Unique Italian Names for Girls
By Sophie Kihm
Updated Mon Aug 28 2023
Unique Italian baby names for girls differ significantly by country. Many Italian names Americans consider to be unique are quite common in Italy, and plenty popular Italian choices among Americans fail to chart in their native country. Americans favor Italian names such as Isabella and Aria, and Italians prefer Giulia and Ginevra.
All of the unique Italian names for girls rank outside of the US Top 1000. Along with Giulia and Ginevra, other girl names that are popular in Italy but rare in the United States include Giorgia, Chiara, Ludovica, Vittoria, Giada, Gioia, Carlotta, and Eleonora. Unique Italian place names for girls include Amalfi, Roma, Sicily, and Verona. If you're looking for girl names that work in English and Italian, or just baby girl names with Italian flair, you'll find plenty of fresh and stylish Italian names for your little signorina in this list.
You can also consult the full lists of Italian girl names and Italian boy names, or the complete list of Italian names, or jump to our central page for Girl Names.
- Aurelia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"the golden one"Description:
Aurelia is an ancient Roman name that's become a surprise hit in the contemporary world. A top favorite on Nameberry, it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2014 after a 70-year absence and continues to climb.
- Amalia
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"work"Description:
Amalia is a widely cross-cultural name, heard from Italy to Romania, Germany to Scandinavia. The current heir to the Dutch throne is Princess Catharina-Amalia of Orange. It can be pronounced ah-MAH-lee-a or ah-mah-LEE-a.
- Livia
Origin:
Diminutive of Olivia or LatinMeaning:
"blue, envious"Description:
Though it sounds like a chopped-off variation of Olivia, which means olive, the distinctively attractive Livia has been an independent name since the days of the ancient Romans, when it belonged to Livia Drusilla—the powerful wife of the Emperor Augustus—and is still commonly heard in modern Italy.
- Viola
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"violet"Description:
Viola has several positive elements going for it: the rhythm of the musical instrument, the association with the flower, the trending 'Vi' beginning and its leading role in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
- Fia
Origin:
Irish or Portuguese or ItalianMeaning:
"wild or weaver"Description:
Fia may be most notable at this moment as the Anglicized version of the Irish Fiadh, one of the fastest-rising names in the Republic of Ireland. The meaning of Fia or Fiadh is sometimes given as "deer" but that's in the sense of a wild deer, as the name relates to the ancient word for wild.
- Leonora
Origin:
Italian diminutive of Eleonora or Eleanor, meaning unknownDescription:
Its mellifluous sound makes Leonora--which has a rich history and a tie to the popular Leo names-- a keen possibility for revival. Though it's been hiding below the Top 1000 since the 1940s, Leonora is being rediscovered by stylish parents in the US and Europe.
- Chiara
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"light, clear"Description:
Chiara is a lovely and romantic Italian name that's familiar but not widely used here: a real winner. You might consider Chiara instead of Claire, Clara, Cara, or even Keira.
- Oriana
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"dawn"Description:
Oriana is a dashing medieval name, with a meaning similar to Aurora. At this point, though, Oriana is much more unusual than Aurora and makes a unique choice if you're searching for names that mean new beginnings or dawn.
- Lia
Origin:
Diminutive of names ending in -lia or Italian variation of LeahMeaning:
"weary"Description:
Used throughout Europe and in Hawaii, Lia sounds just like its mother name Leah, but looks particularly pretty on paper. Sleek and simple, Lia is an internationally flexible choice that might also be short for such names as Amelia or Dahlia.
- Allegra
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"joyous"Description:
In music, the term allegro means "quickly, lively tempo," which makes this quintessential Bohemian ballet dancer's name all the more appealing. Allegra is one of the most distinctive yet accessible girl names starting with A.
- Marcella
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"warlike"Description:
Marcella has been in mothballs for so long it's starting to feel stylish again. Depicted as the world's most beautiful woman in Don Quixote (where it's spelled Marcela), this long neglected name seemed dated for decades but just might be ready for restoration.
- Luciana
Origin:
Feminine variation of LucianusMeaning:
"light"Description:
Lushly elaborate name that makes Lucy more grownup and sensual. Carnie Wilson chose it for her daughter. Lucianus is an ancient Roman family name and Lucianus of Samosata was an early satirist. Heard most often in the Italian and Spanish cultures, Luciana is usually pronounced loo-chee-anna.
- Serafina
Origin:
Italian and Spanish variation of SeraphinaMeaning:
"ardent"Description:
Serafina is a name so lovely it's worthy of an angel. But the more stylish spelling today is Seraphina.
- Honora
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"woman of honor"Description:
Honora and Honoria are two ways of softening the severity of Honor, while retaining its righteous meaning. They were predominant until the Reformation, when the Puritans adopted the abstract virtue names, and were introduced to Britain by the Normans.
- Violetta
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"purple"Description:
Violetta is a more vibrantly colored, feminissima form of Violet. It is the name of the heroine of the Verdi opera La Traviata--in fact Violetta was the original title of the work.
- Ginevra
Origin:
Italian variation of GuinevereMeaning:
"white shadow, white wave"Description:
A lovely alternative for the Jennifer-lover.
- Emiliana
Origin:
Italian variation of EmilyMeaning:
"rival"Description:
The enormous popularity of Emily and Emma means that parents will be looking further afield for substitutes -- and this is one of the prettiest.
- Mariella
Origin:
Italian and Dutch diminutive of MariaMeaning:
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"Description:
Lilting and nearly unknown here, with the currently popular ella ending, makes a good Marissa alternative.
- Eleonora
Origin:
Italian, German, Dutch, and Polish variation of EleanorDescription:
Makes a serious name frilly and feminine, which, depending on your viewpoint, might be a good or a bad thing. In this case, we vote good.
- Silvia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"from the woods"Description:
This original form of the name -- the more familiar Sylvia spelling came later -- seems more modern now.