Brazil and name names

Can anyone please give me four or five common Brazilian first names for a guy about 30 years old?
On another subject how widely spread is the term 'christian name' for a first name? I'm guessing some less predominantly christian countries just have 'first names'? I remember in India always being asked my 'good name'. And why is it a christian name anyway?

And why is it a christian name anyway?

I think that years ago in Christian countries, babies were not always named right at birth, I suppose because a lot died very early. The naming ceremony, "the christening", was to have them become members of the Catholic Church.

If they died before christening, they went to limbo rather than to heaven -- which I always thought extremely unfair.

One part of the rite of baptism is the anointing of the infant with oil, or chrism+. I'm not sure, but I think that the word is Greek, and I think it is the source of the word +christening. My guess is that the name given at that time is called the "Christian name" because the choice of names was limited to those of Christian saints.

#1--

I don't think the explanation need be that elaborate. The Christian name is given to you at baptism, unlike the one you inherit from you father.

I've never heard "Christian name" in the US. It's "first name" of "given name" here.

When I lived in Libya, a baby would get an official name early on, but it would be kept private. For a while after birth, I'm not sure how long, the baby would be referred to by a name with a negative meaning, Ugly or Stupid etc. The idea was that to be constantly referring to the baby as, say, Jameel, beautiful, would draw the evil eye from jealous people, which would put the child in danger. No one is going to envy a baby called Ugly, so the name would protect it from the evil eye. Similarly you don't say "How cute/lovely/etc when seeing a new baby. All you're allowed to say, as far as I know, is Mash'allah, more or less "What hath God wrought!"

#2--

"Christian" and "chrism" are related, but not that closely. Christen = to make Christian. "Christian" is from Greek christianos, which is from Greek Christos (Christ, messiah), which is a translation of Hebrew moshiach = the anointed one.

Can't find stuff from 30 years ago--

Wikipedia:
Brazil, 2011 popular baby names.
Miguel
Davi
Gabriel
Arthur
Lucas
Matheus
Pedro
Guilherme
Gustavo
Rafael

Top 100 Brazilian names - Brazil scroll down

From the Catholic encyclopedia

"Christian names", says the Elizabethan antiquary, Camden, "were imposed for the distinction of persons, surnames for the difference of families."

It would seem from this that, even in the sixteenth century, the etymological and historical significance of the phrase "Christian name" was growning dim, and it is commonly quite forgotten in our own time. But, strictly speaking, the "Christian name" is not merely the forename distinctive of the individual member of a family, but the name given to him at his "christening", i.e., his baptism.

It should be remembered that, in pre-Reformation England the laity were taught to administer baptism in case of necessity with the words: "I christen thee in the name of the Father" etc. To "christen" is therefore to "baptize", and "Christian name" means baptismal name.

Here's the source of my thought that Christian name came from chrism: an excerpt from the Roman Catholic rite for the baptism of one child:

The priest baptizes the child, saying:

N., I baptize you in the name of the Father, He immerses the child or pours water upon it. and of the Son, He immerses the child or pours water upon it a second time. and of the Holy Spirit.

He immerses the child or pours water upon it a third time. After the child is baptized, it is appropriate for the people to sing a short acclamation. (See nos. 225-245.) If the baptism is performed by the pouring of water, it is preferable that the child be held by the mother (or father). Where, however, it is felt that the existing custom should be retained, the godmother (or godfather) may hold the child. If baptism is by immersion, the mother or father (godmother of godfather) lifts the child out of the font.

Anointing with Chrism

Then the celebrant says:

God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has freed you from sin, given you a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and welcomed you into his holy people. He now anoints you with the chrism of salvation. As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet, and King, so may you live always as a member of his body, sharing everlasting life.

All: Amen.

Then the celebrant anoints the child on the crown of the head with the sacred chrism, in silence.

Bruno
Daniel
Pedro

I was in The Gambia this summer (English speaking officially for those who don't know) and on more than one registry it asked for my Christian name for one of the entry. The funny thing is, 95% of Gambians are Muslims. I guess the British left their mark on the country.

"It should be remembered that, in pre-Reformation England the laity were taught to administer baptism in case of necessity with the words: "I christen thee in the name of the Father" etc."

Nutrax, I'm not sure if that changed in England after the Reformation but that is still applicable in the Catholic Church today.

I was taught that, but the wording was "I baptize thee..." That same CAtholic encyclopedia gives that wording as the current one. They add:
>In English, the term christen is familiarly used for baptize. As, however, the former word signifies only the effect of baptism, that is, to make one a Christian, but not the manner and the act, moralists hold that "I christen" could probably not be substituted validly for "I baptize" in conferring the sacrament.

and

In case of necessity, baptism can be administered lawfully and validly by any person whatsoever who observes the essential conditions, whether this person be a Catholic layman or any other man or woman, heretic or schismatic, infidel or Jew [sic. A lot of the language dates to the original encyclopedia of 1917.].

The essential conditions are that the person pour water upon the one to be baptized, at the same time pronouncing the words: "I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." Moreover, he must thereby intend really to baptize the person, or technically, he must intend to perform what the Church performs when administering this sacrament.

Fernando, Marco, Thiago, Guilherme and Felipe are 5 common male Brazilian names