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Nameberry Picks: 15 Fantastico Italian Boys’ Names

Nameberry Picks: 15 Fantastico Italian Boys’ Names

Until recently, Italian names–particularly for boys– have rarely ventured outside their own neighborhoods, but lately we’ve seen several popping up in the celebrisphere—though usually, if not always, used by celebs with Italian roots.  There have been at least four Mateo/Matteos, two Roccos, two Romeos, Annabeth Gish’s Enzo, Ricky Martin’s Valentino, and Jill Hennessey’s Marco Gianni.

These are names that have all been pretty firmly assimilated, but there are loads more undiscovered rhythmic and romantic nomi belli that could be considered—a few of which have already gained entrance via their female forms.  Here are the Nameberry Picks of 15 of the best underused Italian boys’ names.

Alessioif Alessandro feels a bit too bulky, how about this more compact, equally handsome short form?

Amatoit means beloved, darling one—as loving and heartfelt as the beginning-to-be-used Valentino

Bello –as handsome as Bella is beautiful, and rarely heard outside the Italian community.

BrandoYes, people will thinking this is in honor of great screen actor Marlon (who wasn’t Italian), but it is actually a streamlined form of Brandano

Flaviopronounced FLAH-vee-o, from an old Roman family name meaning fair, golden—a flavorful name that would be perfect for a blond bambino

Gianluca—the Italians are great name smooshers: other appealing combos include Giancarlo, Gianfranco, Gianpaolo, Pierluigi

Luciano—because the girls can’t monopolize all those lovely light-filled Luc-names. Pronounced lu-CHA-no.

Nardobecause Leo isn’t the only nickname name for Leonardo

Orsinoit means ‘little bear’ and plays a part in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night; a romanticized Orson

RemoThis Italian form of Remus recalls the gorgeous Italian Riviera town of San Remo, home of a famous music festival and is in tune with nouveau faves Remy and Romy.

Silvio—a green sylvan name, Italian style

Urbanourban and urbane—a Papal name that could work for a city boy

Veroas Vera moves back into fashion, why not the boys’ version of this truth-defined name?

Zenzo—Though Renzo is the more common short form of Lorenzo, Zenzo is also sometimes used; it means crowned with laurels

Zosimo– a zippier Cosimo

About the Author

Linda Rosenkrantz

Linda Rosenkrantz

Linda Rosenkrantz is the co-founder of Nameberry, and co-author with Pamela Redmond of the ten baby naming books acknowledged to have revolutionized American baby naming. You can follow her personally at InstagramTwitter and Facebook. She is also the author of the highly acclaimed New York Review Books Classics novel Talk and a number of other books.