The earliest documented kings referred to their city in their correspondence as "the city of Congo" (cidade do Congo), and the name of the city as São Salvador appears for the first time in the letters of Álvaro I of Kongo (1568–1587) and was carried on by his successors.
De tidigaste dokumenterade kungarna refererar till sin stad i sin korrespondens som "Kongos stad" (cidade de Congo); namnet São Salvador dyker upp först i brev skrivna av Álvaro I (1568–1587) och fortsatte användas av hans efterträdare.