Italian Word Names

While this is an ancient male name, it's too similar to modern girls' choices like Mia and Pia to work for a boy today.

An international possibility, heard from England and Israel to Poland, Latvia, and Albania.

Cadenza takes the popular CADENCE and gives it a more operatic flourish.

Both rhythmic and serene, Serenella is one of the Italian names for girls virtually unknown in the US but definitely usable. An unusual route to Ella as a short form?

Nickname name that retains an Old Country feel.

Extremely simple and extremely distinctive -- a winning combination. Sound-alike Calla is a Greek (and botanical) name that means beautiful.

Duna refers the Hungarian word for the Danube River or to the Icelandic term for the down of a duck. Duna also bears a resemblance to both Dune and Djuna. In this era of word names and invented names, Duna may have a bright future.

Relatively popular in Spain until the middle of the 20th century, this sweet and lively Spanish virtue name is also a Marian name, short for María de Fe. In Galician, it is sometimes also short for Fernanda, meaning "brave voyager".

This possible word name, which rhymes with Maia, makes an even more distinctive alternative.

An unusual, haunting name, a distant cousin to the more popular Amber and Ember.

A heck of a lot cooler than Larry.

ALLEGRA is a delicate ballet-dancer name; ALLEGRO, which means a fast-paced movement in music, is stronger and more vibrant.

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.

This is an outside possibility for opera-lovers, with the additional eco/color factor.

Vowel names are popular, but this word-name possibility takes it to an extreme.

A nickname that sounds like a nickname.

Will assure your daughter she's numero uno.

There's a craze for royal names right now, including Royal itself, so c'mon down, Contessa, and join Prince, King, Duke, Royalty -- the whole blue-blooded gang. Bonus: Short form Tess or Tessa makes this an almost-ordinary name.

A medieval Italian name that could work in modern times.

An Italian word name that somehow feels incomplete in itself.