Popular Italian Baby Names
Updated Mon Apr 01 2024
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The top Italian baby names in the US and Italy are more different than they are similar. While Americans prefer names such as Isabella and Leo, the Italians go for Ginevra and Alessandro. There is some overlap between the two countries, with names such as Leonardo, Elena, Matteo, and Arianna ranking highly in both the US and Italy.
Along with Isabella and Leonardo, other Italian baby names in the US Top 400 include Aria, Bella, Emilia, Enzo, Gianna, Giovanni, Luca, and Romeo. The most popular baby names in Italy include Sofia, Francesco, Giorgia, and Mattia. Italian variations of classic names are widespread in Italy and could make fashionable alternatives to many popular names in the US. Among our favorites, Vittoria and Alessia for girls, and Vincenzo and Giorgio for boys. Other popular Italian names that are rare in the US include Azzurra and Domenico. These are the most popular names of Italian origin in Italy and the US, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Leo
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"lion"Description:
Leo is a strong-yet-friendly name that was common among the Romans, used for thirteen popes, and is now at its highest point ever in the US thanks in part to Leonardo "Leo" DiCaprio.
- Mia
Origin:
Italian word name or Scandinavian short form of MariaMeaning:
"mine or bitter"Description:
Mia is an appealingly unfussy multicultural name that has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the charts and is now firmly among the ten top girl names. Mia has surpassed its mother name Maria as the Number 1 girls' name starting with M.
- Isabella
Origin:
Spanish and Italian variation of Elizabeth, HebrewMeaning:
"pledged to God"Description:
Isabella has been a Top 10 name for girls in the US for two decades now. The Latinate form of Isabel, a variation of Elizabeth which originally derived from the Hebrew name Elisheba, Isabella reigned as Number 1 in 2009 and 2010.
- Luca
Origin:
Italian variation of Luke and LucasMeaning:
"man from Lucania"Description:
The related Lucas and Luke are both hugely popular boy names in the US and internationally, and now Luca has joined them on boys' popularity lists around the world.
- Elena
Origin:
Spanish, Italian, German, Greek variation of HelenMeaning:
"bright, shining light"Description:
Elena is at its most popular point ever in the US, thanks to its cross-cultural appeal and the overall popularity of El- names. It's more international than Ellen or Eleanor, but still accessible.
- Sienna
Origin:
Italian color nameMeaning:
"orange red"Description:
Sienna has been a Top 100 choice in England & Wales since 2005, the year after Sienna Miller's acting breakthrough in the hit movies Alfie and Layer Cake. In the US, it also got a big boost in the early noughties, before dropping slightly then rebounding to reach an all-time high in 2022.
- Enzo
Origin:
Italian variation of Henry, also diminutive of Vincenzo and LorenzoDescription:
You may be surprised to know that Enzo is now a Top 100 boy name in the US, where it has been climbing straight uphill since the turn of this century.
- Aria
Origin:
Italian and HebrewMeaning:
"air; song or melody; lion"Description:
Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones. There were about 6400 baby girls named Aria in the US last year alog with 2400 named Arya, which counted together places the name in the Top 10.
- Emilia
Origin:
Feminine variation of Emil, LatinMeaning:
"rival"Description:
Emilia is the feminine form of the Roman clan name Aemilius, which derived from the Latin aemulus, meaning "rival." In Shakespeare’s Othello, Emilia is the wife of Iago and confidante of Desdemona. Amelia, although homonymous, has a different root and meaning.
- Lucia
Origin:
Italian, feminine variation of Lucius, LatinMeaning:
"light"Description:
Lucia is a lush, rich Latinate equivalent of Lucy, popular in Spain and throughout Latin America and also a cross-cultural favorite. You might be surprised to know that Lucia has ALWAYS ranked among the Top 1000 girl names in the US, though she's really taken off only since the turn of this century.
- Francesca
Origin:
Italian variation of FrancesMeaning:
"from France or free man"Description:
Francesca is a lighter and much more feminine choice than the classic Frances, and one that is increasingly popular with upscale parents.
- 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.
- Sofia
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"wisdom"Description:
Sofia is a variation of the Greek name Sophia, which was derived directly from sophia, the Greek word for wisdom. It was the name of a Roman saint—the mother of Faith, Hope, and Charity—and queens of Russia and Spain.
- Matteo
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
This attractively energetic Italian version of the classic Matthew is primed to move further and further into mainstream American nomenclature. Mateo is technically the Spanish version, but many parents in the US use the two spellings interchangeably.
- Liliana
Origin:
Italian and Spanish variations of LilianMeaning:
"lily, a flower"Description:
Frilly and fit for a princess, but with plenty of spark and flair, Liliana holds international appeal and a modern glamor. Joining Lily and Lillian in the US Top 100 for the first time in 2022, Liliana is a fast-rising choice for girls.
- Gia
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Gia is a cute if slight name that calls to mind stylish sisters Mia, Lea, Pia, Tia, and Nia. One of the most familiar Italian baby names in the US, Gia is a short form of Gianna, which in turn is a diminutive of Giovanna, the feminine form of Giovanni, the Italian equivalent of John—all of them meaning "God is gracious."
- Gabriella
Origin:
Italian feminine variation of GabrielMeaning:
"God is my strength"Description:
Gabriella is the feminine form of Gabriel, a name derived from the Hebrew Gavri’el. Gavri’el is composed of the elements gever, meaning "strong," and ’el, referring to God. Gabriella is used among a variety of cultures in the US, including Italian Americans, Latinos, and in the Jewish community. Gabriela is the Spanish spelling.
- Alessia
Origin:
Italian variation of AlexisMeaning:
"defending warrior"Description:
Young Canadian pop singer Alessia Cara has given this spicy-sounding name a new lease on life, propelling it into the Top 1000 in 2016. It was one of the fastest rising girl names of the year in 2016, then again in 2023. As a form of Alexander, Alessia could make a wonderful honor for any of Alexander's variants—Alexandra, Alexis—or as an alternative to Alexa, now best known as Amazon's AI voice.
- Gianna
Origin:
Italian, diminutive of Giovanna or feminization of Gianni, forms of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
The Italian Gianna undoubtedly owes much of its popularity in the US to its status as an honor name for John. Before the importation of Gianna, there was no truly workable feminine form of John, so Gianna found widespread favor among American parents with Italian roots and far beyond.
- 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.