How to Give Your Baby an Italian Name

The history of Italy is tantalizing ... pizza is an American staple ... and we can't seem to get enough cappuccinos and lattes these days. Now you can select an attractive Italian name for your baby and know the meaning as well.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Baby Names
• Genealogy Books
• Internet Access
• Computers
• Genealogy Software

1. Choose a name that symbolizes love and beloved. Try Davide or Amadeo for a boy, Valentina for a girl.

2. Select a name that means greatest. For a boy try Massimo or Massimiliano. The American version is Max.

3. Give your child a strong name. Vittorio means victor or conqueror. Nicolo or Nicolas means victorious people. Marco means martial or warlike for a boy; Marcellina is the female version.

4. Decide on a name that has a spiritual undertone, such as Angela or Angelina for a girl, which means angel or messenger. The male version is Angelo or Angelino. Isabella for a girl means "dedicated to God," and Giovanna means "has favor with God." The male version is Giovanni. Beatrice for a girl means blessed, Lucia (pronounced Lou-chi-a) means light, and Pia means devout.

5. Opt for holiday names. If your baby girl is born in December, try Natalia - Natale is Italian for Christmas. (The American version is Natalie.) If your baby boy is born in December, try Ercole, which means splendid gift. Pasquale is for a boy born on Easter or Passover.

6. Go for a name that symbolizes help, or a defender of humankind. Try Alessandro for a boy and Alessandra for a girl.

7. Try Sofia for a female name that means wisdom, and Michele for a boy, which means "who is like God."

Tips & Warnings

• Add an "ino" (male version) or "ina" (female version) to any name to make it mean "little" or "dear one." For example, Massimo can be "Massimino," or Angela can be "Angelina."

• Keep in mind that these names come from various parts of the country and can be derived from different cultures. The spellings and meaning may vary slightly from region to region - check with your family or other resources if this is important in naming your child.