IBGE 2022 Census Reveals Brazil's Most Popular Names and Surnames
IBGE’s 2022 Census data confirms Maria, José, and Silva as Brazil's most common names, while highlighting rising contemporary naming trends.
- • Maria and José are the most frequent first names in Brazil, with Maria recorded 12.3 million times.
- • Silva is the most common surname, held by over 34 million people or 16.76% of the population.
- • New names like Gael and Valentina have sharply increased in popularity since 2010.
- • The IBGE's Nomes no Brasil tool enables users to explore trends by region, gender, and time, reflecting intricate cultural naming patterns.
Key details
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) released updated findings from the 2022 Demographic Census, unveiling the most common first names and surnames in Brazil. The study, part of the second edition of 'Nomes no Brasil', reveals that the names Maria and José remain the most popular, with Maria registered by approximately 12.3 million individuals (6% of the population) and José leading the male names. Silva stands out as the most common surname, shared by over 34 million Brazilians or roughly 16.76% of the population.
The comprehensive database includes more than 140,000 first names and 200,000 surnames, allowing users to explore name frequency, geographical concentration, and age distribution. For example, Maria peaked in popularity during the 1960s, with 2.5 million births, and in parts of Ceará, such as Morrinhos, Marias constitute 22% of the local population. In regions of Pernambuco and Alagoas, Silva reaches more than 60% representation among surnames.
Recent trends show a decline in traditional names like Osvaldo and Terezinha, while newer names such as Gael, Valentina, and Helena have surged since 2010. Gael's frequency notably rose from 763 babies in the early 2000s to 96,500 between 2020 and 2022. The study also highlights popular female names beyond Maria, including Ana and Francisca, and male names such as João and Antônio.
The IBGE has integrated technological tools on the 'Nomes no Brasil' website, enabling detailed exploration by gender, birth period, and location, plus a global comparison feature, 'Nomes no Mundo', which contextualizes Brazilian naming conventions alongside international data. To maintain privacy, names with fewer than 20 occurrences are anonymized in the data. This release provides valuable cultural insights into Brazilian naming patterns and changing trends over decades.