Name That Baby Like the Italians Do: The Most Popular Baby Names in Italy Today

Opera, Pinot Grigio, Parmesan, Pizza, and St. Peter’s Basilica all come to mind when we think about the gifts Italy has given the world. The Italian language is one of the most lyrical and romantic in the world, and Italian names for babies are just as poetic. Choosing an Italian name for your baby is a wonderful way for you to honor your Italian heritage. It’s also completely acceptable for parents to be Italophiles and thoroughly enjoy the Italian language and culture. Whatever your motivation, Italian names make for very attractive baby monikers.

From the Italian Alps to the Mediterranean Sea, there’s no shortage of inspiration for Italian baby names. It’s a land rich with art, history, myth, and natural beauty. The Istituto Nazionale di Statistica (ISTAT) just released the latest baby name data collected in Italy. It reveals the most popular names Italian parents choose for babies born today. While there are some overlaps, the most popular names in Italy vary greatly from names chosen by American parents. Check them out!

Most Popular Italian Names for Girls

Bianca

The 15th most popular name for baby girls in Italy today is Bianca. The name is of Italian origin and means “white.” Bianca first became popular in 1973 in the US. It climbed into the top 100 most popular names for girls in the US in the 1990s. Sadly, this name is on the decline in America today.

Anna

Anna is one of the most popular names for girls around the world. It’s even more popular in Italy than in the US today. It’s in the top 100 here, but in Italy, it’s the 14th most popular name for girls. The name is a form of Hannah, from Hebrew, meaning “grace.”

Chiara

Chiara is a popular name in Europe, including in England. Somehow, the name has never been a widely chosen one in the US. Chiara is of Italian origin and means “light” and “clear.” It’s the 13th most given name for girls in Italy today.

Camilla

Over the last few years, Camilla has been its most popular in the US. Camilla is a name that originated in Latin, and it means “young ceremonial attendant.” It’s the 12th most popular choice for girls in Italy today. The Camila spelling is considered Spanish, and it’s the 12th most popular name for girls in the US today!

Giorgia

Giorgia is the Italian spelling of Georgia, a female form of the name George (Giorgio). The name’s root is of Greek origin and means “farmer.” The Giorgia spelling has never been popular in the US, but Georgia has historically performed well.

Matilde

Matilde is pronounced ma-TEEL-day by the Italians, and this Latinate form of Mathilda is extremely popular in Italy and Portugal today. The name originated in German and means “mighty in battle.” Matilde was last popular in the US in the 1920s!

Ludovica

Ludovica is a name of Italian origin that has only really been popular in the country. It’s a feminine form of Ludovic, meaning “war-famous.” It’s the 9th most chosen name for girls in Italy but we don’t see this one gaining much traction in the US.

Emma

The Italians and Americans can agree on the name Emma. The name is currently the 2nd most chosen name in the US and the 8th in Italy. In fact, the name is currently popular around the world today. It originated in German and means “universal.”

Vittoria

Vittoria is the Italian answer to the name Victoria. The name can be traced back to Ancient Rome and has a Latin root meaning “victory.” While Victoria is in the top 50 in the US, Vittoria has never been a popular choice here. We think the Italianate form of the name is superior, but we seem to be in the minority with this opinion.

Alice

Alice enjoyed its most popular years in the US prior to the 1940s, but the name has been slowly climbing since 2000. The name is the 6th most chosen name for girls in Italy today. The name has taken quite the journey originating in German, then cycling through Old French, before becoming the name we know and love today. Its root means “noble.”

Beatrice

Beatrice peaked in 1910 in the US and is not even in the top 500 today. Parents adore this charmer as it is Italy’s 5th most chosen name today. Beatrice is almost unrecognizable when said with an Italian accent. They pronounce the name with a total of four syllables: bay-ah-TREE-chay. The Latin root of this name gives it the meaning, “blessed.”

Ginevra

Ginevra is the Italian form of the Welsh name Guinevere. While this form of the name has gone virtually unused in the US, the name is the 4th most popular choice in Italy. The Welsh root gives the name possible meanings of “white shadow” and “white wave.”

Giulia

Giulia is a popular name across Europe today. While most American parents choose the spelling Julia, Giulia is the roundly preferred version in Italy. The name is of Italian origin, from Latin, meaning “youthful.”

Aurora

Aurora is more popular today than ever before in the US. It’s currently the 36th most common choice in America. The Italians love this one a smidge more, as it ranks as the 2nd most given name in the country. Aurora is of Latin origin, the personification of the dawn to the Ancient Romans; thus, the name means “dawn.”

Sofia

Sofia is the most popular given name for girls in Italy today. It’s the 18th most popular name for girls in the US, and the Sophia spelling is even more popular here. Across Europe, the Sofia spelling is preferred. Sofia is of Greek origin, meaning “wisdom.”

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Most Popular Italian Names for Boys

Antonio

Antonio has been a mildly popular name in the US since recorded baby names began in 1880. The name is extremely common in Italy and Spain today. It means “from Antium.” It’s the 15th most popular name for boys in Italy today.

Giussepe

Giuseppe peaked in the US in 1975 and has completely fallen out of fashion today. That’s not the case in Italy, where the name is the 14th most given for boys. This name is a form of Joseph with a Hebrew root that means “Jehovah increases.”

Nicolo

Italy’s answer to Nicholas is Nicolo. We think it sounds so much better, and it’s a mystery to us why this name has not gained traction in the US. It’s the 13th most given name in Italy. The Nicholas form of this name is in the top 100 in the US. Both forms of the name share a Greek root that means “people of victory.”

Matteo

Matteo has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the US, first landing in the top 1000 in 1998. Today, the name is still climbing and will likely break into the top 100 in the next year or two. In Italy, the name is the 12th most given. Matteo is a form of Matthew with a Hebrew root that means “gift of God.”

Diego

Diego is considered the Spanish form of James, a name of Hebrew origin that means “supplanter.” Diego is just outside of the top 100 in the US today, but in Italy, it’s the 11th most popular choice. Diego is a very popular name around the world.

Andrea

Andrea may be a gender-neutral name in its native Italy and other European countries, but in the US, it’s 98% a girls’ name. Andrea has a Greek root that means “strong and manly.” We don’t think Americans will ever consider this a unisex choice, but we could be proven wrong in the next decade or so.

Gabriele

Gabriele is Gabriel’s preferred form in Italy, the 9th most popular choice for boys. This spelling has never been a popular option in the US. The Hebrew root of this name means “God is my strength.”

Riccardo

Riccardo has never been a popular name in the US. Despite it being completely accessible, parents have stuck with Richard here. Riccardo is the 8th most given name in Italy. The German root of this name means “dominant ruler.”

Mattia

Mattia is technically a unisex name, but it goes to mountains more boys than girls in Italy. It’s a popular option for boys around Europe as well. Mattia is, of course, a form of Matthew, meaning “gift of God.” Unlike Matteo, Mattia never made the jump to the US.

Edoardo

Edoardo has never been a popular option in the US and has gone mostly unused. The name is derived from the English appellation Edward, meaning “wealthy guardian.” Edoardo is the 6th most popular baby name for boys in Italy.

Lorenzo

Lorenzo has been popular in the US since at least the 1880s. Today, it’s more popular than ever before, ranking as the 135th most given name. Lorenzo is Italy’s answer to Laurence, both coming from a Latin root that means “from Laurentum.”

Francesco

Francesco last ranked in the US top 1000 in 2000, and it had a rather paltry showing before that time. Francesco is the rhythmic cousin to Francis, a name meaning “free man” or “Frenchman.” The name ranks 4th in Italy today.

Tommaso

Tommaso is truly only popular in Italy today. It is a form of the name Thomas that comes from Aramaic and means “twin.” Thomas is one of the world’s most beloved names and is popular in various countries. We think it’s time for American parents to switch it up and actually give Tommaso a try.

Alessandro

Alessandro has been slowly climbing in the US and is currently more popular here than ever before. In Italy, it’s the country’s second most-used name for boys today. Alessandro is the Italian form of Alexander (the more popular form of the name in the US), originating in Greek, meaning “defending men.”

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Leonardo

The most popular name for boys in Italy today is Leonardo. It is the Latinate form of Leonard, an appellation originating in German, meaning “brave lion.” The name is a top 100 choice in the US, and it has enjoyed its most popular years ever in the last two.

There you go! Did any of these popular Italian names surprise you? We hope they gave you something to consider if you’re searching for the perfect name for your child. For even more baby name inspiration, keep reading. We also have dozens of unisex Italian baby names to share with you.

Discover the Best Unisex Italian Names Below!

Rizzo

If you’ve seen the musical Grease, you know the real star of the show is Rizzo. Rizzo is one of the unisex Italian names that means “curly-haired.” The name has a ritzy quality to it and we love how offbeat this option is. Be bold, new parents!

Armani

If you are after a “designer” baby name, Armani might appeal to you as one of the most fashionable unisex Italian names. Armani is a gorgeous name with Italian and Persian origins meaning “warrior” or “freeman.” The name has been growing in popularity in the US since 1997 and it’s nearly a top 500 most popular name!

Coda

Coda is a perfect name for a few reasons. For purposes of this list, it’s among versatile and unisex Italian names. But, beyond that, it’s also a term from music that means “conclusion” and refers to the end of a section or movement of music. For music-loving parents who want to honor their Italian heritage, you could do no better.

Volta

We find another lyrical name in Volta a term that’s often applied to poetry that describes shift or dramatic change in thought or emotion. Thus, Volta means “turn.” In Italy, you will find this as a surname and one famous bearer was Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the electric battery.

Monaco

Monaco is the name of a small country that’s Italy-adjacent, however, you’ll find the name in Italy from Greek origins that mean “monk-like” or “alone.” The studious and frugal connotations of the meaning of this name contrast to Monaco’s reputation as one of the wealthiest and expensive places in the world. Monaco proves one of the finest unisex Italian names.

Leone

Leone is the preferred, Italian form of the name Leo or Leon. Leone saw popularity as a name for girls in the US and made its way to the US top 1000 for several years until falling off the chart in 1938. Leone means “lion.” We absolutely adore this Italian gender-neutral name and are certain it would be welcomed back.

Alessi

Alessi is a handsome Italian name which is a variant of the Greek name that became Alexis. Like Alexis, Alessi is unisex and works excellently for both boys and girls. The name means “defender” or “defender of the people.”

Piccolo

Piccolo is a precious Italian surname that has been adopted as a given name. A piccolo is a small flute and the name for it is Italian for “compact” or “small.” Thankfully, you can’t venture too far in unisex Italian names without finding another that is associated with music.

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Domani

Domani is an Italian word name that means “tomorrow.” Domani sounds like a fitting name for either a boy or girl thanks to similar names like Dominica and Dominic. However, this name, and its secular meaning, is going to look very attractive to contemporary parents.

Rome

Given that Rome is arguably the most important city in European history, it has been used as a first name remarkably little. However, Roman is now in the top 100 names. Rome made the top 1000 in the US in 2019 for the first time since 1882! This Italian city name has long been in use as a surname and we’re excited to see that it’s taken off again as a given one among other unisex Italian names.

Lanza

Lanza del Vasto is a famous Italian with this name. He was a twentieth-century philosopher and activist who became deeply influenced by Mohandas K. Gandhi. Lanza is also a common surname in both Italian and Spanish traditions. Lanza means “lancer.” It’s one of the most evocative unisex Italian names on this list.

Ricci

Ricci is an Italian name that comes from riccio, a word that means “curly.” Ricci had a moment in the US in 1954 when it made the top 1000 for boys. It has since never made the list again. We find it attractive for both boys and girls as a romantic alternative to Ricky or Rikki.

Capri

Chosen by the late Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa for their youngest daughter, Capri is being considered more than ever as a possibility as a given name. Capri is a storied Italian island which is reason enough to choose it, but the name has origins meaning “wild boar,” “goat island,” or “rocky.” Notably, Capri is also a color name for a tint of blue.

Fendi

Fendi is an Italian surname from the verb fendere meaning “to split.” Most likely an occupational surname for a wood splitter or woodsman. Fendi is also associated with the Italian luxury design house started by Adele and Edoardo Fendi in 1925. Fendi is one of the unisex Italian names that has never appeared in the top 1000 in the US.

Gianni

The Italian name for boys, Gianni, has started to be used for girls, with over 125 girls in the US being given this appellation in 2018. However, you will not find too many girls with this name in Italy. Gianni is the Italian equivalent of Johnny and means “God is gracious.”

Sole

Pronounced SOL-eh, Sole is an attractive Italian unisex name for a baby that has a bright meaning, “the sun.” The Spanish form of this name, Sol, has traditionally been more popular in the US. It is associated with Marisol or Solidad for girls and has the same, sunny meaning.

Ambrosi

The name Ambrosi comes from the Family Of Ambrogio and is of Italian origin. This surname name is also related to the Latin ambrosia which means “immortal.” Similar names from the same origin, like Ambrosia or Ambrose, makes this name universal and of use for both baby boys and girls.

Zappa

Italian surname Zappa literally translates to “hoe” or “mattock” from Italian zappa, probably denoting someone who worked agriculturally, a farmer. Parents might use this name to honor American rock musician Frank Zappa. This would be a bold choice, but we think other names like Bowie, Ziggy, Prince, etc. make this a distinct possibility.

Marconi

No, not Macaroni, but Marconi. Marconi is best known as the surname for Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian electrical engineer and inventor credited with the invention of the radio. Marconi has a long history as a surname and translates to “of the family Marcus.” Because of the strong Marc-beginning of this name, it might appeal to parents of a baby boy more, but we love the name for any baby.

Ferrari

Ferrari is an Italian, occupational surname meaning “blacksmith” or “ironworker.” The name famously belonged to Enzo Ferrari the founder of the automaker Ferrari. While this name is definitely associated with sports cars now, it’s considered one of the unisex Italian names for babies born today.

Lozano

Lozano is a multi-cultural hit that originated in Italian-Swiss tradition as a family name meaning “from Locarno” a Swiss town in the southern Alps that’s rich with Italian history and the language is still widely spoken there. Lozana also holds significance in the Spanish tradition. Lozano would make for an excellent given name

Fauci

Dr. Anthony Stephen Fauci, American physician, immunologist, and director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases could be an inspiration for your baby’s name this year. Fauci is a popular Italian surname that has Sicilian origins and means “sickle.” It is an occupational name for a maker of sickles. This would be a very bold choice and it might best be seen as simply a possibility right now.

Milan

In many Slavic and other European countries, Milan is purely a boys’ name, but in the US, it’s also popular for girls, no doubt inspired by the fashionable Italian city. Milan is related to an ancient Roman name, which means “of Milan.” However, the Slavic meaning of this name is nice, “gracious.”

Messina

Messina is a popular Sicilian surname that means “from the town Messina,” the third-largest city in Sicily. The city was given its name, which means “scythe” because of the shape of its harbor. Messina would be an excellent name for both boys and girls.

Callisto

One of the unisex Italian names with the best meaning, Callisto means “beautiful.” The name was adopted from a Greek appellation. With this name, you get the opportunity to choose between attractive nicknames Cal or Calli.

Geonna

Geonna is considered the unisex form of the female name Gianna. Both names mean “God is gracious.”

Cala

Cala is another one of the handsome unisex Italian names that comes from Sicily. It means “inlet.” If you’re after a subtle nature-inspired name, this could be a very good choice for you.

Dante

Dante has long been considered a name exclusively for boys but we feel it has so much potential as a given name for girls as well. The name is a form of Durant, which means “enduring.” The name is best known as belonging to medieval Florentine poet Dante Alighieri.

Santo

Another one of the unisex Italian names that has traditionally gone to boys, Santo could easily be used for a girl as well. The name means “saint” or “holy person.”

Porfirio

Porfirio is a Latinate name that you will find in both Spanish and Italian. The name means “purple shading.” We love its rhythmic sound that rolls right off of the tongue.

Cavalli

One of the unisex Italian names that comes from a surname, Cavalli is an occupational appellation that means “horses.” If you’d like a subtle nature name that celebrates a love of horses, Cavalli could be the perfect fit.

Mancuso

A Sicilian and Calabrian term for a left-handed person, Mancuso proves a distinct choice among these unisex Italian names. You will also find this name in the form of Mancusi which we feel also works for any baby.

Varenna

Like Milan, Varenna is one of the unisex Italian names that refers to a city. It names a town in the Lombardy region of Italy. It can be considered a habitational name.

Po

Another one of the subtle nature-inspired unisex Italian names, Po names a river. It’s the longest river in all of Italy and it can be found at the northern part of the country. The ancient Romans called the same river Padus which is how the river got its current name.

Scianna

A name found primarily in Sicily, Scianna is an Italian unisex name that was adopted from Arabic. The root of the name means “leather bag” or “bottle.”

Venti

If you can divorce yourself from the association with a large beverage at Starbucks, Venti is an attractive choice. It’s one of the unisex Italian names associated with a number. In this case, Venti means “twenty.”

Santa

One of the unisex Italian names that we’re not sure will work for a baby today is Santa. The name means “saint” or “holy.” Perhaps Santo is the best option for an appellation with the same meaning.

Andrea

Despite the name meaning “manly,” Andrea has mostly been considered a name for baby girls in the US. In Italy, the name is viewed as unisex. Andrea was a mildly popular name for boys in the US from the 1950s through the 1980s. It could be time for a comeback!

Americus

One of the unisex Italian names that can be traced directly to Latin origin is Americus. The name means “home-ruler.” America is, of course, another form of this name that is a much more popular choice for US-born babies today.

Kosmo

An Italian name from Greek, Kosmo means “universal.” However, the Italians expand on this name’s meaning. It is also considered to mean “order” and “organized beauty.” Not bad!

Rosario

In Spanish, Rosario is considered a strictly female name. For the Italians, Rosario is considered a male name. For this reason, we feel it works as one of the unisex Italian names. It means “rosary.”

Felice

Felice is an Italian unisex name that comes from the Ancient Roman family name, Felix. Therefore, the name means “lucky” and “fortunate.”

Celeste

Despite the fact that it’s given more to girls than boys, in Italian, Celeste is considered one of the unisex Italian names. The name was adopted from Latin and means “heaven.”

Amabile

A name found mostly in Naples, Amabile emerged as an option in the Medieval period. The name is considered to mean “lovable” or “worthy of God’s love.”

Fiore

Fiore is an Italian diminutive appellation that comes from Fiorello, a masculine name that means “little flower.” It is also given to baby girls as a form of Flora. It’s one of the best unisex Italian names with a botanical meaning.

Loreto

An Italian habitational name, Loreto names a town in Italy. The root of the name means “laurel forest.” Loreto is home to a popular Catholic pilgrimage site.

Diamante

Diamante is one of the unisex Italian names that comes from Greek. It can be considered a form of the female name Diamanta. Both names mean “diamond.”

Giusi

Giusi is an Italian nickname-name that’s considered a short form of both Giuseppe and Giuseppina. Both names come from the same Hebrew root that brings us the appellation, Joseph. The name means “Jehovah increases.”

Fede

An appellation found in both Italian and Spanish, Fede is a form of the Latinate names Federico and Federica. The name ultimately came from German and its root means “peaceful ruler.”

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Luca

If there was once a prejudice against this charming and venerable Italian name for possibly sounding too feminine, consider it gone. Since Luca entered the boys’ names U.S. popularity list in 2000, it has shot up in popularity. Luca is primarily used as a name for boys in Italy and beyond in Europe. It’s mainly an American practice to choose this amazing name for baby girls as well. We love it no matter what! This Italian name means “man from Lucania (a historical region of southern Italy).” It’s the preferred Italian form of Luke.

There you go! We hope you enjoyed these unisex Italian names. Please, name your child with an open mind. Even though these names are scarce today, you can still honor your Italian heritage with a gender-neutral Italian baby name. Get ahead of the trend with one of these amazing Italian monikers.