Italian Last Names

  1. Beretta
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      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.
  2. Claudio
    • Origin:

      Italian, Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "lame; enclosure"
    • Description:

      Claudio, a most appealing Italian name, is featured in not one, but two Shakespearean plays, ,Measure for Measure and Much Ado About Nothing. While "lame" is the most widely acknowledged meaning, some etymologists theorize that the name may relate to the word for enclosure or clause, an alternate meaning that may appeal to a child with a form of this otherwise-attractive name.
  3. Luca
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Luke and Lucas
    • Meaning:

      "light or man from Lucania"
    • Description:

      Very much a boy's name in Italy, it's beginning to be seen as a unisex possibility here: actress Jennie Garth used it for her daughter. When spelled Lucca as in the Italian city, it can also be considered one of the place names along with Venezia, Roma, and Milana that make great Italian names for girls.
  4. Milan
    • Origin:

      Italian place name or Slavic
    • Meaning:

      "gracious, dear"
    • Description:

      In many Slavic and other European countries, Milan is purely a boys’ name, but in the US, it's also popular for girls – no doubt inspired by the fashionable Italian city. It entered the Top 1000 for boys in 2013, while for girls it has been in the Top 1000 since 2009.
  5. Gioia
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "joy"
    • Description:

      Prettier than Joy and just beginning to be used here.
  6. Lucio
    • Origin:

      Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese variation of Lucius
    • Meaning:

      "light"
    • Description:

      About 100 baby boys were named Lucio in the US last year, a number we expect to increase with the growing popularity of all names in the Lu family. It's a family united by sound, with three main branches.
  7. Moroni
    • Origin:

      Italian surname or Mormon
    • Meaning:

      "son of Mauro; our lord"
    • Description:

      Moroni isn't heard very often these days, probably because the first five letters have strong teasing potential. It's a common Italian surname meaning "son of Mauro," but its use as a first name is limited to the Mormon community.
  8. Viva
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "alive, living, life"
    • Description:

      Viva la baby with this life-affirming name, one of the appealing group of girl names that mean life.! Singer Rufus Wainwright chose it for his baby daughter, perhaps in celebration of a new life entering the world the year after he lost his mother Kate McGarrigle. The baby's middle name is Katherine.
  9. Guido
    • Origin:

      Italian
    • Meaning:

      "guide, leader"
    • Description:

      Guido was very popular in Renaissance Italy, with many namesakes including painter Fra Angelico (born Guido di Pietro) and mathematician Guido Fubini. Guy Fawkes, of gunpowder plot fame, sometimes used this version. Nowadays it's unfairly overlooked, but in the current trend for snappy international names ending in -o, this cultured gem deserves more use.
  10. Seneca
    • Origin:

      Latin surname and Native American
    • Meaning:

      "people of the standing rock"
    • Description:

      Seneca was both a Roman philosopher-statesman and is a Native American Iroquois tribe. Occasionally used for both girls and boys, Seneca is now a Hunger Games character.
  11. Leone
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Leo or Leon
    • Meaning:

      "lion"
    • Description:

      An Italian spin on the current European darling Leon, though the final e makes it a tad feminine to the American sensibility.
  12. Giacomo
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of James
    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"
    • Description:

      Giacomo is a primo member of the Giovanni-Gino-Giancarlo-Giacomo gruppo of Italian names that are beginning to be adopted by American parents. Singer/creative baby namer Sting chose it for his son.
  13. Mariano
    • Origin:

      Italian, Spanish and Portuguese
    • Meaning:

      "relating to the god Mars"
    • Description:

      A handsome and romantic-sounding European option.
  14. Palma
    • Origin:

      Latin place-name, Spanish, Italian, Croatian
    • Meaning:

      "palm"
    • Description:

      Palma is an appealing Latin name that's both geographical -- it's the romantic city on the Spanish island of Majorca -- and botanical, relating to the palm frond. Sometimes given to girls born on Palm Sunday, it appeared in the US Top 1000 in the early 20th century. Its elaborated form is Palmina.
  15. Milani
    • Origin:

      Variation of Milana or Melanie
    • Description:

      Is Milani an elaboration of Italian city name Milan or is it a modern form of Melanie? Milani has very quickly gained popularity over the last decade, potentially because of its trendy -i ending or its similarity to other Mil- favourites like Mila and Miles.
  16. Armani
    • Origin:

      Italian surname derived from Herman or Arman, German or Persian
    • Meaning:

      "soldier; wish,hope"
    • Description:

      One of the designer baby names -- Chanel and Gucci are others -- that have appeared in this era of branding everything from your purse to your offspring. It helps that the name is similar to more established choices, such as Amani, Marnie, Amy, and Aria.
  17. Pasquale
    • Freda
      • Origin:

        German
      • Meaning:

        "peaceful,"
      • Description:

        Pronounced as Fred with an a, Freda is sometimes heard in England, but mostly among older generations. Much more popular in the U.K. these days, though yet to reach the US, is Freya.
    • Como
      • Origin:

        Italian place-name
      • Description:

        Singer Perry is long gone, but the beautiful northern Italian lake conjures up a clear and tranquil image.
    • Serra
      • Origin:

        Italian, Portuguese and Catalan
      • Meaning:

        "ridge"
      • Description:

        This topographical name, more suited to a girl than a boy--though it would inevitably be confused with SARAH--has some distinguished bearers: famous Spanish missionary to Mexico Father Junipero Serra, and sculptor Richard Serra, known for his challenging large-scale metal works.