Italian Last Names

Germans spell Stephanie with an f though the i ending is not traditional. Lady Gaga dropped the Stefani and No Doubt's Gwen sports is as a surname. Despite the celebrity connections, we say if you want to name your daughter Stephanie, name her Stephanie.

Milan is one of the hottest place names in recent years for both girls and boys — why not the Italian name for the beautiful city, Milano. Also a delicious brand of cookies.

An Italian surname — a variant of Rossi — meaning "red", hence a red-headed person. Russo is punchy and full of gusto, and very rare as a first name. It debuted on the US charts for boys in 2019.

A rare hero name that debuted in 2005, DaVinci clearly honors Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian Renaissance painter, scientist, architect, and more. His surname specifies that he was from Vinci, a town in Tuscany.

A word that carries a broad range of connotations across Europe, all of which ultimately derive from the Roman term for a country estate. Villa is well established as a surname, especially in Spanish-speaking countries, and has also occasionally been used as a first name for girls.

Associated with both Renaissance painter Andrea del Sarto and a contemporary brand of shoes, this Italian surname name has a stylish, artistic air.

A name with a lot of panache, with ties to the great Spanish Mannerist painter El Greco--though his real name was DOMENICOS.

Loretto is an old school spelling of the more common Loretta, which comes from the Italian Laura diminutive Lauretta. Antiquated to the point of extinction -- no baby girls have received the name in the US for more than half a century -- Loretto nevertheless ranked among the Top 1000 names until the early 20th centiury.

One of the most popular Italian surnames, this refreshes Ross and Rose for both genders.

According to the Bible (and Quran), manna was the foodstuff miraculously provided for the Israelites in exile. This nourishing little name is one of the spiritual names that has seen a slight rise in recent years.

Genova, also known in English as Genoa, is a major port in Liguria, Italy. Its attractive sound — combining elements of Genevieve and Nova — means it has occasionally appeared on the baby name charts, though it is very rare.

Ventura started life as a shortening of Bonaventura, Spanish for good luck or good fortune, but now stands on its own. It has a pleasant sound and the stylish 'V' ending, but Angelenos would associate it with the Valley's main stem--Ventura Boulevard, and others might think of Ace or Jesse Ventura.

Pasqual is the ultimate Eastertime name, though we prefer the French variation Pascal.