Meaning & History
Andreia is the Portuguese feminine form of Andrew. It is primarily used in Portuguese-speaking countries, especially Brazil and Portugal. The name derives from the Greek name Ἀνδρέας (Andreas), which comes from the element ἀνδρεῖος (andreios) meaning "manly, masculine," itself derived from ἀνήρ (aner) meaning "man."
Etymology and History
The root name Andrew shares the same etymology as Andreia. In the New Testament, Andrew was one of the first disciples of Jesus and the brother of Simon Peter. His Greek name was likely a translation or nickname of his original Hebrew name, which is unknown. As a feminine form, Andreia has been used in Portuguese since at least the 20th century.
Cultural Significance
The name appears consistently in Brazil and Portugal, with a variety of notable bearers, particularly in sports and entertainment. Andreia is also the name of fictional characters in Portuguese-language media. It shares forms in other Romance languages, such as Andrea (see Andrea) in Italian and Spanish.
Notable Bearers
- Andreia Aparecida Hessel (born 1984), Brazilian marathon runner
- Andreia Bandeira (born 1987), Brazilian amateur boxer
- Andréia de Olicar (1976–2020), Brazilian singer and composer
- Andréia Horta (born 1983), Brazilian actress
- Andréia Suntaque (born 1977), Brazilian football (soccer) goalkeeper and world traveler
- Andreia Norton (born 1996), Portuguese footballer
Related Forms
Variants include Andréa (especially in Brazilian Portuguese), Andréia, Andressa, and Andreza. The masculine counterpart is André. Other cognate females forms exist across European languages, such as Andriana (Greek) and Andreja 1 (Slovene).
- Meaning: Womanly, feminine form of Andrew (from Greek 'andreios' — masculine)
- Origin: Portuguese feminization of Greek-derived name Andrew
- Type: Mainly gender specific feminine given name
- Usage Regions: Primarily in Lusophone countries (Brazil, Portugal), also in other Portuguese-speaking communities
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Andréia