Italian Boy Names: The Good, the Traditional, and the Modern

Andreas or Andrew in English is the Italian variant of the Greek name Andreas. This unique name means “manly, courageous,” which is a wonderful fit for Italian baby names.

You might conceive the name as female, but it is a male name in Italy.

It is a decent unisex name for many around the world.

This is the Italianized version of the Greek name Alexander, meaning “defending men.”

Alexander the great is one of the most notable bearers of this name. Alessandro’s nickname is Sandro, which is a cute and brief alternative for your baby boy.

Franciscus, the Latin variant of this name, signifies “Frenchman.”

Francis, or Frank for short, is the English version of the name.

It is a famous Italian naming choice for boys. Italy’s patron saint – Saint Francis of Assisi – is the reason behind this name’s popularity.

This is undoubtedly the most well-known Italian boy’s name, not unexpectedly. It’s the name of one of the most famous Italians of all time, Leonardo da Vinci.

Yes, the brilliant Renaissance artist and inventor. The name can also be abbreviated as Leo, which is derived from the Greek word lion.

As one of the zodiac’s fire signs is Leo – and Italians are known for their fiery passion – it could be a cute Italian name option if your kid is due between July 23 and August 22.

This is the Italian spelling of Lawrence, which is taken from the Latin name Laurentius.

This name has some very famous bearers in history – Lorenzo de’ Medici, Lorenzo Lamas and Lorenzo Ghiberti are the most popular.

Mattia is the Italian form of Matthias and Matthew’s Greek name in English.

King Matthias I of Hungary, who ruled Hungary in the 15th century, was the most notable bearers of this name.

This is the Italian form of Gabriel, which means “God is my mighty warrior.”

Gabriel was God’s messenger in the Bible and, in Islam, he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammed.

The name Thomas is Italian and means “twin” in Aramaic.

It is the name of two highly prominent saints, Thomas Becket and Thomas Aquinas.

This factor has largely contributed to its popularity since the 12th century.

From Tommaso d’Aquino, the Italian philosopher, comes the rest of the inspiration.

The English form of this male Italian name is Richard, which means “brave ruler” in German.

Richard was the name of three English rulers; therefore, it has royal associations.

Since the Middle Ages, it has been one of Europe’s most popular names.

This name means “wealthy guard” in old English.

In English, the name Edward was given to several Anglo-Saxon rulers.

This ancient name is an Italianized version of Matthew, which in Hebrew means “gift of God.”

Since the Middle Ages, the name has been popular.

It is also spelled Mateo.

Giuseppe is a popular Italian name for boys.

In Italy, this version of Joseph is a timeless classic.

Unlike popular boys’ name Giovanni, it’s been flying under the radar in the U.S. for decades.

It might be in honor of a grandfather Joe, and we think the little Beppe is adorable.

Placido is an Italian baby boy name that means “quiet, calm,” derived from the Latin Placidus.

It could be the ideal name for a young boy with quiet strength.

Savio is a Latin word that means “wise, learned.”

Sávio Bortolini Pimentel, also known as Savio, is a retired Brazilian footballer.

He played for a number of different football clubs including the famous Real Madrid.

Zeno derives from the Greek and Italian name Zenon, which means “sky, to shine.” Zeno of Elea was a well-known Greek philosopher.

He devised several paradoxes. Those are considered some of the first examples of proof by contradiction.

Abramo comes from the list of most popular Italian names that mean “Multitude, The Father of many.”

According to accounts, Abramo was a well-known character in Renaissance.

In 1427, Abramo was the most popular boy’s name in Florence, Italy.

Agatino is an Italian Baby boy name that means “good.”

Agatino Romero is a Famous record producer, musician, and DJ from Catania, Sicily.

He was born in Germany. But Romero insists that he is “still a true Italian despite his birthplace.”

Alessio derives from the Greek alexo, which means “to defend, assist.”

Alessio Romagnoli is an Italian center-back and captain for A.C. Milan, living up to his name’s meaning.

Romagnoli is also an international representative for Italy.

Bonaventure means “good fortune” in Italian.

The name rose in popularity as a result of the Bonaventure Cemetery.

This cemetery became well know after featuring in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Clemente is an Italian baby boy name which means “merciful, gentle” in Spanish and Italian.

A famous personality by the same name is Clemente Susini.

Clemente Susini’s wax models and scientific anatomical resources made him famous.

The Anatomical Venus is one of them.

It is a life-size lady whose layers can be peeled away to expose different parts of human anatomy. Deservedly, it’s his most famous model.

The word Donato implies “gift.”

Donatos Pizza, based in Ohio, has over 200 stores in ten states across the United States.

The place is known to produce its secret recipe for pizza dough in Ohio before shipping it to retailers.

Elmo is a popular Italian name which means “beloved.”

The name came from St. Erasmus or St. Elmo, after whom the weather phenomenon St. Elmo’s fire is named.

Sometimes, a strong electrical field occurs between a sharp object and the air. This creates a luminous plasma known as St Elmo’s fire.

This produces a faint glow that is best visible in dim light.

Gildo is an Italian name that means “sacrifice.” Gildo is the masculine form of the feminine name Gilda, which means sacrifice in Italian.

On the other hand, the most famous Gildo was a Berber” prince who came to power in the Eastern Roman Empire.

Gildo is also a Berber word that means “king.”

In Italian, the word Natale signifies “Christmas” and is the masculine form of Natalia.

In Italy, the name Natale was commonly given to boys born on or near Christmas Day.

The meaning of the Italian boys’ name Ottone is “owner.” According to some experts, Ottone is the Italian form of Otto.

Otto is short for names containing the Germanic word AUD, and so Ottone has the same meaning.

Others claim that Ottone is the Italian word for “brass” and that this is the meaning of the name.

Amadeo is the Italian equivalent of the Latin name Amadeus, which means “God’s love.”

It was the middle name of composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

This Italianized version of the German name Emmerich means “whole ruler.”

It was the term given to the Americas by the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

If you’re looking for a name that has both Italian and American roots, this could be the name for you.

Benigno is an old Italian name that means “kind, polite.”

Benigno was a popular traditional Italian boys name in the 19th century.

Now, however, it is mostly considered for older men.

If you want an Italian name with a vintage vibe, this name is a suitable choice.

Calogero is an Italian baby boy name that refers to “beautiful elder.”

It combines the Ancient Greek words Kalos, which means “nice, fair, good, and older man.”

As a result, the literal English translation of the name is “nice old man.”

The popular Italian name Callisto means “most beautiful.” Callisto is a girl’s name from Greek mythology and a boy’s name from Italy.

The Greek God – Zeus fell in love with Callisto, and so his wife, Hera, turned her into a bear.

As a result, Callisto was renamed the Great Bear constellation.

Dario is a unique Italian name that means “possessing goodness.”

This name was given to three Persian kings.

You may also be familiar with the Latin form Darius, but Dario has a distinct modern ring to it.

Enea, the Italian form of Aeneas, means “praise.” Since 2001, Enea has grown in popularity in Italy.

This name is currently ranked 32 in the Italian boys’ name charts, with 1,478 newborns named Enea in 2019.

Frediano is derived from the Latin frigidus, which means “cold.”

Fredianus was an Irish prince who studied to become a monk.

He visited Rome, was elected Bishop of Lucca, and the Basilica di San Frediano was named after him.

Luigi is an Italian variant of Ludwig that means “famous battle.” It is a Cars character as well as one of the SuperMario brothers.

In Cars, Luigi is a yellow Italian Fiat 500. His best friend is Guido.

Luigi’s license plate reads 445–108, which is the location of the main Ferrari factory in Maranello.

Moro is an Italian boys’ name, which means “dark-skinned” and it comes from Moreno.

Moreno is a common forename and surname in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries.

It means “dark” in Spanish and is a slang term ins some areas for people with dark skin.

Aldo is an old Italian name with Germanic roots that mean “old, noble.”

It’s also the name of a well-known shoe store in North America.

The Italian name Dino is used as a short form for names that end in -dino or -tino, such as Bernardino or Valentino.

The meaning of Dino is “Little Sword.”

Of course, the most renowned Dino is crooner Dean Martin.

He was born with the name and was always called Dino.

Enzo is the Italian version of the German name Heinz or Anzo.

It’s also a nickname for people with names that end in Enzo, such as Lorenzo or Vincenzo.

In any case, it’s a sweet name for a baby boy.

Nico is the Italian short form of either Nicholas or Nicodemus. It means “people’s victory” in Greek.

The name takes after Greek-born St. Nichola – a 4th-century saint whose legend became Santa Claus in the 19th century.

Rocco is a popular Italian name derived from a German word that means “rest.”

It was the name of a 14th-century saint who assisted plague victims.

Rock or Rocky are both good nicknames for Rocco.

If you like the Rocky Balboa character from the eponymous boxing movies, this could be a great name for you.

The Italian boys’ name Santo means “saint” in Italian. It comes from the Latin word Sanctus.

There’s also a popular Italian dessert wine called vin santo. The term translates to “holy wine” and is traditional in Tuscany.

It was originally reserved for wine used during the Eucharistic sacrament.

If you’re a devout Christian or a gourmet, you will like this short name for your baby boy.

Arturo is a Spanish and Italian spelling of Arthur. In Celtic, it is thought to mean “bear-man.”

In the Arthurian legend, Arthur is also the name of the king.

Cesare is the Italian version of the Roman surname Caesar. This was famously used by Roman Emperor Julius Caesar.

Interestingly, the name means “hairy” in Latin. That may not be appealing, but it still connotes strength.

The name Davide is derived from the Hebrew Dawidh and means “beloved, delight.”

In the Old Testament, David defeated Goliath and became Israel’s second king.

Leopoldo is a strong and old Italian name. It has been used by many members of royal houses, including the Babenbergs and the Habsburgs.

Even some Belgian kings have adorned this name.

In German, the name’s elements mean “bold.” The patron saint of Austria is also a saint with this name.

Marcello is a variant of the Roman name Marcus, derived from Mars, the Roman God of war.

The English equal to this name is Mark.

However, as Marcello the name is both melodic and powerful.

Salvatore is a popular Italian name meaning “savior” in Latin.

This could be a powerful name meaning for your baby boy.

The two possible nicknames to go along with this are Tory or Torey.

Vincenzo is an Italian version of Vincent, which means “to conquer” in Latin.

It comes from the Latin name Vincentius.

Consider this name if you want your baby to succeed at everything he tries.

Gerardo translates as “strong spear.” Gerardo is an Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese name.

It is often confused with Geraldo – a similar name from the same source.