonant)
Giovani God is gracious (Brazilian single-n spelling of Giovanni)
Graziela grace (Brazilian spelling of the Italian Graziella)
Isabela God is my oath (the Latinate form of Isabel, worn with a single l in Brazil)
Júlia youthful (Portuguese form of the Italian Giulia)
Leonardo brave lion
Luiza famous in battle, traditionally (Brazilian spelling of Luisa)
Marisa Italian, Spanish and Portuguese combination of Maria and Luisa
Mateus gift of God (Portuguese form of the Italian Matteo)
Matteo gift of God
Nicolau victory of the people (Portuguese form of the Italian Niccolò)
Nino nickname-style short form of Antonino/Giovannino; kept in Brazil among Italian-heritage families
Otávio eighth born (Brazilian Portuguese form of the Roman Octavius)
Palmira from Palmyra, the ancient city; a beloved vintage name among Rio Grande do Sul's Italian colonist families
Perla pearl
Pietro rock; a trendy pick in Brazil recently, part of a wave of Italian-spelling revivals alongside Enzo and Valentina
Renato reborn
Romeu pilgrim to Rome (Portuguese form of the Italian Romeo)
Rosália rose garland (honoring Saint Rosalia of Palermo, a devotion carried by Sicilian-Brazilian immigrant families)
Salvador savior (Portuguese form of the Italian Salvatore)
Serafim burning one, of the six-winged angels (Portuguese form of the Italian Serafino)
Sofia wisdom
Valentina strong, healthy (feminine of Valentino); one of Brazil's most popular girls' names in the 2010s-2020s
Valéria strong, healthy (Portuguese form of the Italian Valeria)
Vicente Spanish and Portuguese form of Vincent, from Latin vinco, 'to conquer'
Vitor victor, conqueror (Brazilian form of the Italian Vittorio)
Ítalo from Italy; a heritage name Italian-Brazilian families give to explicitly mark their ancestry
Which of these fits YOUR family? →