Vasco

Vasco is a masculine given name of Portuguese origin, used in Portugal, Brazil, and other Portuguese-speaking communities. It is also found as a surname or as part of longer compound names. The name is historically associated with explorers, navigators, and sailors who helped shape the Portuguese maritime era.

Notable bearer: Vasco da Gama (c. 1460s–1524) was a Portuguese explorer who commanded the first ships to reach India by sea, establishing a sea route from Europe to Asia and accelerating Portuguese involvement in global trade.

Its use in geography and infrastructure includes several prominent landmarks named after Vasco da Gama. The Vasco da Gama Bridge in Lisbon, completed in 1998, spans the Tagus River and was the longest bridge in Europe at the time of its completion. In Goa, India, the city of Vasco da Gama, commonly called Vasco, sits near Mormugao and hosts the Mormugao Port and the Dabolim Airport.

In sport, CR Vasco da Gama, based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one of the country’s most traditional football clubs; founded in 1898 and commonly referred to simply as Vasco. The club’s name honors the explorer and reflects a broader tradition of naming institutions after him.

Vasco as a name continues to appear in culture, geography, and institutions beyond these primary references, maintaining its association with exploration and Portuguese heritage.