Italian Word Names
Updated Tue Feb 06 2024
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Italian names are very fashionable these days, with choices like Isabella and Leonardo topping the American charts. If you’re after something more unique, we suggest looking in a new direction, toward international word names, which combine two of today's coolest trends.
In the US and Italy, Italian word names are more popular for girls, with choices like Bianca ("white") and Aurora ("dawn") among the top girl names in both countries.
Along with Bianca and Aurora, other Italian word names in the US Top 1000 include Aria, Bella, Gemma, Luna, and Mira. In Italy, word names such as Giada, Gioia, Azzura, and Ambra, are among the top baby names.
We combed our own dizionari for Italian words that could make perfectly appropriate, attractive baby names, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
RELATED:
- Aurora
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"dawn"Description:
The goddess name Aurora has consistently been on the US popularity list since the nineteenth century, but has really taken off in the past 30 years. Aurora also enjoys remarkable international popularity, ranking in the Top 100 throughout the English-speaking world as well as in Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and several other European and Latin American countries.
- Luna
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"moon"Description:
The name of the Roman goddess of the moon, Luna is derived straight from the Latin word for moon, luna. Luna may be the name most likely to surprise someone from an older generation by its Top 10 status in the US and its widespread international popularity.
- Mira
Origin:
Latin, Slavic, Arabic, SanskritMeaning:
"admirable; peace; female ruler; ocean"Description:
This name owes its present life to actress Sorvino. Mira and Mirra have an arty aura.
- Aria
Origin:
Italian and HebrewMeaning:
"air; song or melody; lion"Description:
Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones. There were about 6400 baby girls named Aria in the US last year alog with 2400 named Arya, which counted together places the name in the Top 10.
- Gemma
Origin:
Italian, Catalonian, SpanishMeaning:
"precious stone"Description:
Gemma is a jewel of a name, an Italian classic that was very popular in 1980s England, but has only recently been started to be used here; it entered the list in 2008.
- Neve
Origin:
Anglicized spelling of Irish Niamh or Italian and PortugueseMeaning:
"snow"Description:
Introduced to the American public by actress Neve Campbell; it was her Dutch-born mother's maiden name. Neve is an interesting and fresh new possibility, one which Conan O'Brien chose for his daughter.
- Alba
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"white"Description:
Alba is quietly making a behind-the-scenes comeback, perhaps thanks to actress turned baby-product mogul Jessica Alba. Last on the Top 1000 a century ago, the name was given to nearly 200 baby girls in the US last year. Alba might be tomorrow's successor to Ava and Ella. In Spain, Alba ranks among the Top 20 girls' names. Alba is the name of a character in The Time Traveler's Wife.
- Bella
Origin:
Diminutive of Isabella, ItalianMeaning:
"beautiful"Description:
Everything ella, from Ella to Bella to Arabella, is red hot right now. Bella is one of the most, well, beautiful girl names starting with B. It carried a hint of a nice Old World grandmotherly veneer, until it became attached to Twilight's Bella Swan.
- Bianca
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"white"Description:
Bianca, the livelier Italian and Shakespearean version of Blanche, has been chosen by many American parents since the 1990s, just as Blanca is a favorite in the Spanish-speaking community. Its meaning of white relates to snow, making it one of the prime names for winter babies.
- Cara
Origin:
Latin, Italian, Irish, Spanish, and PortugueseMeaning:
"dear; friend; face"Description:
Cara is a simple, sweet, Italian endearment that enjoyed its greatest popularity from the 1970s through the 1990s, reaching a high of Number 189 in 1977. Despite the rising celebrity of English model/actress Cara Delevingne, who played Enchantress in Suicide Squad, Cara dropped off the Top 1000 in the US in 2020, perhaps because it sounds too close to the dreaded Karen.
- Morgana
Origin:
Female version of Morgan, WelshMeaning:
"sea-circle"Description:
Since Morgan is used as--or more--frequently for girls as for boys, this feminization has fallen by the wayside. It drew some brief attention via the pop singer Morgana King.The similar Morgiana appears in Tales from the Thousand and One Nights.
- Nero
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"stern"Description:
The association with the infamous Nero, the fiddling Roman emperor, would be unavoidable. But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories.
- 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.
- Violetta
Origin:
Italian, Russian and Hungarian variation of Violet, EnglishMeaning:
"purple"Description:
With Violet in vogue, this vibrant international variation has been on the rise since the 2010s. Vintage and floral like its more popular sister, Violetta has a slightly softer sound and a touch of extra flair. Given to 135 girls in a recent year, it also gets you to nicknames Etta, Vita, and Lettie.
- Vero
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"true"Description:
The o ending and the positive meaning in many languages makes this a winner, and with the feminine Vera making a surprise return, and the new love for the letter 'V', this becomes a name that has definite possibilities.
- Massimo
Origin:
Italian variation of MaximusMeaning:
"the greatest"Description:
Massimo is a Latin charmer and while it might feel like a big name for a baby (or anyone, really), it has a touch of gentleness about it too, owing to the S sounds. A charismatic member of the Maximus/Magnus family, Massimo means "greatest" and has been a enduring favorite in Italy, where it has remained in the Top 100 over the last two decades
- Cielo
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"sky"Description:
Expansive, sunny Italian word name.
- Linda
Origin:
Spanish, Portuguese and ItalianMeaning:
"pretty"Description:
Linda will live forever in baby name history for toppling Mary from its four hundred year reign as Number 1. Queen of Names in 1947, Linda has fallen even further in favor than Mary today.
- Giada
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"jade"Description:
Popular in its native Italy, Giada has been quietly and stylishly used in English-speaking countries for several years now. Television cook Giada De Laurentiis made this a possibility — then semi-subtly self-referenced when she named her daughter Jade.
- Vita
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"life"Description:
Vital and vivacious, Vita is stirring back to life along with many of her V-themed sisters -- Vivian, Vivica -- and is becoming a new celebrity baby favorite.