2022 census · with audio · Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian names, and how to say them
The most common first names and surnames in Brazil, from the 2022 census, each with audio and a respelling you can read in English.
Grouped by the sound rules that make them sound the way they do, so learning a few names teaches you how to say thousands of words.
Most searched:JoãoThiagoRio de Janeiro
The most common Brazilian surnames
Silva is by far the most common surname in Brazil: about 34 million people, roughly 1 in 6 Brazilians, have it.
| # | Name | People | % | Sounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silva SEEW-va | 34 million | 16.76% | — |
| 2 | Santos SUN-toos | 21 million | 10.52% | — |
| 3 | Oliveira oh-lee-VAY-ra | 12 million | 5.77% | — |
| 4 | Souza SOH-za | 9.2 million | 4.53% | s between vowels → z |
| 5 | Pereira peh-RAY-ra | 6.9 million | 3.39% | — |
| 6 | Ferreira feh-HAY-ra | 6.2 million | 3.07% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 7 | Lima LEE-ma | 6.1 million | 3.00% | — |
| 8 | Alves OW-vees | 5.8 million | 2.83% | — |
| 9 | Rodrigues hoh-DREE-ghees | 5.4 million | 2.67% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 10 | Costa KAWS-ta | 4.9 million | 2.39% | — |
| 11 | Sousa SOH-za | 4.8 million | 2.36% | s between vowels → z |
| 12 | Gomes GOH-mees | 4 million | 1.99% | — |
| 13 | Nascimento na-see-MEN-too | 3.6 million | 1.78% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 14 | Araújo a-ra-OO-zhoo | 3.5 million | 1.70% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 15 | Ribeiro hee-BAY-roo | 3.1 million | 1.54% | final o → oo, e → eer at the start, rr → h |
| 16 | Almeida ow-MAY-da | 3.1 million | 1.51% | — |
| 17 | Jesus zheh-ZOOS | 2.9 million | 1.41% | s between vowels → z |
| 18 | Barbosa bar-BAW-za | 2.7 million | 1.35% | s between vowels → z |
| 19 | Soares soo-A-rees | 2.6 million | 1.29% | — |
| 20 | Carvalho kar-VA-lyoo | 2.6 million | 1.28% | final o → oo, e → eelh, nh |
| 21 | Martins mar-TCHEENS | 2.6 million | 1.27% | ti, di → chee, jee |
| 22 | Lopes LOH-pees | 2.3 million | 1.15% | — |
| 23 | Vieira vee-AY-ra | 2.1 million | 1.04% | — |
| 24 | Rocha HAW-sha | 2 million | 1.01% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 25 | Dias DJEE-as | 2 million | 1.00% | ti, di → chee, jee |
| 26 | Gonçalves gohn-SOW-vees | 2 million | 1.00% | — |
| 27 | Fernandes fehr-NUN-djees | 1.8 million | 0.90% | — |
| 28 | Santana sun-TA-na | 1.8 million | 0.89% | — |
| 29 | Andrade un-DRA-djee | 1.7 million | 0.84% | ti, di → chee, jeefinal o → oo, e → ee |
| 30 | Batista ba-TCHEES-ta | 1.7 million | 0.84% | ti, di → chee, jee |
| 31 | Nunes NOO-nees | 1.6 million | 0.77% | — |
| 32 | Freitas FRAY-tas | 1.5 million | 0.76% | — |
| 33 | Conceição kohn-say-SOWN | 1.5 million | 0.76% | nasal ão, ãe, õefinal o → oo, e → ee |
| 34 | Melo MAY-loo | 1.5 million | 0.75% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 35 | Moreira moh-RAY-ra | 1.5 million | 0.75% | — |
| 36 | Cardoso kar-DOH-zoo | 1.5 million | 0.73% | final o → oo, e → ees between vowels → z |
| 37 | Reis HAYS | 1.5 million | 0.73% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 38 | Cruz KROOS | 1.5 million | 0.73% | — |
| 39 | Ramos HA-moos | 1.4 million | 0.67% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 40 | Mendes MEN-djees | 1.3 million | 0.65% | — |
| 41 | Marques MAR-kees | 1.3 million | 0.65% | — |
| 42 | Machado ma-SHA-doo | 1.3 million | 0.62% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 43 | Rosa HAW-za | 1.2 million | 0.59% | r at the start, rr → hs between vowels → z |
| 44 | Brito BREE-too | 1.2 million | 0.58% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 45 | Moraes moh-RYS | 1.1 million | 0.56% | — |
| 46 | Júnior ZHOO-nee-oh | 1.1 million | 0.56% | — |
| 47 | Moura MOH-ra | 1.1 million | 0.53% | — |
| 48 | Teixeira tay-SHAY-ra | 1 million | 0.51% | x |
| 49 | Barros BA-hoos | 1 million | 0.51% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 50 | Castro KAS-troo | 1 million | 0.50% | final o → oo, e → ee |
The most common women's names
| # | Name | People | % | Sounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maria ma-REE-a | 12 million | 6.02% | — |
| 2 | Ana A-na | 3.9 million | 1.94% | — |
| 3 | Francisca frun-SEES-ka | 662,000 | 0.33% | — |
| 4 | Júlia ZHOO-lee-a | 646,000 | 0.32% | — |
| 5 | Antônia un-TOH-nee-a | 553,000 | 0.27% | — |
| 6 | Juliana zhoo-lee-A-na | 537,000 | 0.26% | — |
| 7 | Adriana a-dree-A-na | 534,000 | 0.26% | — |
| 8 | Fernanda fehr-NUN-da | 521,000 | 0.26% | — |
| 9 | Márcia MAR-see-a | 520,000 | 0.26% | — |
| 10 | Patrícia pa-TREE-see-a | 499,000 | 0.25% | — |
| 11 | Amanda a-MUN-da | 494,000 | 0.24% | — |
| 12 | Alice a-LEE-see | 486,000 | 0.24% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 13 | Letícia leh-TCHEE-see-a | 485,000 | 0.24% | ti, di → chee, jee |
| 14 | Aline a-LEE-nee | 482,000 | 0.24% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 15 | Laura LOW-ra | 482,000 | 0.24% | — |
| 16 | Bruna BROO-na | 464,000 | 0.23% | — |
| 17 | Mariana ma-ree-A-na | 450,000 | 0.22% | — |
| 18 | Jéssica ZHEH-see-ka | 449,000 | 0.22% | — |
| 19 | Sandra SUN-dra | 446,000 | 0.22% | — |
| 20 | Beatriz bee-a-TREES | 442,000 | 0.22% | — |
| 21 | Vitória vee-TAW-ree-a | 440,000 | 0.22% | — |
| 22 | Camila ka-MEE-la | 435,000 | 0.21% | — |
| 23 | Larissa la-REE-sa | 434,000 | 0.21% | — |
| 24 | Gabriela ga-bree-EH-la | 414,000 | 0.20% | — |
| 25 | Luciana loo-see-A-na | 405,000 | 0.20% | — |
| 26 | Vanessa va-NAY-sa | 396,000 | 0.20% | — |
| 27 | Helena eh-LAY-na | 364,000 | 0.18% | — |
| 28 | Luana loo-A-na | 364,000 | 0.18% | — |
| 29 | Isabela ee-za-BEH-la | 357,000 | 0.18% | s between vowels → z |
| 30 | Vera VEH-ra | 335,000 | 0.17% | — |
| 31 | Cláudia KLOW-djee-a | 335,000 | 0.16% | ti, di → chee, jee |
| 32 | Renata heh-NA-ta | 325,000 | 0.16% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 33 | Sônia SOH-nee-a | 323,000 | 0.16% | — |
| 34 | Simone see-MOH-nee | 322,000 | 0.16% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 35 | Eliane eh-lee-A-nee | 322,000 | 0.16% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 36 | Débora DEH-boh-ra | 321,000 | 0.16% | — |
| 37 | Rafaela ha-fa-EH-la | 316,000 | 0.16% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 38 | Rita HEE-ta | 308,000 | 0.15% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 39 | Cristiane krees-tchee-A-nee | 305,000 | 0.15% | ti, di → chee, jeefinal o → oo, e → ee |
| 40 | Sara SA-ra | 303,000 | 0.15% | — |
| 41 | Carla KAR-la | 302,000 | 0.15% | — |
| 42 | Rosângela hoh-ZUN-zheh-la | 295,000 | 0.15% | r at the start, rr → hs between vowels → z |
| 43 | Natália na-TA-lee-a | 294,000 | 0.14% | — |
| 44 | Luiza loo-EE-za | 289,000 | 0.14% | s between vowels → z |
| 45 | Jaqueline zha-keh-LEE-nee | 288,000 | 0.14% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 46 | Sofia soh-FEE-a | 286,000 | 0.14% | — |
| 47 | Daniela da-nee-EH-la | 285,000 | 0.14% | — |
| 48 | Raquel ha-KEHW | 281,000 | 0.14% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 49 | Andreia un-DRAY-a | 280,000 | 0.14% | — |
| 50 | Lara LA-ra | 280,000 | 0.14% | — |
The most common men's names
| # | Name | People | % | Sounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | José zhoh-ZEH | 5.1 million | 2.53% | s between vowels → z |
| 2 | João zhoo-OWN | 3.4 million | 1.68% | nasal ão, ãe, õefinal o → oo, e → ee |
| 3 | Antônio un-TOH-nee-oo | 2.2 million | 1.10% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 4 | Francisco frun-SEES-koo | 1.7 million | 0.82% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 5 | Pedro PAY-droo | 1.6 million | 0.79% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 6 | Carlos KAR-loos | 1.5 million | 0.72% | — |
| 7 | Lucas LOO-kas | 1.3 million | 0.66% | — |
| 8 | Luiz loo-EES | 1.3 million | 0.65% | — |
| 9 | Paulo POW-loo | 1.3 million | 0.65% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 10 | Gabriel ga-bree-EHW | 1.2 million | 0.59% | — |
| 11 | Marcos MAR-koos | 1.1 million | 0.53% | — |
| 12 | Davi da-VEE | 868,000 | 0.43% | — |
| 13 | Rafael ha-fa-EHW | 868,000 | 0.43% | r at the start, rr → h |
| 14 | Luís loo-EES | 834,000 | 0.41% | — |
| 15 | Daniel da-nee-EHW | 766,000 | 0.38% | — |
| 16 | Miguel mee-GHEHW | 709,000 | 0.35% | — |
| 17 | Gustavo goos-TA-voo | 676,000 | 0.33% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 18 | Felipe feh-LEE-pee | 672,000 | 0.33% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 19 | Guilherme ghee-LYEHR-mee | 671,000 | 0.33% | final o → oo, e → eelh, nh |
| 20 | Eduardo eh-doo-AR-doo | 655,000 | 0.32% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 21 | Matheus ma-TAYWS | 648,000 | 0.32% | — |
| 22 | Bruno BROO-noo | 642,000 | 0.32% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 23 | Marcelo mar-SEH-loo | 642,000 | 0.32% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 24 | Arthur ar-TOOH | 612,000 | 0.30% | — |
| 25 | Leonardo lee-oh-NAR-doo | 564,000 | 0.28% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 26 | Rodrigo hoh-DREE-goo | 559,000 | 0.28% | final o → oo, e → eer at the start, rr → h |
| 27 | André un-DREH | 556,000 | 0.27% | — |
| 28 | Samuel sa-moo-EHW | 518,000 | 0.26% | — |
| 29 | Fernando fehr-NUN-doo | 499,000 | 0.25% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 30 | Fábio FA-bee-oo | 498,000 | 0.25% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 31 | Raimundo hy-MOON-doo | 495,000 | 0.24% | final o → oo, e → eer at the start, rr → h |
| 32 | Vitor vee-TOH | 485,000 | 0.24% | — |
| 33 | Manoel ma-noo-EHW | 477,000 | 0.23% | — |
| 34 | Mateus ma-TAYWS | 473,000 | 0.23% | — |
| 35 | Leandro lee-UN-droo | 469,000 | 0.23% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 36 | Thiago tchee-A-goo | 452,000 | 0.22% | ti, di → chee, jeefinal o → oo, e → ee |
| 37 | Anderson UN-dehr-sohn | 444,000 | 0.22% | — |
| 38 | Márcio MAR-see-oo | 431,000 | 0.21% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 39 | Ricardo hee-KAR-doo | 428,000 | 0.21% | final o → oo, e → eer at the start, rr → h |
| 40 | Alexandre a-leh-SHUN-dree | 421,000 | 0.21% | final o → oo, e → eex |
| 41 | Jorge ZHAWR-zhee | 419,000 | 0.21% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 42 | Diego djee-EH-goo | 401,000 | 0.20% | ti, di → chee, jeefinal o → oo, e → ee |
| 43 | Enzo EN-zoo | 400,000 | 0.20% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 44 | Edson EH-djee-sohn | 390,000 | 0.19% | — |
| 45 | Vinícius vee-NEE-seews | 390,000 | 0.19% | — |
| 46 | Roberto hoh-BEHR-too | 372,000 | 0.18% | final o → oo, e → eer at the start, rr → h |
| 47 | Victor vee-TOH | 363,000 | 0.18% | — |
| 48 | Tiago tchee-A-goo | 362,000 | 0.18% | ti, di → chee, jeefinal o → oo, e → ee |
| 49 | Sérgio SEHR-zhee-oo | 357,000 | 0.18% | final o → oo, e → ee |
| 50 | Sebastião seh-bas-tchee-OWN | 343,000 | 0.17% | nasal ão, ãe, õeti, di → chee, jeefinal o → oo, e → ee |
The sounds Brazilian names teach
nasal ão, ãe, õe
ão, ãe and õe are said through the nose: João is “zhoo-OWN”, with no n at the end.
The sound in the pronunciation guideti, di → chee, jee
Before an i sound, t is said “ch” and d is said “j”: Thiago is “tchee-A-goo”, and the final -te or -de goes the same way, as in Andrade.
The sound in the pronunciation guidefinal o → oo, e → ee
An unstressed o at the end of a word is said “oo”, and an e “ee”: Paulo is “POW-loo”, Henrique “en-HEE-kee”.
The sound in the pronunciation guidelh, nh
lh is like the “lli” in million and nh like the “ny” in canyon: Coelho, Carvalho, Magalhães.
The sound in the pronunciation guider at the start, rr → h
An r at the start of a word, and a double rr, are a breathy h in most of Brazil: Rafael is “ha-fa-EHW”, and the rr of Ferreira sounds the same.
The sound in the pronunciation guides between vowels → z
An s between two vowels is said “z”, so Sousa and Souza sound the same, and Rosa has a z sound in the middle.
The sound in the pronunciation guidex
x is usually “sh” in Brazil, as in Xavier and Teixeira; now and then it is “ks” or “s”.
The sound in the pronunciation guideHow to say Brazilian places
Rio de Janeiro HEE-oo djee zha-NAY-roo
São Paulo SOWN POW-loo
Brasil bra-ZEEW
Brasília bra-ZEE-lee-a
Belo Horizonte BEH-loo oh-ree-ZOHN-tchee
Salvador sow-va-DOH
—Recife heh-SEE-fee
Fortaleza fohr-ta-LAY-za
Curitiba koo-ree-TCHEE-ba
Florianópolis floh-ree-a-NAW-poh-lees
—Manaus ma-NOWS
—Porto Alegre POHR-too a-LEH-gree
Bahia ba-EE-a
—Minas Gerais MEE-nas zheh-RYS
—Ceará see-a-RA
—Paraná pa-ra-NA
—Pernambuco pehr-num-BOO-koo
Questions
What is the most common surname in Brazil?
Silva, by a long way: about 34 million Brazilians, roughly 1 in 6, have it, according to the 2022 census. Santos, Oliveira, Souza and Pereira come next.
Why are so many Brazilians called Silva?
Silva (from the Latin for “forest”) was already common in Portugal and came to Brazil with the colonists. It spread further because it was given, or taken, as a surname by many people who had none, including enslaved Africans and Indigenous Brazilians at baptism or on being freed, and because Brazilians pass on more than one surname, so it rarely drops out of a family.
How do you pronounce João?
Roughly “zhoo-OWN”: the j is like the s in “measure”, and ão is a nasal “own” said through the nose, with no n sound at the end. The stress is on the second syllable.
How do Brazilian surnames work?
Most Brazilians have two surnames: usually the mother's family name first, then the father's, as in Ana Souza Silva. The last one is the one used day to day, so she is Ana Silva at work. To introduce yourself, see how to say your name in Portuguese.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022 (Nomes no Brasil, and IBGE's names data), retrieved 2026-10-08. Spellings, respellings and recordings are Verbeto's. See also every sound of Brazilian Portuguese.