The name of the city is said to have been derived from the name of Lord Brahmeswara, worshipped in a temple at Lathi, 4 km from the main town. Brahmapur is also known as the Silk city for its famous Berhampur Patta (Silk) Sarees. The Chief of the Dera community, Kota Chandramani Kubera Senapati, led his community people to migrate to Mohuri (Brahmapur) who settle down into their hereditary profession of weaving tussar silken products or Patta Matha. They migrated to the city from Rajahmundry (they were known as Debanga there) sometime during the period 1662-1672 on the request of the then Raja Harihar Narayan Deo of Mohuri zamindari. The cult of Buddhi Thakurani Yatra also originated along with the emergence of weaver community in here. They started the Ghata Yatra (Pot Festival) for the purpose of highlighting the tradition of worshiping the Godesses as well as to use it as a platform for sales promotion of their silken products.

Brahmapur city is connected with National Highways NH-16 (Chennai–Kolkata), NH-59 (Brahmapur-Khariar), NH-516 (Narendrapur-Gopalpur), State Highway 17 (Odisha) and State Highway 22 (Odisha) which connect almost all other cities and towns of Odisha.
Three-wheeler auto taxis are the most important mode of transportation in this city, with Taxis also on the city's roads. Online "C-cabs" and "ola" taxi-service app is also available. The state government has constructed a new bus station at Haladiapadar, at the outskirts of the city. The Ganjam Urban Transport Services Limited (GUTSL) with joint partnership with Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) have an agreement to run a city-bus service for Brahmapur to urban centres on its periphery (Chatrapur, Gopalpur and Hinjili, Taratarini, Bhairabi) since 27 February 2014.

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