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Name Help: Italian Girl Names

January 24, 2020 By appellationmountain 23 Comments

Sienna ClareUPDATE: She’s here! Welcome to the world, Sienna Clare.

Kara writes: we narrowed it down to Gianna, Arianna, and Sienna. He really wanted Gianna, but I had my heart set on Sienna. When we saw her, it just fit.

Kara writes:

After two sons, we’re thrilled to have a little girl on the way in March!

Our boys are Matteo Henry and Luca William. Yes, my husband is Italian. I am part-Italian, too, but my husband was the one who really wanted Italian names for our boys. (I liked them, too – but I’d say I liked the names, more than the connection to our roots, if that makes sense.)

Our last name is very common and super Italian. It sounds like Ross-with-a-y.

Because our last name is common, it’s easy find people who share our boys’ first and last names. That’s okay – as long as it’s not someone very famous/infamous.

For girls, my husband keeps suggesting outrageous names – Bianca, Ludovica, Benedetta. They’re pretty, but I think they’re just too, too much.

Can you and your readers help us find some names that are Italian, but maybe not THAT Italian?

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

Dear Kara –

You know, it often feels like we’ve narrowed our lists when we say “Italian names.” But it really doesn’t help that much, right? Because within that broad category, we still have to decide: traditional or modern? Popular or rare?

With foreign names, we have added layers of complexity: can we find a name that’s easy to spell and pronounce in English? Will it seem too imported for our American kids?

I can imagine how easy it is to feel stuck!

Let’s look back at Matteo and Luca for some insights. No question these are Italian boy names, with Italian spellings. But they’re also pretty common in the US – and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear parents whose roots aren’t in Milan or Naples or Rome declare they chose the names because they just liked them.

Looking at the Italian popularity lists, plenty of familiar names appear – but they won’t seem especially Italian. Alice, Emma, Greta … I don’t imagine them as sisters for Matteo and Luca.

Instead, let’s talk about:

Anna – Okay, Anna isn’t any more obviously Italian than Alice or Emma. But I wonder if it would appeal to you both? It’s at-home in Palermo or Pittsburgh, a classic girl name that’s rarer than you might expect in the US. In Italy, it hovers just beyond the Top Ten.

Antonia – Or maybe Antonia? Anthony is the go-to Italian boy name of an earlier generation, but literary Antonia feels far more current. Another thought: the elaborate, but lovely, Antonella.

Francesca – Benedetta and Ludovica would be pretty unusual here. But Francesca is a long-time Top 500 girls’ name. It’s never been wildly popular, but I wouldn’t be surprised to hear it, either. And it sounds exactly right with your Matteo and Luca.

Gemma – Emma doesn’t feel especially Italian. But Gemma? I’d say it does. The poet Dante’s wife was Gemma, way back in the late thirteenth century. It translates to jewel, but in an age with girls named Ruby and Pearl, that feels like a bonus.

Gia, Gianna, Giovanna – Giovanna is the feminine form of John in Italian. It’s shortened to Gianna and also Gia. Any of them have potential as a given name, though I suppose Gia feels less specifically Italian.

Maddalena – I see you’re not big on Benedetta, but I wonder if an elaborate, Italian twist on a more familiar name would appeal more? Maddalena is the Italian form of Madeline. They both reduce to Maddie, a name that’s been well-used in the last twenty years or so. And yet, it could be just different enough to make it fresh and accessible at the same time.

Siena, Sienna – I’m not sure if you’d find girls named Siena or Sienna in Italy today. Siena is a place name, known for the distinctive red-brown color of clay found there. Sienna, the name of the color, has become quite popular for girls in the US, nevermind the Toyota mini van by the same name. I think it feels Italian, which might be more important.

Silvia – This is the Italian spelling of Sylvia, an ancient name that goes all the way back to the founding of Rome. (Rhea Silvia was mom to the founders, Romulus and Remus.) I’m not sure it’s very current right now, though Sylvie – the French form – is a favorite with Appellation Mountain readers.

Veronica – This name was common in Italy long before it became known in the English-speaking world. And yet I’m not sure if it feels like a heritage choice?

Viviana – Viviana, on the other hand, has all of the vibrant sounds of Italian names like Matteo and Luca. Like your sons’ names, it’s related to a cluster of very current choices. And while it might get mixed up with Vivian if you shorten it to Vivi or Viv, I think that flexibility could be part of the name’s strength.

Overall, I like Francesca, Viviana, and maybe Antonella best for Italian girl names. But I wonder if you’d prefer something a little less dramatic, like Gemma or even Siena/Sienna?

Readers, what would you suggest as an Italian girl’s name to go with brothers Matteo and Luca?

Italian girl names

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Comments

  1. Arianna says

    March 12, 2020 at 11:01 AM

    I don’t know if I’m too late for this but I’m from Italy so I thought I could help. Both Matteo and Luca are very common here in Italy (Matteo ranked #11 in 2018, Luca ranked #24) so maybe you might pick a girl’s name from our current top 20? Here it is:

    Sofia
    Giulia
    Aurora
    Alice
    Ginevra
    Emma
    Giorgia
    Greta
    Beatrice
    Anna
    Martina
    Chiara
    Vittoria
    Sara
    Nicole
    Matilde
    Camilla
    Gaia
    Noemi
    Alessia

    (I took Bianca and Ludovica out of the list, but they’re actually very popular, currently ranking #17 and #18)

    Reply
  2. BSharp says

    January 30, 2020 at 8:37 PM

    I have an Ilaria, and it gets rave reviews from receptionists and kids at the park. But, we do have to spell it.

    Caterina
    Livia
    Nicola (admittedly masculine in Italy)
    Sofia
    Lidia
    Emilia
    Valeria

    Reply
  3. April says

    January 28, 2020 at 10:17 PM

    Caravella

    Reply
  4. Kerry says

    January 26, 2020 at 11:53 PM

    Sofia.

    Reply
  5. Erin Beth says

    January 26, 2020 at 1:19 PM

    Gemma is my favorite suggestion. It is wonderful with the brother names. I also quite like Bianca and I agree that it seems like a fairly mainstream rather than exclusively Italian pick. I also Ginevra and Oriana.

    Reply
  6. Ellen says

    January 25, 2020 at 3:49 AM

    My first thought was Chiara!

    Reply
  7. Panya says

    January 25, 2020 at 2:14 AM

    Some Italian names not suggested:
    Alessa, Alessandra, Alessia, Allegra, Alma, Amalia, Anastasia, Aura, Aurelia, Aureliana, Bettina, Caterina, Catia, Celestina, Clarissa, Claudia, Clio, Damiana, Dania, Daria, Delia, Desideria, Dora, Elettra, Eliana, Elisabetta, Emiliana, Fiore, Fiorella, Flora, Floriana, Gaia, Giacinta, Ginevra, Gioconda, Gisella, Giulietta, Grazia, Graziana, Graziella, Iolanda, Isidora, Lauretta, Lia, Liana, Lidia, Lilia, Liliana, Livia, Liviana, Lora, Loredana, Lorena, Loretta, Lucia, Luciana, Luna, Marina, Marisa, Maura, Milena, Morena, Natalia, Nicolina, Noemi, Nora, Norina, Oriana, Ottavia, Paola, Paolina, Pia, Pietra, Renata, Romana, Sabina, Salome, Serena, Stella, Tatiana, Violetta, Vitalia, Vittoria

    Reply
    • Panya says

      January 25, 2020 at 2:17 AM

      Well, evidently when I first loaded the page not all of the comments showed up — so some on my list are repeats, lol.

      Reply
  8. Em says

    January 24, 2020 at 10:14 PM

    Families I’ve known who want Italian names have used…

    (a couple are repeats, so sorry in advance)

    Giovanna/Gia
    Cecilia/Cece
    Luciana/Lucy
    Isabella/Bella
    Alessandra
    Alessia
    Michaela
    Noemi

    Reply
  9. Edie says

    January 24, 2020 at 8:14 PM

    Marina, Corinna, Emilia, Daria?

    Reply
  10. stefanie says

    January 24, 2020 at 7:39 PM

    Gianna all the way. I also like the suggestion of Chiara! For something a liiiiiiittle less obviously Italian, Lena?

    Reply
  11. MKey says

    January 24, 2020 at 4:10 PM

    Carmela, Elisabetta, Lucia, Serena, Valentina, Verbena, Vita, Zita

    I love Carmela…

    Reply
  12. RL says

    January 24, 2020 at 1:31 PM

    Hi! Chiara is a great suggestion. I also know mixed Italian families with the names Stella and Cecilia, which obviously run more cross-cultural. Or Caterina? Sabrina, Valentina? I’d love all of these with your boys’ names.

    Reply
  13. Emma says

    January 24, 2020 at 12:19 PM

    Matteo, Luca, & Gianna feel just right together. They are all three undeniably Italian, and yet they are common enough that no one would be surprised to hear them. So Gianna gets my vote!

    I also might suggest Giulia (or just Julia) and Chiara, maybe Aurora.

    Reply
  14. Mandie L. says

    January 24, 2020 at 12:13 PM

    Honestly, I think Bianca is lovely and not at all in the same category as the others on your reject list. I mean, yes it’s obviously Italian, but no more so than Luca.

    From Abby’s suggestions, I like Anna or Gemma best.

    I know a family with a Concetta. What about Aria? Bella? Natalie?

    Reply
    • Panya says

      January 25, 2020 at 2:20 AM

      I agree that I don’t think Bianca is in the same category of Ludovica or Benedetta. I’ve always loved the name Bianca.

      Reply
  15. Janine says

    January 24, 2020 at 11:11 AM

    I know a few Italian families who have used Gabriella. So pretty.

    I also know a few who have used a Giulia/Giuliana variant.

    There’s also the lovely Angelina, Cecilia, Viola, and Sofia.

    Reply
    • Emma says

      January 24, 2020 at 12:21 PM

      Love Angelina! I second that suggestion. 🙂

      Reply
    • Mandie L says

      January 24, 2020 at 3:38 PM

      Oh, Viola is lovely!

      Reply
  16. Jordan Pace says

    January 24, 2020 at 10:54 AM

    This is surprisingly tougher than expected. I’d like to add Ravenna. Less popular than your boys but a lovely name.

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      January 24, 2020 at 5:34 PM

      A few more:

      Caterina
      Amalia
      Alessia
      Carlotta
      Nicola
      Isabella

      Reply
  17. Julie G says

    January 24, 2020 at 9:52 AM

    Without looking at anyone else’s list….

    Lelia
    Laura
    Eleonora
    Mariana
    Elena
    Giorgia
    Giorganna
    Simona
    Gioia

    Reply
  18. Megan Kuchta says

    January 24, 2020 at 9:42 AM

    So many gorgeous names. I’d like to suggest Serafina.

    Reply

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