Italian Royal Baby Names

Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.

Alberto is the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese variation of Albert and lends a more unusual and fashionable edge to this name which is still a grandpa name to many.

For anyone seeking a more unusual version of Alexander, this is a real winner.

Alfonso was a royal name in Spain as far back as the 7th century, but it is rarely heard outside the Hispanic community in the US.

Amalia is a widely cross-cultural name, heard from Italy to Romania, Germany to Scandinavia. The current heir to the Dutch throne is Princess Catharina-Amalia of Orange. It can be pronounced ah-MAH-lee-a or ah-mah-LEE-a.

This euphonious Italian Italian name for boys, often associated with the painter Modigliani, makes a recommended creative choice. The Spanish tend to spell it Amadeo.

Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne.

Antonia is stronger than most feminized boys’ names, reflecting the pioneer spirit of Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia. Antonia is hovering near the bottom of the US popularity list, which may be an excellent reason for you to use it.

Antonio is a Shakespearean favorite -- the Bard used it in no less than five of his plays, and has long been a ubiquitous classic in Spanish-speaking countries, where the nickname Tonio is also prevalent. Antonio is also among an elite group of perennially popular names in the US, where it has always been among the boys' Top 1000 since baby name record-keeping started in 1880.

Beatrice is back. Stored in the attic for almost a century, the lovely Beatrice with its long literary (Shakespeare, Dante) and royal history is being looked at with fresh eyes by parents seeking a classic name with character and lots of upbeat nicknames, like Bea and Bee.

This Italian form of Benedict sidesteps the Benedict Arnold association that still clouds the English version.

Energetic Italian classic that would blend with a surname of any ethnicity.

Carlotta has a large measure of finger-snapping charm and substance — despite being a not too pleasant character in The Little Mermaid. Carlotta is also the diva/prima donna in The Phantom of the Opera, and there was an Empress Carlotta of Mexico.

Romantic, and classy, this variation heats up Caroline and modernizes Carol, adding a southern accent. A popular choice in Portugal, Spain, Mexico, and Italy, it recently entered the US Top 500.

A romantic rarity, derived from the Old German name Chlotichilda, meaning "famous in battle." Saint Clotilde was a Frankish queen, wife of Clovis I, who played a role in the spread of Christianity.

Cristina is one case where the streamlined version feels more alluring.

Makes a serious name frilly and feminine, which, depending on your viewpoint, might be a good or a bad thing. In this case, we vote good.

This version softens, feminizes, and glamorizes the long-time favorite. A fresh way to honor Grandma Betty. Elizabetta is a variation.

A fresh, Italianized take on the Hebrew classic Emmanuel. But beware of the similarities to the feminine name Emmanuelle.