Where does “São Paulo” come from?

São Paulo (Portuguese) comes from Portuguese São, from Old Portuguese são, from Latin sānus, from Proto-Indo-European swā-n- — healthy; whole; active; vigorous.

São Paulo (Portuguese): Paul the Apostle, Paul of Tarsus, Saint Paul

Definitions

  1. Paul the Apostle, Paul of Tarsus, Saint Paul

Ancestry of “São Paulo”, step by step

São Paulo traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Portuguese São

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1PortugueseSãoforms the titles of male saints whose names begin...
2Old Portuguesesão—
3Latinsānussound in body, healthy, whole, well
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswā-n-healthy; whole; active; vigorous

via Portuguese Paulo

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1PortuguesePauloPaul
2Latinpauluslittle, small
3Latinpaullus—

Words derived from “São Paulo”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swā-n- →Every word from Latin sānus →Every word from Old Portuguese são →