☀️ italian names ~ everything you wanted to ask

I have just done this thread on r/namenerds. Has surpringsly got nice responses.


So for people wondering about their favorites feel free to ask. And I’ll be happy to help. [name_u]Or[/name_u] if they want any advice.

(This way maybe we won’t be subjected, maybe, to “Italian” characters with name no one would have in the last half century.)

2 Likes

I would love to know how you think some of my favorite with Italian usage would be perceived in [name_f]Italy[/name_f] itself! There are a few I already have a good read on (like ubiquitous but gorgeous Chiara), but I’m curious about these others …

[name_f]Nella[/name_f] (is the fact that it’s essentially just “in the” something that makes it too weird? In [name_f]English[/name_f] obviously it’s different, but I like it on my list paired with [name_f]Joy[/name_f] because in the joy makes that nicer to me)
[name_f]Gioia[/name_f]
[name_u]Alba[/name_u]
[name_f]Alice[/name_f] (with Italian pronunciation ofc)
Albachiara
[name_f]Carolina[/name_f]
[name_u]Elisa[/name_u]
[name_f]Lina[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucrezia[/name_f] / Lucre
[name_f]Luisa[/name_f]
[name_f]Simona[/name_f]

1 Like

[name_u]Honest[/name_u] opinions:

[name_f]Nella[/name_f] does sound quiet weird here, apologises. It is just it sounds too much like the article for the average Italian who is not into names. You could probably just say it is a foreign name though. (Which is; it is an [name_f]English[/name_f] name derivated from Eleanor)

[name_f]Gioia[/name_f] is a normal name that most people would accept without problems but I dislike it because I find her too saccharine.

[name_u]Alba[/name_u] is not very common but it is a name that most people would accept too and I find her bohemien vintage. Nice name.

Alice………
I dislike [name_f]Alice[/name_f] with the Italian pronunciation because it feels so…. scratchy to my ears!! And so prissy.
However I love [name_f]Alice[/name_f] said in the [name_u]French[/name_u] way or the [name_f]English[/name_f] way. In [name_f]Italy[/name_f] though, unless with correction, people must likely would say a-LEE-cheh
I have [name_f]Alcina[/name_f] in my list, I recommend [name_f]Alcina[/name_f] - equally literary and less common.
Plus [name_f]Alice[/name_f] is very common for children, in the top 10.
She would be nicknamed [name_u]Ali[/name_u].

Albachiara…. A nice name, but I would do [name_u]Alba[/name_u] [name_f]Chiara[/name_f]. [name_m]Just[/name_m] more visually appealing. Might be too wordy or hippy for someone, but I find it nicely bohemien romantic modern.

[name_f]Carolina[/name_f]. A bon ton good family somehow noble / aristocratic name with a touch of bucolic and cottagecore.

[name_u]Elisa[/name_u]. A fine name, but very bland for me. I prefer [name_f]Elise[/name_f] which is [name_u]French[/name_u]. It feels bland because it was too common, though it is not that common for children.

[name_f]Lina[/name_f]: Okay, but it can feel too grandma name if it is not a problem for you. I know a [name_f]Lina[/name_f] and she complained about it because she wanted a more modern name but if you want a vintage name then [name_f]Lina[/name_f] is perfect. In [name_f]English[/name_f] a similar name might be [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] or [name_f]Frances[/name_f]. It is a very international name and also used in families of Arabic and Chinese descent here.

[name_f]Lucrezia[/name_f]: Renaissance, elegant, aristocratic vibe. Not my style but an appriopate choice

Lucre: Absolutely no, objectively. Keep her for a nickname. [name_f]Lucrezia[/name_f] “Lucre” is acceptable, Lucre not really…. But I dislike Lucre as a nickname, I would use [name_f]Lula[/name_f].

[name_f]Luisa[/name_f]: Rare now for children and young people but feels very vintage bucolic bon ton like [name_f]Carolina[/name_f] (but less aristocratic). [name_u]An[/name_u] [name_f]English[/name_f] example might be [name_f]Eliza[/name_f]?

[name_f]Simona[/name_f]: Ok, but was used too much in the 70s. Though not like most people would judge you for it and it would be considered a normal name. Rare nowadays.

For sibsets, I would go like this:

[name_f]Alice[/name_f] & [name_f]Gioia[/name_f]
[name_u]Elisa[/name_u] & [name_f]Simona[/name_f]
[name_f]Luisa[/name_f] & [name_f]Carolina[/name_f]

Suggestions:

Lutezia
[name_f]Flora[/name_f]
[name_f]Greta[/name_f]
[name_f]Beatrice[/name_f]
[name_f]Vittoria[/name_f]
[name_f]Marianna[/name_f]
[name_f]Leonora[/name_f] / [name_f]Eleonora[/name_f]
[name_f]Ginevra[/name_f]
[name_f]Teresa[/name_f]
[name_f]Neve[/name_f]
[name_f]Matilde[/name_f]
[name_f]Susanna[/name_f]
[name_f]Gemma[/name_f]

They are all fine except for Lucre.
[name_f]Nella[/name_f] might pass…. Lucre definitely not.
Sorry if I sounded too harsh!

1 Like

I’m intrigued by the terrible Italian names you’ve encountered on characters! Which have bothered you most?

[name_f]Concetta[/name_f] and Nazzareno.
It is like using [name_f]Gertrude[/name_f] and… I don’t know a masculine equivalent.

not a current project of mine but when I was in high school I wrote a story for an assignment (a love story) in which the main character was part of an Italian-American family. id love to know how off-base I was! she and her sisters were…

[name_f]Lucia[/name_f] (mc)
[name_f]Alessia[/name_f]
[name_f]Viola[/name_f]
[name_f]Cadenza[/name_f]

1 Like

Besides [name_f]Cadenza[/name_f], the other names are fine. [name_f]Cadenza[/name_f] is not used as a name

Costanza would be a fine name though

[name_f]Melody[/name_f] is used in [name_f]Italy[/name_f] (kind of), it is in the top 400

[name_f]Allegra[/name_f] is another musical name you may want to consider

But I think that for an American public there is no problem

1 Like

wow, im surprised that I actually did an okay job lol

the family was inspired by the Giudice family (before their legal problems oof) from one of the [name_m]Real[/name_m] Housewives shows. Lucia’s family was part of one of those shows in the story. the real Giudice family has 4 daughters too: [name_f]Gia[/name_f], [name_f]Gabriella[/name_f], [name_f]Milania[/name_f], and [name_f]Audriana[/name_f]

1 Like

What are considered vintage or dated Italian names? Names you would only hear on women over 60?

1 Like

[name_f]Vintage[/name_f] (good way):

[name_f]Gisella[/name_f], [name_f]Armida[/name_f], [name_f]Menta[/name_f], Emilia….

[name_f]Vintage[/name_f] (bad way):

Acheropita, Geltrude, [name_f]Concetta[/name_f], Addolorata…

1 Like

I’ve heard you talk about [name_f]Menta[/name_f], and I really like her! :herb:

[name_f]Gisella[/name_f] and [name_f]Concetta[/name_f] I also love.

1 Like

[name_f]Concetta[/name_f] has bad connotations here because it is too religious and it is terrible meaning (trasparent in Italian), but I admit I like the sound too.

Too bad about the overly religious connotations…That;s something that puts me off. But I do like the sound (it sounds like the Spanish word for shell, concha.)

1 Like

What are names you can only see on children? Are there any ‘low-class’ or ‘upper class’ name stereotypes?

1 Like

[name_m]Ah[/name_m], that makes sense. I guess Nazzareno would be like using [name_m]Horace[/name_m] or [name_m]Algernon[/name_m] here

1 Like

I like [name_m]Algernon[/name_m] and [name_m]Horace[/name_m] a lot though as [name_f]English[/name_f] names??
Maybe it is the cultural difference

Low class…
[name_m]Kevin[/name_m], [name_f]Jennifer[/name_f], [name_f]Asia[/name_f], [name_f]Jessica[/name_f], [name_f]Chanel[/name_f], Swami, misspelling on purpose of foreign names like Maicol or [name_m]Brayan[/name_m] or [name_f]Daiana[/name_f]

Upper class…
[name_m]Filippo[/name_m], [name_u]Maria[/name_u] as a middle for boys, [name_f]Allegra[/name_f], [name_f]Teodora[/name_f], [name_f]Olimpia[/name_f], [name_f]Clementina[/name_f], [name_m]Tancredi[/name_m], Manfredi, three names, [name_f]Carolina[/name_f], [name_f]Marianna[/name_f], [name_f]Isabella[/name_f], [name_f]Dorotea[/name_f] etc

Names I can see only on children…
[name_f]Sole[/name_f], [name_f]Nina[/name_f], [name_f]Olivia[/name_f], [name_u]Leone[/name_u], [name_m]Brando[/name_m], [name_u]Enea[/name_u]

2 Likes

@heartwings I like [name_m]Algernon[/name_m] too! I guess I was just thinking of names that might be viewed here in a similar way to Gertrude!!

No these definitely make sense! It was so nice to get that perspective :smiling_face: Thank you!

I did mean Lucre as a nickname; sorry that wasn’t more clear!

I was curious about [name_f]Nella[/name_f] because I saw someone named [name_f]Nella[/name_f] on one of the pietri d’inciampo in [name_u]Rome[/name_u] and thought it was an unusual choice! I’m thinking now that it was likely a nickname (Antonella, [name_f]Brunella[/name_f] maybe?) but in [name_f]English[/name_f] I like it best as a full name still. :sweat_smile:

What is your personal favorites