The city is named after the Senator of the Brazilian Empire, Agostinho Cezario de Figueiredo Cortes, member of very traditional families of Minas Gerais State.
^"Divisão Territorial do Brasil" (in Portuguese). Divisão Territorial do Brasil e Limites Territoriais, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE). July 1, 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2009.