Where does “Fulano” come from?

Fulano (Portuguese) comes from Spanish Fulano, from Old Spanish fulano, from Arabic فُلَان — so-and-so.

Fulano (Portuguese): what's-his-name; so-and-so

Definitions

  1. what's-his-name; so-and-so

Ancestry of “Fulano”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1SpanishFulanoJoe Schmoe, what's-his-name, so-and-so
2Old Spanishfulano—
3Arabicفُلَانso-and-so
Every word from Arabic فُلَان →Every word from Old Spanish fulano →Every word from Spanish Fulano →