Brazilian girl names blend Portuguese roots, Indigenous Tupi and Guarani heritage, African influences, and a strong Catholic tradition. Below is an A–Z list of Brazilian female names, the 25 most popular picks with meanings, and the names that topped Brazil’s 2025 birth registries.
Most popular Brazilian girl names right now
Across Brazilian birth registries tracked through 2025, these names lead the rankings. Helena has held the number-one spot three years running, and Maria remains the most common name in the country overall by IBGE’s 2022 census data.
| Rank | Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helena | Bright, shining light | Greek (via Portuguese) |
| 2 | Alice | Noble, of the nobility | Germanic (via French) |
| 3 | Laura | Laurel, victory | Latin |
| 4 | Maria | Beloved, sovereign lady | Hebrew (via Portuguese) |
| 5 | Sophia / Sofia | Wisdom | Greek |
| 6 | Manuela | God is with us | Hebrew (via Portuguese) |
| 7 | Cecília | Patron of musicians | Latin |
| 8 | Aurora | Dawn | Latin |
| 9 | Júlia | Youthful, descended from Jupiter | Latin |
| 10 | Lara | Cheerful, well-known | Latin / Slavic |
| 11 | Heloísa | Famous warrior | Germanic (via French) |
| 12 | Isabella | Devoted to God | Hebrew (via Italian) |
| 13 | Valentina | Strong, healthy | Latin |
| 14 | Maitê | Beloved (Basque) | Basque, popularized in Brazil |
| 15 | Liz | Pledged to God (short form of Elizabete) | Hebrew |
| 16 | Antonella | Priceless, worthy of praise | Latin (via Italian) |
| 17 | Lívia | Olive-colored, envious | Latin |
| 18 | Eloá | God | Hebrew |
| 19 | Beatriz | She who brings happiness | Latin |
| 20 | Ana | Grace, favor | Hebrew |
| 21 | Pietra | Stone, rock | Latin (via Italian) |
| 22 | Yasmin | Jasmine flower | Persian |
| 23 | Esther | Star | Persian (via Hebrew) |
| 24 | Olívia | Olive tree | Latin |
| 25 | Mariana | Bitter sea, blend of Maria + Ana | Hebrew/Latin |
Where Brazilian names come from
- Portuguese and Latin roots. Most Brazilian names come straight from European Portuguese — Maria, Ana, Joana, Beatriz, Catarina. Catholic saints’ names dominate this layer.
- Indigenous Tupi and Guarani. Names like Iara (lady of the waters), Iracema (lips of honey), Janaína (Yoruba-Tupi sea goddess), and Tainá (star) come from native languages. They surged in the 1990s and remain popular as a way to honor Brazil’s pre-colonial heritage.
- African heritage. Names tied to Afro-Brazilian religions — Iemanjá (queen of the sea, Candomblé), Oxum, Dandara (after the Quilombo warrior) — carry strong cultural meaning.
- Compound names. Brazil leans heavily on Maria-prefixed pairs (Maria Cecília, Maria Eduarda, Maria Clara) and Ana-prefixed pairs (Ana Júlia, Ana Beatriz). They’re official, registered as one name on the birth certificate.
- International borrowings. Names like Yasmin, Stella, Antonella, and Maitê show Brazil’s openness to Italian, Basque, Persian, and English-language picks.
A–Z list of Brazilian girl names
A
| Adriana | Agacia | Agnese | Agueda | Aidia |
| Aislara | Alameda | Alandra | Alanza | Alazne |
| Albertine | Aldene | Aldonsa | Aldonza | Alegria |
| Alejandra | Alejandrina | Alexandre | Aliane | Ana |
| Andira | Angelina | Aparecida | Arika | Aurinha |
B
| Barvara | Beatrisa | Beatriz | Belen | Belinda |
| Benigna | Benita | Bernicia | Bethania | Bibiana |
| Bienvenida | Blanca | Bruna |
C
| Carla | Carolina | Cassia | Celia | Celina |
| Charmene | Claudenize | Claudia | Cristiana |
D
| Damita | Dani | Deiene | Deina | Delcine |
| Delma | Delmar | Delmara | Denisa | Desideria |
| Dionisa | Dita | Dolores | Dolorita | Domenica |
| Dominga | Dona | Dorbeta | Dorotea | Drina |
| Duena | Dukine | Dulce | Dulcina |
E
| Edeli | Eliana | Elena | Elina | Elisa |
| Eloisa | Elsa | Elvera | Elvira | Elvita |
| Elzineia | Ema | Emerald | Emesta | Emilia |
| Encarnacion | Endrica | Engracia | Enrica | Enriqua |
| Enriqueta | Erendira |
F
| Fabiana | Faqueza | Fausta | Faustina | Fe |
| Felepita | Felicita | Fernanda | Flavia |
G
| Gabriela | Genoveva | Geny | Gerarda | Gertrudes |
| Gertrudis | Ginebra | Ginessa | Giselli | Gitana |
| Gloria | Gracia | Graciana | Graciela | Gregoria |
| Guadalupe | Guillermina | Gustava |
H
| Helena | Heloísa | Honoratas | Honoria | Hortencia |
I
| Iara | Idoia | Idolina | Idonia | Iemanja |
| Ignacia | Igone | Iracema | Irasema | Iris |
| Isabella | Isadora | Isaurides |
J
| Jacarei | Janaina | Jasone | Javiera | Jesusa |
| Jimena | Jisa | Joana | Joaquina | Jordana |
| Jorgelina | Josefa | Josefina | Josilene | Josune |
| Jovana | Jovena | Jovina | Jovita | Juana |
| Juanetta | Juanisha | Juanita | Julia |
K
| Kaba | Kachiri | Kaiala | Katryny | Kay |
L
| La’Raesa | Lara | Laura | Lia | Ligia |
| Linez | Liz | Lívia | Luciana | Lucina |
| Ludimilia | Luisa |
M
| Maitê | Manuela | Marabo | Marcela | Margareth |
| Marguarita | Maria | Maria-Antonia | Maria Cecília | Maria Eduarda |
| Mariana | Marina | Mirelli | Monique | Monize |
N
| Nade | Nalda | Nana | Narcisa | Natalia |
| Natividad | Nelia | Nelida | Nerea | Neta |
| Neva | Nevada | Nicanora | Nicolasa |
O
| Olívia | Osane |
P
| Paciencia | Palmira | Paloma | Paquita | Pascuala |
| Pastora | Patricia | Paula | Pauleta | Perfecta |
| Pia | Piedad | Pietra | Pilar | Placida |
| Priscila | Primavera | Prudencia | Puca | Puebla |
| Pura | Pureza | Purificacion | Purisima |
Q
| Quela | Querida | Quinta | Quixada |
R
| Raquel | Regina | Renata | Rica | Ricarda |
| Rio | Rita | Rocio | Roderiga | Roldana |
| Romana | Rosalind | Rosalinda | Rosalinde | Rosamaria |
| Rosario | Rosilaine | Rufa | Rufina |
S
| Samampo | Sanderlei | Sandia | Selena | Senalda |
| Senna | Senobia | Senona | Serafina | Serena |
| Sevilla | Shaista | Shoshana | Sibelia | Sierra |
| Silvia | Simona | Sintia | Socorro | Sofia |
| Solana | Soledad | Soledada | Stefania | Suelita |
| Susana |
T – U
| Tanda | Tainá | Thais | Terceira | Teresa |
| Teresita | Tierra | Trella | Ula | Ursulina |
V
| Valdirene | Valencia | Valentina | Vanesa | Vania |
| Vavara | Ventura | Verdad | Veta | Vicenta |
| Vina | Virginia | Vittoria | Viviane-Maria | Viviane |
X
| Xalbadora | Xalvadora | Xandra | Xaviera | Xevera |
| Xeveria | Xhana |
Y
| Yanamarie | Yasmin | Yesenia | Yoana | Yolanda |
Z
| Zaina | Zamora | Zandra | Zanetta | Zanita |
| Zelia |
FAQs
What’s the most popular girl name in Brazil?
By annual birth registries, Helena has been number one since 2023. By the country’s overall name count (IBGE 2022 census, published 2025), Maria is still the most common — almost 12 million Brazilian women carry it as a first or compound name.
Are compound names like “Maria Eduarda” treated as one name?
Yes. Brazilian birth certificates register them as a single first name. They’re spoken and written together in everyday use.
Which Brazilian girl names come from Indigenous languages?
Iara, Iracema, Janaína, Tainá, Cauã (more often male), Jandira, and Moema all come from Tupi or Guarani. They’re considered fully Brazilian today and recognized by civil registries.
Is “Maria” still given on its own?
Less often. Modern parents almost always pair it: Maria Cecília, Maria Clara, Maria Eduarda, Maria Helena, Maria Júlia. Maria as a stand-alone is more common with older generations.
Are unusual Brazilian names legal at the registry?
Generally yes. Brazilian law (Lei de Registros Públicos, Art. 55) lets parents name children freely, but a registrar can refuse names that “expose the child to ridicule.” Parents can appeal.
Read also: Igbo names and their meanings