Abstract

This diachronic study examines the first names of people of German descent in southern Brazil. The data is based on baptismal records from the Evangelical Lutheran parish of Hamburgo Velho (Rio Grande do Sul) from the period 1845–1952. The study shows that the political and social developments during this hundred-year period, which had a significant influence on the development of the identity of people of German descent, are reflected in the names given. For example, the names given at baptism reflect the initial isolation of the German colonies, secularisation at the end of the 19th century, and the strong pressure to assimilate during the two world wars. It also becomes clear that girls and boys play different roles in representing ethnic affiliation.