Learn the meaning and origins of popular Italian baby names :
Whether you have got Italian roots otherwise you merely love the approach Italian names recite the tongue, there area unit several decisions of Italian names for your baby boy or lady. These names may have originated in Latin, or they may be Latinized versions of names from other languages.
Traditionally, Italian parents choose their children’s names based on the name of a grandparent, choosing names from the father’s side of the family first and then from the mother’s side. Until recent decades, Italian initial names were continuously a saint’s name or had alternative sturdy spiritual connotations. By knowing the Italian equivalent you can keep this tradition alive even if one side isn’t Italian. Or, you’ll be able to opt for a reputation with ancient Roman roots.
Popular Italian Baby Names for Girls :
These names include those that are popular in Italy, as well as those with Italian roots.
Allessandra
- Origin: Italian form of Greek Alexandra
- Meaning: To defend
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alessa, Sandra, Alexandra
- Famous Namesakes: Model Alessandra Ambrosio, actress Alessandra Torresani, politician Alessandra Mussolini
- Peak Popularity: Alessandra is a very popular name in Italy, reaching number 17 in 2004 and 2005. In the U.S. it is gaining in popularity over the past couple of decades and ranks around 300.
Alice :
- Origin: Old French, which derived it from German
- Meaning: Noble type (German Adalheidis)
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Alicia, Alecia, Alisha, Alyce, Alys, Alise.
- Famous Namesakes: Author Alice Walker, actress Alice Ghostley, St. Alice of Cambre (name day June 13 in her honor)
- Peak Popularity: Alice has been consistently ranked around number 10 for girl names in Italy for the past two decades. In the U.S. it was most popular in 1906 and remained in the top 50 names through World War II before dropping significantly. It has had a resurgence since 2010 and was the 71st most popular in 2018.
Angelica
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Angel-like
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Anjelica, Angelique, Angela, Angelina
- Famous Namesakes: Actress Anjelica Houston, singer Angelica Hale
- Peak Popularity: Angelica was most popular in the 1990s in the U.S., when it ranked about 100.
Arianna
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Most holy
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ariana, Ariadna, Ariadne
- Famous Namesakes: Journalist Arianna Huffington, singer Ariana Grande
- Peak Popularity: Arianna has long been popular in Italy, ranking in the top 25 over the past couple of decades. In the U.S. it entered the top 1,000 in 1982 and reached a high of 40 in 2014.
Aurora
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Dawn, luminous, dazzling
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Aurore
- Famous Namesakes: St. Aurora (name day October 20 in her honor), professional racecar driver Aurora Straus, Harry Potter character Aurora Sinistra
- Peak Popularity: Aurora reached the second most popular girl name in Italy in 2016. It has surged in the U.S. since 2009 and was at 44 in 2018.
Beatrice
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: She who makes happy
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Beatrix, Beatriz, Bea, Trixie
- Famous Namesakes: Author Beatrix Potter, actress Beatrice Straight, Princess Beatrice of York
- Peak Popularity: Beatrice has long been popular in Italy and ranked 13 in 2016. In the U.S. it was popular early in the 20th century and then fell out of favor. It ranked 573 in 2018.
Benedetta
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Blessed
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Bettina
- Famous Namesakes: Model Benedetta Barzini, Blessed Benedetta Bambiagio Frassinello
- Peak Popularity: Benedetta has ranked in the top 50 girl names in Italy for over 20 years. It is not in the top 1,000 in the U.S.
Bianca
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: White, fair
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Blanca, Blanch
- Famous Namesakes: Tennis player Bianca Andreescu, human rights advocate and former actress Bianca Jagger, singer Bianca Ryan
- Peak Popularity: Bianca ranked 26 in Italy in 2016. In the U.S. it ranks around 300.
Camilla
- Origin: Latin and Etruscan
- Meaning: Unknown
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Camille, Camila, Millie, Milly
- Famous Namesakes: Actress Camilla Luddington, British Royal Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
- Peak Popularity: Camilia has been popular in Italy for decades, and was at number 24 in 2016. In the U.S. it has new popularity and was at number 302 in 2018.
Carlotta
- Origin: German
- Meaning: Man (from Karl)
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Carla, Carlota
- Famous Namesakes: Journalist Carlotta Gall, actress Carlotta Monti, Empress Carlota of Mexico
- Peak Popularity: Carlotta is usually in the top 50 names in Italy, but it rarely makes it into the top 1,000 in the U.S.
Carmen
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Ode or poem
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Carmel, Carmenta
- Famous Namesakes: Actress Carmen Electra, singer Carmen Miranda
- Peak Popularity: Carmen was most popular as a girl name in the U.S. in the 1960s.
Caterina
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Pure
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Katrina, Katarina, Tina
- Famous Namesakes: Businesswoman Caterina Fake, Saint Caterina of Bologna, queen Caterina de’ Medici
- Peak Popularity: Caterina has been in the top 50 girl names in Italy for the past 20 years. It is never in the top 1,000 in the U.S., where the English versions of Katherine or Catherine have always been preferred.
Chiara
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Luminous, clear
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Clair, Claire, Clara, Clare
- Famous Namesakes: Actress Chiara Zanni, physicist Chiara Nappi, St. Chiara of Assisi (name day is August 11 in her honor)
- Peak Popularity: Chiara has been in the top 10 girl names in Italy for the past 20 years, and was the second most popular in 2000 and 2001. It has never been in the top 1,000 girl names in the U.S., but the variants Claire and Clara are in the top 100.
Claudia
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Patrician Roman family name meaning lame or crippled
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Gladys, Claude
- Famous Namesakes: First Lady Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, actress Claudia Cardinale, model Claudia Schiffer
- Peak Popularity: Claudia reached number 111 in 1952 in the U.S. In Italy, it was number 26 in 1999.
Drusilla
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Dew
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Dru, Druscilla, Cilla, Drusa
- Famous Namesakes: Drusilla (daughter of Herod Agrippa), writer Drusilla Modjeska
- Peak Popularity: Drusilla has always been a rare name in the U.S., reaching a high of 612 in 1886, and it is not in the top 1,000 today.
Elena
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Torch or moon
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ellen, Lena, Helen
- Famous Namesakes: Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, tennis player Elena Vesnina
- Peak Popularity: Elena was in the top 20 girl names in Italy from 1999 to 2011, and ranked at 29 in 2016. It is increasingly popular in the U.S., with a new high at 66 in 2018.
Eleonora
- Origin: Old French
- Meaning: Italian version of Eleanor, no meaning given
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Elinor, Eleanor, Eleanora, Ella, Nell, Lenora, Nora
- Famous Namesakes: Holy Roman Empress Eleonora Gonzaga, actress Eleonora Duse
- Peak Popularity: Eleonora reached number 18 for girl names in Italy in 2002. It has not been in the top 1,000 in the U.S. for over a century. However, the English variant Eleanor is making a huge surge with a new high at 32 in 2018.
Elisa
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: My God is an oath
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Eliza, Elsa, Lisa
- Famous Namesakes: Actress Elisa Donovan, designer Elisa Jimenez
- Peak Popularity: Elisa is very popular in Italy, ranking ninth in 2004. In the U.S. it usually ranks about 500.
Emilia
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: A rival
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Emily
- Famous Namesakes: Actress Emilia Clarke
- Peak Popularity: Emilia is consistently popular in Italy, ranking in the top 150. In the U.S. it has skyrocketed in popularity in the past 10 years and had a new high at 58 in 2018. The variant Emily is at number 12.
Emma
- Origin: German
- Meaning: Whole, universal, nourisher
- Alternative Spellings & Variations: Ema
- Famous Namesakes: Actress Emma Stone, St. Emma of Gurk (name day April 19 in her honor)
- Peak Popularity: Emma was the top girl name in the U.S. from 2014 to 2018 and in the top 10 in Italy since 2010, peaking in fourth place in 2016.
