What was the name of Pelé's mother?

Pelé's mother was Dona Celeste Arantes.

Born Celeste Arantes in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, she married João Ramos do Nascimento, known as Dondinho, who was also a footballer. The couple had three children: Edson Arantes do Nascimento, later known as Pelé; Jair, nicknamed Zoca; and Maria Lúcia.

“Dona” is a Portuguese honorific meaning roughly “Mrs.” or “Lady,” so it is not a separate given name. She was therefore often identified simply as Celeste Arantes, or affectionately as Dona Celeste. Celeste initially worried about her children pursuing football because of the instability and constant travel involved in a footballing career.

She lived long enough to see Pelé become one of football's greatest figures. Celeste Arantes was born in 1922 and died in 2024 at the age of 101, nearly two years after Pelé's death.