Italian Brazilian names
What are Italian Brazilian names like?
Bruna is the feminine form of Bruno, used in Italian and Portuguese. Bianca is an Italian relative of Blanche; Bruna and Bianca both appear among residents in Brazil’s 2022 census.
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.
Where these names rank todayBrazil
Part ofBrazilian names · Latin American names
Names that work in two languagesSpanish and Portuguese
Ada noble; short form of names such as Adelaide, also used in Italian
Adriano from Adria
Alessandra Italian form of Alexandra, the feminine of Alexander; inherited Greek meaning "defender of men"
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 the Portuguese form of Camilla, whose double-l spelling is also Italian
Chiara clear, bright, famous
Cristiano Italian and Portuguese form of Christian
César a Spanish and Portuguese form of Caesar, a Roman family name of uncertain meaning
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 traditionally "rival", from Aemilius; Emilia is the Italian form and Emília the Portuguese form
Enzo an older Italian name of uncertain origin, also used as a short form of Vincenzo or Lorenzo
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 feminine form of Gabriel, traditionally "God is my strength"
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 A form of Isabel with a Latin-style ending, written 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 (the Portuguese form of Matthew)
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 Brazilian Portuguese form of Octavius, a Roman family name from Latin octavus, "eighth"
Palmira from Palmyra, the ancient city; a beloved vintage name among Rio Grande do Sul's Italian colonist families
Perla pearl
Pietro Italian form of Peter, ultimately from Greek Petros, stone
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 "of Italy", in the name family of Italian Italo and Latin Italus
Which of these fits YOUR family? →