The names of Rio's neighborhoods work like a file spread across the city. Some preserve used words by original peoples long before colonization. Others remember farm owners, traders, politicians, military, religious and family members imperial.
There are also neighborhoods named after rivers, lakes, beaches, hills, churches, sugar mills, factories, railway stations and real estate projects.
Not all explanations are consensual. Translations of Tupi words vary among researchers, and some popular stories were born decades after the name itself. Therefore, this guide distinguishes documented origins from traditional hypotheses and versions.
Copacabana was named after a religious devotion; Ipanema was named after a title of nobility; Botafogo came from a surname; and Realengo does not mean “Real Ingenuity”.
Quick Answer: Where Did The Names Come From
Toponym associated with mud, swamp or swampy land.
Name of Our Lady of Copacabana, venerated in Bolivia.
Surname of João Pereira de Sousa Botafogo.
Villa subdivided by the family of the Baron of Ipanema.
Land administered by cattle driver Lourenço Madureira.
Tribute to Augusto Duque Estrada Meyer.
Stone whose shape resembled the topsail of a vessel.
It derives from realenga lands, destined for public use.
How Rio's neighborhoods got their names
Words of indigenous origin
Rivers, ponds, animals, plants and characteristics of the terrain left deep marks on the map.
- Tijuca
- Maracanã
- Andaraí
- Jacarepaguá
- Guaratiba
- Sepetiba
- Paquetá
- Taquara
People and families
Farmers, merchants, nobles, military, doctors, politicians and administrators were honored by subdivisions and stations.
- Botafogo
- Leblon
- Meier
- Madureira
- Deodoro
- Marshal Hermes
- Oswaldo Cruz
- Bento Ribeiro
Churches and devotions
Chapels, convents, parishes and religious festivals organized the occupation of the city for centuries.
- Copacabana
- Glory
- Santa Teresa
- Health
- Penha
- Santa Cruz
- Holy Christ
- Saint Kitts
Landscape and economic activities
Hills, rocks, rivers, fields, potteries, mills, gardens and beaches also became names.
- Rudder
- Gávea
- Long River
- Campo Grande
- Pottery
- New Engenho
- Botanical garden
- Barra da Tijuca
Center, New City and Port Area
Center
The name identifies the central training nucleus and city administration. Before the modern split into neighborhoods, the region was organized by parishes, such as Candelaria, Sacramento, São José and Santa Rita.
Health
The name came from the Church of Our Lady of Health, built in the 18th century next to the old waterfront. Devotion began to identify the hill, the beach and later the neighborhood.
Gamboa
“Gamboa” is a word used to designate a small cove, sheltered area or stretch of water where vessels could remain protected. The name described the ancient configuration of the coast.
Holy Christ
It derives from devotion to the Holy Christ of Miracles, associated with the church and religious brotherhoods that operated in the old port region.
Cashew
The name is related to the presence of cashew trees in the old coastal point. Farms, beaches and paths region already used the reference to cashew before of industrial urbanization.
Saint Kitts
The name was consolidated by the ancient Church of Saint Christopher, a devotion that came to identify the countryside and the path around Quinta da Boa Vista.
Estácio
Pays homage to Estácio de Sá, founder of the city of Saint Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro in 1565. The name spread throughout the hill, streets and neighborhood.
Long River
The neighborhood was named after the watercourse that crossed the valley. Much of the river was channeled or covered during urbanization.
New City
The expression arose when nearby wetlands to the old center began to be filled in and occupied as a new extension of the city.
Santa Teresa
The name is linked to the Convent of Santa Teresa, founded in the 18th century. The ancient Morro do Desterro gradually began to be identified by the institution.
Lapa
The region took its name from the Church of Our Lady do Carmo da Lapa do Desterro. The name was later associated with the aqueduct and the bohemian neighborhood.
Origin of the names of neighborhoods in the South Zone
Glory
The Church of Our Lady of Glory of Outeiro gave its name to the hill, the beach, the parish and the neighborhood.
Catete
It is a toponym of Tupi origin prior to urbanization. It is usually interpreted as a reference to a forest dense or extensive, but the translations are not consensual.
Flemish
The name first appeared associated with the beach. A traditional explanation relates “Flemish” to Dutch or Flanders present in the colonial period, but there is no definitive consensus.
Orange trees
Farms and properties in the valley cultivated orange trees and other fruit trees. The botanical reference became the name of the region.
Cosme Velho
The name is associated with Cosme Velho Pereira, landowner in the Carioca River valley during the colonial period.
Botafogo
João Pereira de Sousa received land in the cove and was known by the surname Botafogo, inherited from his family. The property passed to be called Botafogo.
Humaitá
The name pays homage to Humaitá, a fortress Paraguay, which gained enormous importance during the Paraguayan War.
Urca
The most popular explanation relates the name to Companhia Urbanizadora Carioca, responsible for landfill and subdivision. There are, however, records that indicate the use of “Urca” before the formation of the modern neighborhood.
Rudder
The name comes from Pedra do Leme, whose contour was compared to the rudder of a vessel.
Copacabana
Old name: Sacopenapã or Sacopenapan.
Browsers and traders linked to America Spanish built a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Copacabana, original devotion of the Bolivian city next to Lake Titicaca.
Ipanema
The neighborhood was launched as Vila Ipanema by the family of the Baron and Count of Ipanema. The title referred to São João de Ipanema and the Ipanema River, in São Paulo.
Therefore, the Tupi translation of Ipanema did not describe directly to Rio beach.
Leblon
The name derives from the French businessman Charles Le Blond, landowner and business owner linked to whale fishing in the region in the 19th century.
The pronunciation and spelling were Portuguese for Leblon.
Pond
The region was identified by Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, whose name reminds Rodrigo de Freitas of Carvalho, owner of nearby land.
Botanical garden
The neighborhood was named after the Botanical Garden created by Dom João in 1808, initially focused on acclimatization of plant species.
Gávea
Pedra da Gávea reminded navigators of the crow's nest, platform installed on the top of the masts of old ships.
São Conrado
The denomination is linked to the Chapel of São Conrado, built on the initiative of Conrado Jacob de Niemeyer, owner and responsible for works access to the region.
Tijuca, Maracanã, Andaraí and Vila Isabel
Tijuca
The toponym is usually related to mud, marsh, swampy land or standing water. The word already identified areas and watercourses before the formation of the current neighborhood.
Maracanã
Maracanã was the name given to a species of bird similar to a parrot. The Maracanã River received the toponym, later transmitted to the neighborhood and the stadium.
Andaraí
The most widespread interpretation associates Andaraí the “river of bats”, formed from andirá, bat, and ’y, water or river.
Villa Isabel
Ancient region: Monkey Farm.
The subdivision created by Baron de Drummond was named in honor of Princess Isabel.
Grajaú
The planned neighborhood was named Grajaú, city of Maranhão associated with the engineer who participated in the project. Several streets too pay homage to rivers and cities in Maranhão.
North Zone, Grande Méier and suburbs
Meier
The railway station paid homage to Augusto Duque Estrada Meyer, chamberlain of the emperor. The name of the stop passed to the neighborhood.
New Engenho
The name differentiated a sugar factory most recent of other mills already existing in the region.
Engenho de Dentro
The name identified a mill located further away the interior of the ancient lands of Inhaúma, away from the main paths.
Madureira
Lourenço Madureira managed and later took over lands of the former Fazenda do Campinho. His surname came to identify the location, the station and the neighborhood.
Oswaldo Cruz
The station and the neighborhood pay homage to Oswaldo Cruz, doctor and scientist linked to health campaigns public at the beginning of the 20th century.
Quintino Bocaiúva
The name pays homage to Quintino Bocaiúva, journalist, politician, diplomat and one of the figures of the movement Brazilian republican.
Bento Ribeiro
The neighborhood was named after Bento Manuel Ribeiro Carneiro Monteiro, mayor of the Federal District between 1910 and 1914.
Penha
The Church of Nossa Senhora da Penha was built on a high rock formation. “Penha” can precisely designate a large stone or cliff.
Pottery
The region concentrated potteries that produced bricks, tiles and clay pieces. Industrial activity it became the name of the stop and the neighborhood.
branches
The name came from captain José Fonseca Ramos, owner of a farm crossed by the railway. A station was created on their land.
Bonsucesso
The name is associated with Cecília Vieira de Bonsucesso and the old rural property he used the name before the railway facility.
Inhaúma
It is an old indigenous toponym, prior to the parish created in the 18th century. The proposed translations vary, which is why the literal meaning must be treated with caution.
Irajá
The name already identified the river, the lands and the old rural parish. There are different interpretations for its translation, linked to water and the local landscape.
Pavuna
The indigenous toponym was first used for the Pavuna River and the nearby lands. The neighborhood inherited its name from the watercourse.
Deodoro
Previous name of the station: Sapopemba.
The station was renamed in honor of Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, first president of the Republic.
Marshal Hermes
The planned neighborhood pays homage to Marshal Hermes da Fonseca, president of Brazil when the project housing was developed.
Vicente de Carvalho
The station and the neighborhood pay homage to Vicente de Carvalho, poet, journalist, lawyer and politician from São Paulo.
Jacarepaguá, Taquara, Parish and Barra
Jacarepaguá
The name is related to the alligators that lived in the lagoons and wetlands in the lowlands. Translations vary between “alligator lagoon” and other constructions with similar meaning.
Taquara
Taquara is the name of different similar species to bamboo. The abundance of the plant in ancient rural properties would have identified the region.
Parish
The area was the center of the old Parish of Nossa Lady of Loreto de Jacarepaguá. “Parish” designated a territorial division organized around a parish.
Bargain
The most repeated explanation associates the name with commerce location and the possibility of finding low prices or negotiate values. The exact documentary origin, however, it still requires caution.
Barra da Tijuca
“Bar” indicates the opening or passage that connects lagoons and rivers to the sea. Tijuca preserves the old indigenous toponym used in the region.
Recreio dos Bandeirantes
The name was adopted by the enterprise that subdivided the coastal strip as a residential and leisure area. “Recreio” reinforced the proposal for rest, beach and contact with nature.
Bangu, Realengo, Campo Grande and Guaratiba region
Bangu
The name was already used by the old Bangu Farm before the fabric factory. There are hypotheses that relate the toponym to the Tupi language and the appearance dark or walled area of the Pedra Branca Massif.
Realengo
The name derives from “realengos fields” or “realenga lands”, areas linked to the Crown and intended for public use and pasture.
It is not an abbreviation for “Real Engenho”, popular version without documentary support.
Campo Grande
The expression described the extensive fields and areas open areas of the old rural region located between the Pedra Branca and Mendanha massifs.
Santa Cruz
A large cross placed by the Jesuits became reference of the Santa Cruz Farm, one of the most important rural properties in the region.
Guaratiba
The name is usually interpreted as a place, site or abundance of guarás, red birds who lived in the region's mangroves.
Sepetiba
The toponym is usually translated as “place with a lot of thatch”, reference to vegetation that grew in coastal areas.
Paquetá and Governador Island
Paquetá
The best-known interpretation relates Paquetá to the presence of many pacas, although there are linguistic variations for the composition of the name.
Governor Island
The island became associated with Salvador Correia de Sá, governor of Rio and local land owner. The owner's condition became the geographical name.
Myths and controversial versions
Realengo is not “Real Engenho”
The documented origin is in land or fields realengos. The supposed railway abbreviation is a later popular explanation.
Ipanema did not describe the Rio sea
Although the word has Tupi origins, the neighborhood received the name through the title of Baron of Ipanema, linked to a location in São Paulo.
Urca may be before the urbanization company
The acronym of Companhia Urbanizadora Carioca explains the planned neighborhood, but there are signs of use previous of the toponym.
Flamengo remains controversial
The association with Flemish or Dutch people is old, but there is no single documentation capable of end the discussion.
Bangu has more than one interpretation
The proposed indigenous translations vary. The safest data is that Fazenda Bangu already used the name before industrialization.
Tupi translations require caution
Spellings were changed by Portuguese, cartographers and administrators. The same word may receive different translations depending on the indigenous language and linguistic analysis.
Bairro dos Ingleses could become a new official neighborhood
The area known as Bairro dos Ingleses is between Maria da Graça and Del Castilho. The name reminds employees British and other foreigners linked to the Company Nacional de Tecidos Nova América, who lived in the houses planned near the factory.
On June 30, 2026, the City Council approved the neighborhood creation project. While updating this article, the text was still subject to sanction or veto by the mayor.
Until the conclusion of the legal process and the updating of the bases municipalities, the area should not be automatically counted as the 164th official neighborhood.
What the names reveal about the history of Rio
Indigenous presence
Tijuca, Maracanã, Andaraí, Jacarepaguá, Guaratiba and Sepetiba show that cartography carioca preserves words from before colonization.
Rural lands
Mills, farms, farms and fields explain Madureira, Campo Grande, Realengo and several neighborhoods of Grande Méier and the West Zone.
Railway expansion
Méier, Deodoro, Oswaldo Cruz, Bento Ribeiro, Quintino Bocaiúva and Marechal Hermes grew up around stations and were named after honorees.
Religious organization
For centuries, churches and parishes organized social and territorial life. This heritage remains in Glória, Penha, Saúde, Santa Teresa and Freguesia.
Neighborhood Names FAQ
Why Copacabana has this name
The name came from a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Copacabana, devotion associated with the Bolivian city located next to Lake Titicaca.
What does Tijuca mean?
The word of Tupi origin is usually interpreted such as mud, swamp or swampy land.
Ipanema means dangerous water
There are different translations for the toponym tupi. However, the Rio neighborhood received the name through the family of the Baron of Ipanema, and not as a direct description of the sea.
Where did the name Leblon come from?
The name derives from the French Charles Le Blond, landowner in the region during the 19th century.
Botafogo has a relationship with the football club
Not originally. The neighborhood inherited the surname by João Pereira de Sousa Botafogo. The club later adopted the name of the region.
Realengo is short for Real Engenho
No. The documented origin is in the expression “realengo lands” or “realengo fields”, linked to Crown areas intended for public use.
What does Jacarepaguá mean?
The name of Tupi origin is related to the lagoons and the alligators that inhabited the lowlands. The literal translation varies between sources.
Why Madureira has this name
The neighborhood remembers Lourenço Madureira, tenant and later owner of land from the former Fazenda do Campinho.
What is the origin of the name Méier
The station was named in honor of Augustus Duke Estrada Meyer, chamberlain of the emperor.
What does Guaratiba mean?
The name is often interpreted as a place or abundance of guarás, red birds characteristics of mangrove areas.
How many neighborhoods are there in Rio de Janeiro
The municipal map published by the Institute Pereira Passos in 2020 registered 163 neighborhoods. The creation of the English Quarter was approved by the Chamber in 2026, but it still depended on the completion of the legal process in this update.
All neighborhoods with indigenous names have the correct translation
No. Spellings and pronunciations have changed over the years centuries, and researchers can present different interpretations for the same toponym.