Finding Interesting Italian Names Like Carlotta

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NAMING A SISTER OR BROTHER FOR CARLOTTA

Jess writes:

We have a daughter named Carlotta Maria. Both of our families are (part) Italian and my husband and I met on study abroad in Rome. We always wanted to use Italian names for our kids for all of those reasons. Originally, Carlotta was going to be Francesca, but Bridgerton had come out and for a few other reasons we decided to look for something that felt more different.

Carlotta ended up being our choice because we like the way she could go by Carlie or Lottie, but we also just like the name as-is, and we do usually call her Carlotta.

If this baby is a girl, she will probably be Antonella Eva, though we’re open to other ideas and I keep seeing new ideas. Fiorella is another one I really like, and I love Liliana.

For a boy, this feels a little bit harder. We’re talking about Giovanni, but I wonder if it would be hard to spell? For some reason, it seems a lot harder to find an Italian name that is different but still easy to spell/say.

Our last name sounds like Kerry with an N instead of an K.

Read on for my response and leave your thoughtful suggestions in the comments.

MORE NAMES LIKE CARLOTTA

Abby replies:

Congratulations on your new baby!

If Carlotta’s new sibling is a girl, I can’t think of a better name that Antonella. It has excellent nickname potential – Annie, Nellie – but can easily be used in full. And Carlotta and Antonella are both just plain fun to say.

Fiorella is a great back-up, too.

So I think it’s really a name for a son where we need to focus.

Giovanni is a great choice. It’s elaborate and clearly imported, but it’s also traditional and has spent years in the US Top 200. That’s a sweet spot for Italian boy names. But it’s not the only choice.

Obvious options might be Enzo, Luca, or Matteo. But let’s see if we can find something with the same elaborate style as your girls’ names.

A BROTHER FOR CARLOTTA

DANTE

Literary, Italian, and familiar Dante is very much a heritage choice. But I wonder if it’s also a little bit too short with your last name?

GIANLUCA

If Giovanni isn’t quite right, would Gianluca appeal? It adds in some different nickname options, including Luca and Luc/Luke.

LUCIANO

Speaking of Luc- names, Luciano seems like an obvious brother for Carlotta.

MARCELLO

Saturday Night Live’s Marcello Hernandez makes this name familiar. I think it fits with names like Carlotta because of all those syllables and sounds, but also the feeling that it’s. a romance language take on a traditional favorite.

NICOLO, NICCOLO

The same thing applies to Nicolo. The single-C spelling is most popular in modern Italy, followed by Niccolo. Nicolas also ranks in the current Top 100 for Italian boy names. But I think Nicolo could be the strongest option.

RAPHAEL

Strictly speaking, Raffaele is the Italian form of Raphael. But I think it’s this version that feels right in English. Still an import, but more easily spelled and pronounced in English.

ROCCO

When it comes to names like Carlotta, Rocco strikes me as an obvious pick. It’s strong and immediately reads as Italian. But it’s easy to spell and at home in American English, too.

VINCENZO

Enzo ranks in the US Top 100, so it might be too easy a choice. It’s often short for Lorenzo, but I think Vincenzo is the real show-stopper. The Italian form of Vincent is pronounced with a CH, so vin-CHENZ-oh.

Overall, my favorite of the boy names like Carlotta is Luciano, with Raphael a close second. Luciano edges ahead, though, thanks to all that nickname potential. Then again, Raphael called “Rafe” is every bit as good. Maybe Rafael Gianni to turn up the overall Italian-osity, or Luciano Vincent to balance in the other direction?

Readers, over to you. Can you suggest more names like Carlotta for their second?