Italian Names that Start With B
By Nameberry
Updated Tue Oct 01 2024
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- Beatrice
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"she who brings happiness; blessed"Description:
Beatrice is back. Stored in the attic for almost a century, the lovely Beatrice with its long literary (Shakespeare, Dante) and royal history is being looked at with fresh eyes by parents seeking a classic name with character and lots of upbeat nicknames, like Bea and Bee.
- 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.
- 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.
- Bria
Origin:
Diminutive of Briana or GabriellaMeaning:
"hill, high; God is my strong man"Description:
Sweet and sparky but maybe a little bit stuck in the 90s, Bria is a nickname-y style choice with various origins.
- Bambi
Origin:
Diminutive of Bambina, ItalianMeaning:
"child; baby girl"Description:
Although Disney's cute deer was a male, Bambi has always been used for girls. It first appeared on the charts in 1943, the year after the Disney movie was released. Bambi featured in the Top 1000 from 1954-1964 — a decade where girl names ending in I, like Lori and Teri, were big — and again from 1977-1982.
- Brio
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"vivacity, zest"Description:
Musical term with a lot of energy.
- Bosco
Origin:
Italian saint nameDescription:
Also, unfortunately, better known as a chocolate syrup. Borden and Bosco could play well together.
- Beretta
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
A Beretta is a gun, so named because of the Italian firearms manufacturer that makes it. And now Beretta is also a badass baby name, used in the middle for daughter Breeze by Bristol Palin baby daddy Levi Johnston. What a Tripp.
- Brando
Origin:
Italian variation of BrandMeaning:
"firebrand, sword"Description:
Screen legend Marlon's surname has loads more swagger than his first. A little Brando might have to endure references to his famous namesake, though his peers may just assume its linked to popular Brandon, with the stylish -o ending of Milo, Arlo, and Hugo.
- Bruna
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"brown"Description:
Possibility for a dark-haired babe.
- Belvedere
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"beautiful view"Description:
Derived from Italian bello "beautiful" and vedere "view", Belvedere is a dramatic name that was used for a cartoon hound dog in George Webster Crenshaw's comic strip by the same name, which ran from 1962 to 1995.
- Benvolio
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"good wisher; peacemaker, benevolent"Description:
A kindly, virtue-adjacent name, it appears in Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet, borne by the peacemaker friend who persuades Romeo to go to the party where he meets Juliet. Alas. A bold choice but with familiar nicknames Ben, Lio, and Bo.
- Battista
Description:
Battista is a masculine Italian name derived from the Latin 'baptista,' meaning 'baptist.' The name has strong religious associations, primarily referring to John the Baptist from Christian tradition. Historically popular throughout Italy, particularly during the Renaissance period, Battista often appeared in noble and artistic families. Many notable Italian historical figures bore this name, including artists, composers, and scholars. While less commonly given today, it remains recognized in Italian communities and diaspora populations. The name carries a sense of classical dignity and cultural heritage, with the distinctive double 't' creating a rhythmic pronunciation. Battista offers parents seeking Italian heritage names an option with historical depth and religious significance that's less commonly used than names like Giovanni or Francesco.
- Benedetto
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"blessed"Description:
This Italian form of Benedict sidesteps the Benedict Arnold association that still clouds the English version.
- Baggio
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"toad"Description:
Not the most obvious animal for a nature name, but perhaps for fans of Mr Toad of Toad Hall in The Wind in the Willows.Some may find the pronunciation too close to "baggage" for comfort.
- Bello
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"handsome, beautiful"Description:
Bello is as handsome as Bella is beautiful, but rarely heard outside the Italian community. With its energetic 'o' ending, it could be ripe for export.
- Bambalina
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"little girl"Description:
Better saved for a doll.
- Baldassare
Description:
Baldassare is a traditional Italian masculine name derived from the Babylonian name Balthazar (or Belshazzar), which means 'Baal protects the king' in ancient Assyrian. In Christian tradition, Baldassare is associated with one of the Three Wise Men or Magi who visited the infant Jesus. The name carries connotations of wisdom, nobility, and spiritual seeking. Common in Italy since medieval times, particularly in southern regions, Baldassare has remained a classic though not extremely common choice. The name often appears in Italian art, literature, and music, including the renowned composer Baldassare Galuppi. Outside Italy, the name retains its distinctive Italian flair and historical gravitas. While challenging for non-Italian speakers to pronounce at first glance, the name carries a distinguished heritage that appeals to parents seeking names with historical depth and cultural significance.
- Biaggio
Origin:
Italian variation of BlaiseMeaning:
"one who stutters or lisps"Description:
Surprising relative of the French saints' name Blaise, which is definitely easier on the English ear than vowelsome Italian version. Also spelled BIAGIO.
- Bice
Origin:
Italian, diminutive of BeatriceMeaning:
"she who brings happiness"Description:
Though Beatrice has the lovely Italian pronunciation bay-uh-TREE-chay, Bice has the problematic BEE-chay -- a bit too close to a word that would cause playground probs in the US. Italian cross-country skier Bice Vanzetta won two bronze medals at the Winter Olympics of 1992 and 2994.