Rare Italian Names for Boys

This name of the patron saint of Naples would make an apt choice for a New Year's baby, or one with Neapolitan roots.

Marino is an Italian first and surname with distinct crossover possibilities, having pleasant seaside undertones, and is far more unusual in the U.S. than sister Marina.

Flavio is derived from Flavius, a surname used in Ancient Rome. These family names, or cognomens, were given to distinguish branches of the clan and were chosen based on a characteristic of an important bearer. In this case, the Flavius family patriarch was likely blond-haired.

One of several Latin names starting with E that would work and play well with others in any family.

Cecilio is derived from Caecilius, an Ancient Roman surname that was likely originally bestowed upon someone who was blind.

Zacheo is an Italian last name that is occasionally seen as a first name. Also used in Brazil (where it can be pronounced Za-shey-o), it could prove a little-known (to English speakers) alternative to Zachary.

Romantic Italian choice.

A more romantic form of old school Clement, which ranks in the Top 100 boy names in Chile. Clemente, like Clement, derives from the Late Latin name Clemens, the name of 14 popes and several saints.

A particularly charming spin on the original, as is theSpanish name Tadeo. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016.

Cool bearlike option, though Orson might be easier to embrace.

This appealing Italian name is associated with the great Florentine painter and architect Giotto di Bondone, a major force in the Italian Renaissance.

A rare and romantic take on Basil.

Appealing, lively, and distinctive.

Naples-born Enrico Caruso was one of the greatest opera singers of all time. Recordings of his powerful singing voice are still in circulation today, nearly 100 years after his death.

A canto is a literary term denoting a long passage in a poem. Dante's Divine Comedy is broken into such cantos. As a name, Canto packs in literary credentials with pithy punch.

Ravello is an Italian town on the Amalfi Coast. It's a popular travel destination and was a favorite spot for many notable creatives, including Virginia Woolf, Greta Garbo, and Tennessee Williams.