I really, really, really love the name [name_f]Cara[/name_f] (pronounced Car-uh). I like the way it sounds and how short and sweet it is, and how it kind of has a romantic and affectionate feel to it. I love that it means ‘dear’ in Italian, for instance. However, I have a distant relative with that name and I can’t use it. Technically we wouldn’t run into her all the time, but we all know one another well enough that it’d seem we named our child after her. That’s why I’m trying to find another similar name that I’d like just as much. I’d prefer it to be of Italian or Latin origin with a similar ‘feel’ and meaning, I’m not fussed about popularity or length.
Other names we like include [name_f]Bianca[/name_f], [name_f]Emilia[/name_f], [name_f]Giana[/name_f] and [name_f]Valentina[/name_f]. We just don’t like them quite as much as [name_f]Cara[/name_f], so we haven’t landed on any yet. I hoped to hear a few more suggestions before doing so!
One of my favourite Italian names is [name_f]Gaia[/name_f], which is a Greek goddess name but also means “cheerful, joyful” in Italian, the feminine form of the adjective gaio. It’s a very popular name in [name_f]Italy[/name_f] at the moment (pronounced GY-ah).
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Clara
[name_f]Mia[/name_f]
[name_f]Gioia[/name_f] (JOY-ah), means “joy”
[name_f]Pia[/name_f]
[name_f]Flora[/name_f]
[name_f]Aurora[/name_f]
[name_f]Aria[/name_f]
[name_f]Chiara[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucia[/name_f]
[name_f]Celeste[/name_f]
[name_f]Vita[/name_f]
[name_f]Mila[/name_f]
[name_f]Ilaria[/name_f]
[name_f]Bella[/name_f]
My favorite Italian names are [name_f]Giulietta[/name_f], [name_f]Giuliana[/name_f] and [name_f]Gemma[/name_f], [name_f]Elisabetta[/name_f] and [name_f]Luciana[/name_f] but those don’t match [name_f]Cara[/name_f] to me.
Would it be possible to use [name_f]Carina[/name_f] or [name_f]Carlotta[/name_f] to have around extended family and then her nickname could still be [name_f]Cara[/name_f]? I hate to see you pass on a name you love over a more distant family member!
I was going to suggest [name_f]Carina[/name_f] as well, to me it would feel distinct enough from [name_f]Cara[/name_f] that it wouldn’t cause a problem, or feel like you were naming your daughter after them. But keep the meaning (dear little one is So precious) and keeps the romantic Italian feel
If [name_f]Carina[/name_f] isn’t it though I would suggest
[name_f]Amarande[/name_f]- loving
[name_u]Antonia[/name_u]- priceless one
[name_f]Clara[/name_f]-bright/clear
[name_f]Fiorella[/name_f]-little flower
[name_f]Maite[/name_f] (Basque) lovable (prn. [name_f]My[/name_f]-tuh)
[name_f]Nayeli[/name_f] (Zapotec) I love you
[name_f]Priya[/name_f] (Hindu) beloved
I know Hindu, Basque and Zapotec are not technically latin based, but [name_f]Maite[/name_f] & [name_f]Nayeli[/name_f] are used most in Latin communities and [name_f]Priya[/name_f]’s pronunciation is pretty straightforwardly so I though it might work.
I love the Italian name [name_f]Vita[/name_f]. [name_f]My[/name_f] best friend had a relative named “[name_f]Vita[/name_f] Crescenda ____” who came over from [name_f]Italy[/name_f].
