João is a given

name A name is a term used for identification by an external observer. They can identify a class or category of things, or a single thing, either uniquely, or within a given context. The entity identified by a name is called its referent. A person ...

of Portuguese origin. It is equivalent to the given name

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

. The

diminutive A diminutive is a word obtained by modifying a root word to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning, either to convey the smallness of the object or quality named, or to convey a sense of intimacy or endearment, and sometimes to belittle s ...

is Joãozinho and the

feminine Femininity (also called womanliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and Gender roles, roles generally associated with women and girls. Femininity can be understood as Social construction of gender, socially constructed, and there is also s ...

Joana Joana is a given name, equivalent to Joanna in Catalan language, Catalan () and Portuguese language, Portuguese (). The Galician language, Galician form of the name is Xoana (). It may refer to: * Joana Angélica (1761–1822), Brazilian Conceptio ...

. It is widespread in Portuguese-speaking countries. Notable people with the name are enumerated in the sections below.

Kings

* João I of Portugal *

João II of Portugal John II (; ; 3 May 1455 – 25 October 1495), called the Perfect Prince (), was King of Portugal from 1481 until his death in 1495, and also for a brief time in 1477. He is known for reestablishing the power of the Portuguese monarchy, reinvigor ...

João III of Portugal John III ( ; 6 June 1502 – 11 June 1557), nicknamed The Pious ( Portuguese: ''o Piedoso''), was the King of Portugal and the Algarve from 1521 until he died in 1557. He was the son of King Manuel I and Maria of Aragon, the third daughter of ...

* João IV of Portugal * João V of Portugal *

João VI of Portugal '' Dom'' John VI (; 13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826), known as "the Clement" (), was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1816 to 1825, and after the recognition of Brazil's independence, titular Emperor of Brazil a ...

João I of Kongo King João I (born Nzinga-a-Nkuwu; ca. 1440 – 1509) was the 5th ManiKongo of the Kingdom of Kongo () between 1470 and 1509. He voluntarily converted to Roman Catholicism. He was baptized on 3 May 1491 and took the Christian name of ''João'' ...

, ruled 1470–1509 *

João II of Lemba João II Nzuzi a Ntamba was a ruler of Lemba and was one of the main Kinlaza List of Rulers of Kongo, claimants to the throne of the Kingdom of Kongo during its Kongo Civil War, civil war, the other being the King of Kibangu. He ruled the Kingdom o ...

or João Manuel II of Kongo, ruled 1680–1716 *

Dharmapala of Kotte Dharmapala or Dom João Dharmapala Peria Bandara (1541 – 27 May 1597) was the last king of the Kingdom of Kotte, in present-day Sri Lanka, from 1551 until 27 May 1597. He is also known as Dom João Dharmapala, the first Christian king in Sri L ...

, last King of the

Kingdom of Kotte The Kingdom of Kotte (, ), named after its capital, Kotte, was a Sinhalese kingdom that flourished in Sri Lanka during the 15th century. Founded by Parakramabahu VI with the help of the Ming, the Kingdom managed to conquer the Jaffna ki ...

, reigned 1551–1597

Princes

* João Manuel, Prince of Portugal (1537–1554), son of John III *

Infante João, Duke of Beja Infante João, Duke of Beja (; ; 16 March 1842 – 27 December 1861) was a Portuguese ''infante'' (prince) and member of the House of Braganza."While remaining patrilineal dynasts of the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha according to pp. 88, ...

(1842–1861)

Arts and literature

* João Borsch, Portuguese musician *

João Bosco João Bosco de Freitas Mucci, known professionally as João Bosco () is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and guitarist. In the 1970s he established his reputation in ''música popular Brasileira'' (Portuguese: "Brazilian pop music") with lyricist ...

, Brazilian musician *

João Cabral de Melo Neto João Cabral de Melo Neto (January 6, 1920 – October 9, 1999) was a Brazilian poet and diplomat, and one of the most influential writers in late Brazilian modernism. He was awarded the 1990 Camões Prize and the 1992 Neustadt International Pri ...

, Brazilian poet and diplomat *

João César Monteiro João César Monteiro Santos (2 February 1939 – 3 February 2003) was a Portuguese film director, actor, writer and film critic. He is known for writing and directing films such as '' Recollections of the Yellow House'' (1989), '' God's Comedy ...

, Portuguese film director *

Joao Constancia João Micael Villanueva Constancia (born December 22, 1996) is a Filipino actor, dancer and singer. Constancia is known for his roles in '' Four Sisters Before the Wedding'' (2020) and '' He's Into Her'' (2021), both produced by Star Cinema. Hi ...

, Filipino singer, actor and dancer *

João Donato João Donato de Oliveira Neto (; 17 August 1934 – 17 July 2023) was a Brazilian jazz and bossa nova pianist as well as a trombonist from Rio Branco. He first worked with Altamiro Carrilho and went on to perform with Antonio Carlos Jobim an ...

, Brazilian musician *

João de Deus de Nogueira Ramos João is a given name of Portuguese origin. It is equivalent to the given name John. The diminutive is Joãozinho and the feminine is Joana. It is widespread in Portuguese-speaking countries. Notable people with the name are enumerated in t ...

, Portuguese poet *

João do Rio João do Rio was the pseudonym of the Brazilian journalist, short-story writer and playwright João Paulo Emílio Cristóvão dos Santos Coelho Barreto, a Brazilian author and journalist of African descent (August 5, 1881, Rio de Janeiro – J ...

, Brazilian writer *

João Frederico Ludovice Johann Friedrich Ludwig (19 March 1673 in Baden-Wurttemberg – 18 January 1752 in Lisbon), known in Portugal as João Frederico Ludovice, was a German-born Portuguese architect and goldsmith. Early life The youngest son of Peter Ludwig, admin ...

, German-born Portuguese architect and goldsmith *

João Gilberto João Gilberto (born João Gilberto do Prado Pereira de Oliveira – ; 10 June 1931 – 6 July 2019) was a Brazilian guitarist, singer, and composer who was a pioneer of the musical genre of bossa nova in the late 1950s. Around the world, he w ...

, Brazilian musician *

João Guimarães Rosa João Guimarães Rosa (; 27 June 1908 – 19 November 1967) was a Brazilian novelist, short story writer, poet and diplomat. Rosa only wrote one novel, '' Grande Sertão: Veredas'' (known in English as ''The Devil to Pay in the Backlands''), a ...

, Brazilian novelist, short story writer, and diplomat *

João Miguel (actor) João Miguel Serrano Leonelli (born 1 January 1970), known professionally as João Miguel, is a Brazilian actor. He is known to international audiences for his role in the Netflix series ''3%''. Biography João Miguel was born in Salvador, Bah ...

, Brazilian actor *

João Nogueira João Nogueira (November 12, 1941 – June 5, 2000) was a Brazil, Brazilian singer and composer, famous for his samba compositions. He was born in Rio de Janeiro. His first composition, "Espera ó Nega" was recorded in 1968, however it was in ...

, Brazilian musician *

João Pedro Rodrigues João Pedro Rodrigues (born 24 August 1966) is a Portuguese film director. He is considered to be part of The School of Reis. Career Having studied at the School of Theatre and Cinema of Portugal, Rodrigues started his career as an assistant di ...

, Portuguese film director *

Maria João Pires Maria João Alexandre Barbosa Pires (; born 23 July 1944) is a Portuguese classical pianist, widely regarded as one of the leading interpreters of the repertoire of the 18th and 19th centuries. Early life and education Pires was born in Lisbon, ...

, Portuguese pianist *

João Simões Lopes Neto João Simões Lopes Neto (March 9, 1865 – June 14, 1916) was a Brazilian regionalism (art), regionalist writer from Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. After some unsuccessful business ventures, Neto married at 27. He only wrote four significan ...

, Brazilian writer * João Ubaldo Ribeiro, Brazilian writer, journalist, and professor *

João Vasco Paiva João Vasco Paiva (born 1979, Coimbra, Portugal) is a Hong Kong–based contemporary artist. Biography João Vasco Paiva received a BFA from the Escola Superior Artistica do Porto in 2004 and an MFA in Creative Media from the City University of ...

, Portuguese artist

Sportspeople

Footballers

João Félix João Félix Sequeira (; born 10 November 1999) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for Serie A club AC Milan, on loan from Premier League club Chelsea, and the Portugal national team. F� ...

, Portuguese footballer *

João Moutinho João Filipe Iria Santos Moutinho (; born 8 September 1986) is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Primeira Liga club Braga. Moutinho began his professional career with Sporting CP, moving in 2010 to Porto and winnin ...

, Portuguese footballer *

João Mário (footballer, born January 1993) João Mário Naval da Costa Eduardo (born 19 January 1993), known as João Mário (), is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Primeira Liga club Benfica. He started out at Sporting CP in whose youth system he de ...

, Portuguese footballer * João Pereira (disambiguation), several Portuguese footballers *

João Pinto João Manuel Vieira Pinto (; born 19 August 1971) is a Portuguese retired professional footballer who played mostly as a forward. Blessed with playmaking and goalscoring ability, he made his name mostly at a domestic level and as a key figu ...

, Portuguese footballer * João Cancelo, Portuguese footballer *

João Tomás João Henrique Pataco Tomás (born 27 May 1975) is a Portuguese retired professional footballer who played as a striker. He represented mostly Braga (three seasons) and Rio Ave (four) in a 19-year senior career, also having a one-and-a-half-se ...

, Portuguese footballer *

Lucas João Lucas Eduardo dos Santos João (born 4 September 1993), known as Lucas João, is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Forward (association football), forward for Turkish club Ümraniyespor and the Angola national footba ...

, Portuguese/Angolan footballer * Joãozinho (footballer, born 1988), Brazilian footballer *

João Pedro (footballer, born 2001) João Pedro Junqueira de Jesus (born 26 September 2001), also known as João Pedro, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Brazil national team. Early and personal life João ...

, Brazilian footballer *

João Paulo (footballer, born 1991) João Paulo Mior (born 8 March 1991), known as João Paulo, is a Brazilian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Midfielder#Central midfielder, central midfielder for Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC. Career ...

, Brazilian footballer

Other sportspeople

João Almeida (cyclist) João Pedro Gonçalves Almeida (; born 5 August 1998) is a Portuguese professional cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . Almeida rose to prominence during the 2020 Giro d'Italia, his Grand Tour debut, where he held the race leader' ...

, Portuguese road cyclist *

João Barbosa João Ricardo da Silva Coelho Barbosa (born 11 March 1975 in Porto, Portugal) is a Portuguese auto racing driver. He currently competes in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Sean Creech Motorsport in the LMP2 class. He was runner ...

, Portuguese racing driver *

João Brenha João Carlos Brenha Alves Pereira (born May 6, 1970 in Espinho) is a beach volleyball player from Portugal, who competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games, also known as the Summer Olympics or the Games of the ...

, Portuguese beach volleyball player *

João Cunha e Silva João Cunha e Silva (also known as João Cunha-Silva; born 27 November 1967) is a Portuguese former professional tennis player. He won two doubles titles during his career on the ATP Tour. He reached his career-high doubles ranking of world No. ...

, Portuguese tennis player *

João Fonseca (tennis) João Franca Guimarães Fonseca (; born 21 August 2006) is a Brazilians, Brazilian professional tennis player. He has a career-high Association of Tennis Professionals, ATP singles ranking of world No. 57, achieved on 9 June 2025 and a doubles r ...

, Brazilian tennis player *

João Havelange Jean-Marie Faustin Godefroid "João" de Havelange (, ; 8 May 1916 – 16 August 2016) was a Brazilian lawyer, businessman, and athlete who was the seventh president of FIFA from 1974 to 1998. His tenure as president is the second longest in ...

, Brazilian president of FIFA from 1974–1998 *

João José João Miguel Sequeira José (born 7 June 1978 in Portimão) is a male volleyball player from Portugal. He finished in 8th place with the Men's National Team at the 2002 FIVB Men's World Championship The 2002 FIVB Men's Volleyball World Champ ...

, Portuguese volleyball player * João Moreira, jockey currently based in Hong Kong *

João José Pereira João José Sales Henriques de Carvalho Pereira (born 28 December 1987) is a Portuguese triathlete who represents S.L. Benfica, Benfica, at club level, and the Portuguese national team. Career On 14 June 2015 he finished 8th at the Triathl ...

, Portuguese triathlete *

João Sousa João Pedro Coelho Marinho de Sousa (born 30 March 1989), known as João Sousa (), is a Portuguese former professional tennis player. He achieved a career-high Association of Tennis Professionals, ATP singles ranking of No. 28 on 16 May 2016 a ...

, Portuguese tennis player *

João Souza João Olavo Soares de Souza (; born 27 May 1988) is a Brazilian former professional tennis player. Before receiving a lifetime ban for match-fixing, Souza competed mainly on the ATP Challenger Tour, both in singles and doubles. He reached his hi ...

, Brazilian tennis player *

João Souza (fencer) João Antônio de Albuquerque e Souza (born August 23, 1983 in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul) is a Brazilian foil fencer. Souza represented Brazil at the 2008 Summer Olympics, Brazil at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, where he competed in ...

, Brazilian fencer

Other people

* João Amoêdo, Brazilian engineer and company administrator *

João Biehl João Guilherme Biehl is a Brazilian Medical anthropology, medical anthropologist known for his innovative studies of global health, poverty, and suffering. He is currently the Susan Dod Brown Professor of Anthropology, Chair of the Department of ...

, Brazilian anthropologist *

João Cravinho João Cardona Gomes Cravinho (19 September 1936 – 16 April 2025) was a Portuguese politician. He served, among other positions, as member of the Assembly of the Republic (Portugal), Portuguese Parliament (1979–1983, 1985–1989 and 1999–2 ...

(1936–2025), Portuguese politician * João Gomes Cravinho (born 1964), Portuguese diplomat and politician, son of João Cravinho * João Dias (born 1973), Portuguese politician *

João Doria João Agripino da Costa Doria Júnior (; born 16 December 1957) is a Brazilian politician, businessman and journalist who served as Governor of São Paulo, from January 2019 to April 2022. He previously served as the 52nd Mayor of São Paulo f ...

, Brazilian politician *

João Teixeira de Faria João Teixeira de Faria (born 24 June 1942), known also as João de Deus (John of God), is a Brazilian self-proclaimed medium, and self-proclaimed psychic surgeon. He was based in Abadiânia, Brazil, where he ran a spiritual healing center ...

, Brazilian faith healer * João Armando Gonçalves, head of the World Organization of the Scout Movement *

João Goulart João Belchior Marques Goulart (; 1 March 1919 – 6 December 1976), commonly known as Jango, was a Brazilian politician who served as the president of Brazil from 1961 until a military coup d'état deposed him in 1964. He was considered the ...

, 27th president of Brazil *

João Lourenço João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço (born 5 March 1954) is an Angolan politician who is currently serving as the third president of Angola since 26 September 2017. Previously, he was the minister of defence from 2014 to 2017. In September 2018, ...

, current President of Angola and previous Minister of Defence *

João Magueijo João Magueijo (born 1967) is a Portuguese cosmologist and professor in theoretical physics at Imperial College London. He is a pioneer of the varying speed of light (VSL) theory. Education and career João Magueijo studied physics at the U ...

, Portuguese cosmologist *

João Marinho Neto João Marinho Neto (born 5 October 1912) is a Brazilian supercentenarian who has been the world's oldest verified living man following the death of John Tinniswood from the United Kingdom. Biography João Marinho Neto was born in Maranguape, ...

(born 1912), Brazilian supercentenarian, current world's oldest living man *

João da Nova João da Nova (; ; ; in Maceda, Ourense, Galicia, Spain – July 16, 1509, in Kochi, India) was a Galician-born explorer in the service of Portugal. He is credited as the discoverer of Ascension and Saint Helena islands. The Juan de Nova ...

, 15th-century Portuguese explorer *

João Ramalho João Ramalho () (1493–1582) was a Portuguese explorer and adventurer known as the first bandeirante. He lived much of his life among Tupiniquim natives in Brazil after he arrived there around 1510. He even became the leader of an Indian vi ...

(1493–1582), Portuguese explorer and adventurer, attributed as the first bandeirante *

João Rodrigues Cabrilho João is a given name of Portuguese origin. It is equivalent to the given name John. The diminutive is Joãozinho and the feminine is Joana. It is widespread in Portuguese-speaking countries. Notable people with the name are enumerated in the ...

, 16th-century Portuguese explorer *

João de Trasto João de Trasto is the name sometimes given to an obscure (and possibly fictional) Portuguese mariner, who is alleged to have captained the first exploratory expedition dispatched by Prince Henry the Navigator in 1415. The only record of Joã ...

, 15th-century Portuguese explorer *

João Gonçalves Zarco João Gonçalves Zarco ( 1390 – 21 November 1471) was a Portuguese explorer who established settlements and recognition of the Madeira, Madeira Islands, and was appointed first captain of Funchal by Henry the Navigator. Life Zarco was born in ...

, Portuguese navigator, co-discoverer of the Madeira islands *

John of God John of God, Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God, O.H. (; ; born João Duarte Cidade Help:IPA/Portuguese, �ʒwɐ̃w̃ duˈwaɾ.t siˈða.ðɨ March 8, 1495 – March 8, 1550) was a Portuguese People, Portuguese soldier turned healthc ...

or João de Deus, Iberian saint

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joao Portuguese masculine given names Masculine given names

Kings

Princes

Arts and literature

Sportspeople

Footballers

Other sportspeople

Other people

See also

References