I want a Portuguese name for my baby!
In a few months you will become parents, a little being will fill your life. You are both happy and excited to welcome her. But before that the famous question of the first name arises: which one to choose? If you want to find a foreign first name, rather originalwhy not turn to Portuguese nomes ?
In general, the choice of the first name by the parents is an important moment, where together you discuss what you want, the popularity, the meaning wanted for the first name of your little one. And certainly also of its origin: perhaps you want a small name derived from Latin, Hebrew or of Greek, Germanic origin. That’s good, in Portugal, the “nome” are often a mixture of different origins.
Be that as it may, when we think of Portuguese first names, traditional and sometimes old-fashioned, even old-fashioned first names come to mind. However, in Portugal there are pretty names in tune with the times with a certain melodious accent.
Why choose a Portuguese first name?
Portuguese first names are very often in the collective imagination borrowed from sun, warmth and kindness. By pronouncing them, they immediately make you want to escape, to travel the world and a not insignificant criterion for future parents, they sound good in the ear. But don’t just stop at this criterion, because these typical “nome” have the particularity of being also full of charm and having a lot of character. It can be very meaningful for the child who wears it. For example, on the girls side, the first name Andréia is of Portuguese origin, derived from the name “andros”, which means “brave, virile”. For the little boys: Miguelof Hebrew origin but very popular in Spain, means “who is like god”.
And if you are not yet convinced, know that Portuguese men and Portuguese women are known to be very welcoming, talkative, humble and kind. Beautiful values to pass on to your child in your life!
Attribution of the first name: How is it in Portugal?
Small cultural point. You may not know it but in Portugal, there are very strict rules for choosing the “nome” of a child of Portuguese nationality :
– The baby must have two first names, no more, no less.
– The first name must comply with the rules of spelling and phonetics of the Portuguese language. So we cannot give a first name with an accented letter which does not exist in Portuguese but which could exist in certain Nordic languages for example.
– The first name given must make it possible to identify the sex of the child, so there should be no mixed names or names which may lead to confusion.
– The first name given must be different from those of the living brothers and sisters of the baby.
In order to simplify the choice, there is a list of first names drawn up and updated by the Conservatória dos Registos Centrais which is none other than the Portuguese Civil Registry. And it is this body which also controls each “nome” to ensure compliance with the rules in force. It is estimated that there are 1,000 first names authorized for newborns. If you are curious, you can consult the list which lists them all in line.
Read also : These 10 first names are prohibited in France, here is why!
What are the origins of Portuguese first names?
And yes, the question deserves to be asked because a Portuguese first name does not necessarily come straight from Portugal. Most often, a “nome” is a mixture of different origins. It may originate from Brazil, which is the largest country in the world in which the Portuguese language is spoken. It is also spoken in Africa, in ten other countries: Cape Verde, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe and Equatorial Guinea. And if we want to go further in the world, we find certain first names derivatives of ChineseMacao, East Timor and Goa in India.
Moreover, in Portugal, most small Portuguese names are also reference to religion. This has an important place in the lives and hearts of the majority of the inhabitants. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see boys bearing the first names Jesus, Cristiano, Assunção or even Mateus and Miguel. For girls, the code is the same: the first names Isabel, Rafaëla, Manuela have a religious meaning.
Popularity: The most attributed Portuguese first names
Top 20 most popular girl names in Portugal
1- Ines (Portuguese variant of the Spanish first name Agnès and whose meaning is “chastity”)
2- Anna (derived from the Hebrew term “hanna”, which translates to “grace”)
3- Mariana (variant of the first name “Mary”, which draws its origin from the Hebrew “Myriam”, meaning “drop of the sea”, but also from the Egyptian “merit”, which means “beloved”)
4- Beatriz (first name of Arabic and Latin origin, which translates as “which makes you happy”)
5- Rita (diminutive of the first name “Margarita” whose meaning in Latin is “purity”)
Joana, Sara, Catarina, Sofia, Raquel, Carolina, Margarida, Patricia, Andreia, Marta, Daniela, Filipa, Teresa, Adriana, Livia. Moreover, in France, the first name Livia according to INSEE is gaining popularity over the years. In 2020, we also found according to the Portuguese newspaper Diario das Noticias the first names Maria, a fairly classic “name”, but also Leonor or Luana, Yara, Alana.
Top 20 most popular boy names in Portugal
1- Joe (variant of the Hebrew “Yohanân” which translates as “God is gracious”)
2- pedro (derived from the Latin first name “Petrus” which refers to Saint Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus)
3- Ricardo (Hispanic variant of the first name “Richard”, which originates from the Germanic terms “rik” and “hart”, meaning “mighty” and “strong”)
4- miguel (derived from the given name “Michael”, which is itself a variant of the Hebrew given name “Mika’el”, which means “who is like God”)
5- Goncalo (fPortuguese elm of the first name “Gonzalo”)
Luis, Rui, Francisco, Bruno, Ruben, Afonso, Guilherme, António, Tiago, Diogo, Tomás, André, Filipe, Emanuel, Paulo. More recently, other first names for little boys stand out like Enzo, Noah, Davi or even Joaquim.
Among the Portuguese traditions, there are many “nome” ending with “A” or “O”.
A portuguese first name for a boy
There are boy names from Portugal that are very much in the current trend: short, full of punch, with diphthongs and lots of vowels. And it’s not about the very (too) classic Manuel but rather the Tiago or Hélio…or if you’re not a fan of first names that end with the letter O, Nelson or Emanuel.
A portuguese first name for a girl
For girls too, we can leave the classic Maria to find top names for babies of 2020. Small particularity of Portuguese girl’s names, almost all of them end with the letter a like Zénia, Vania or even Telma. So if your choice is to find a first name with a nice meaning but which does not end in an a, it is better to go your way and turn to first names with other origins. You will definitely find cute african names or exotic, perfect Hebrew first names that may suit you.
Our advices :
To help you in your choice, we give you as much as possible the meaning of each first name and its date of celebration. Once you have all the elements in hand, all you have to do is think and decide with all the elements in hand. Discuss it with your significant other to find the first name that you both like and that will best match your last name.
Because yes, it is also important, choose a first name that does not lend itself to laughter or bad puns when it is attached before or after your surname(s). After all, he will keep it for life! And also because the first name has its importance on the character of the baby and then of the child.
Rare or common, modern or older, long or short, whatever the number of letters, the sound or the number of syllables you want, we have selected for you the prettiest Portuguese girl or boy names for a little one. toddler. To find the perfect first name, do not hesitate to pick from our list of Portuguese “nome” which smells good of pastéis de nata, cozido, caldeirada and queijadas de Sintra.
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