615+ Italian Names for Girls and Boys

A nickname that sounds like a nickname.

This elegant, minimally-spelled name could be a variant of Rosanna/Roseanna. But it's also the Portuguese version of Roxana, with all the meaning and history of the name, but none of the "Roxanne" associations.

This operatic Italian name -- it appears in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" -- is a more unusual route to the nickname Pam/Pammy.

Petronilla is an ancient saint's name that relates to the Roman family name Petronius, thought to mean yokel, though some connect it with Petra or Peter, meaning stone. With the resurgence of so many ancient Roman names, the elaborate and pretty Petronilla or its French form Petronille seem more usable these days than they have in centuries.

Unusual and appealing, Laurenza might make a perfect honor name for an ancestral Laura or Lawrence. Count Laurenza among the unknown-yet-usable Italian names for girls.

The usual form of Eleonara is Eleanora, with each syllable pronounced, but transposing, adding, or subtracting a vowel or syllable here or there works fine and adds to the international, feminine spin on a solid name.

Variant of Hortensia, an unusual floral name and the name of a secondary character in Roald Dahl's Matilda.

Think Harry with a go-getter ending.

See ORPHEUS.

A modern version of the dated Betty. You might want to consider varying Elizabeth, too, to the Italian Elisabetta.

Turning Paul or Paol -- whether it's as Paolo, Paolina, or even Paola -- instantly makes it more romantic and appealing.

One case where the English version -- Josephine -- is far preferable.

One way to encourage some cheers for your little one, but not recommended.