Italian culture and names
Italian Names
Have you ever been curious about traditional or common names used in the Italian language? Explore Italian male and female names, their English equivalents, and short etymology notes that reveal where these names come from.
How to use this guide
Browse the tables to compare Italian names with their English equivalents. Use the search box to find a specific Italian name, English name or etymology quickly.
What this page includes
This guide includes Italian male names, Italian female names, English equivalents and concise etymology notes to make the page more useful for learners and culture lovers.
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Italian Male Names
| Italian | English | Etymology |
|---|---|---|
| Andrea | Andrew | From Greek andreios, meaning “manly” or “masculine”. |
| Alberto | Albert | From Germanic elements meaning “noble” and “bright” or “famous”. |
| Alfredo | Alfred | From Old English elements meaning “elf” and “counsel”. |
| Antonio | Anthony | From the Roman family name Antonius, of uncertain origin. |
| Arturo | Arthur | Often linked to Celtic roots connected with “bear”, though the origin is debated. |
| Carlo | Charles | From a Germanic name meaning “free man”. |
| Daniele | Daniel | From Hebrew Daniyyel, meaning “God is my judge”. |
| Davide | David | From Hebrew Dawid, traditionally interpreted as “beloved”. |
| Edoardo | Edward | From Old English elements meaning “wealth” or “fortune” and “guardian”. |
| Enrico | Henry | From Germanic elements meaning “home” and “ruler”. |
| Francesco | Francis | From Latin Franciscus, meaning “Frenchman” or “Frank”. |
| Giacomo | James | Ultimately from Hebrew Ya‘aqov, the source of Jacob and James. |
| Giuseppe | Joseph | From Hebrew Yosef, meaning “he will add”. |
| Giorgio | George | From Greek Georgios, meaning “farmer” or “earth-worker”. |
| Giovanni | John | From Hebrew Yohanan, meaning “God is gracious”. |
| Guglielmo | William | From Germanic elements meaning “will” or “desire” and “helmet” or “protection”. |
| Luigi | Louis | From Germanic elements meaning “famous” and “battle”. |
| Martino | Martin | From Latin Martinus, meaning “of Mars”, the Roman god of war. |
| Michele | Michael | From Hebrew Mikha’el, meaning “Who is like God?” |
| Oscar | Oscar | Often linked to Old Irish elements meaning “deer” and “friend”. |
| Paolo | Paul | From Latin Paulus, meaning “small” or “humble”. |
| Pietro | Peter | From Greek Petros, meaning “stone” or “rock”. |
| Riccardo | Richard | From Germanic elements meaning “powerful” and “brave” or “strong”. |
| Roberto | Robert | From Germanic elements meaning “fame” and “bright”. |
| Tommaso | Thomas | From Aramaic ta’oma, meaning “twin”. |
Italian Female Names
| Italian | English | Etymology |
|---|---|---|
| Addolorata | Dolores / Delores | From Italian dolore, meaning “pain” or “sorrow”. |
| Alessandra | Alexandra | From Greek Alexandros, meaning “defender of men”. |
| Alice | Alice | From a Germanic name related to Adalheidis, meaning “noble kind”. |
| Anna | Anna | From Hebrew Hannah, meaning “grace” or “favour”. |
| Antonia | Antonia / Toni | From the Roman family name Antonius, of uncertain origin. |
| Beatrice | Beatrice | From Latin Beatrix, meaning “she who brings happiness” or “blessed”. |
| Carmela | Carmen | From Hebrew karmel, meaning “garden” or “orchard”. |
| Carolina | Caroline | Feminine form related to Carlo, from a Germanic root meaning “free man”. |
| Caterina | Catherine | From Greek Aikaterine; later associated with katharos, meaning “pure”. |
| Cristina | Christine | From Latin and Greek roots connected with Christos, meaning “anointed”. |
| Daniela | Danielle | From Hebrew Daniyyel, meaning “God is my judge”. |
| Elena | Helen | From Greek Helene; often associated with light or brightness. |
| Elisabetta | Elizabeth | From Hebrew Elisheva, meaning “my God is an oath”. |
| Francesca | Frances | From Latin Franciscus, meaning “French” or “Frankish”. |
| Giovanna | Joan / Jane | From Hebrew Yohanan, meaning “God is gracious”. |
| Giuseppina | Josephine | From Hebrew Yosef, meaning “he will add”. |
| Laura | Laura | From Latin laurus, meaning “laurel”. |
| Luisa | Louise | From Germanic elements meaning “famous” and “battle”. |
| Maria | Mary | From Hebrew Miryam; the exact meaning is debated. |
| Marta | Martha | From Aramaic, meaning “lady” or “mistress”. |
| Paola | Paula | From Latin Paulus, meaning “small” or “humble”. |
| Roberta | Roberta | From Germanic elements meaning “fame” and “bright”. |
| Rosa | Rose | From Latin rosa, meaning “rose”. |
| Teresa | Theresa | Origin uncertain; often linked to Greek place-name traditions. |
| Violetta | Violet | From Latin viola, meaning “violet flower”. |
Italian name patterns to notice
-o endings
Many masculine Italian names end in -o: Antonio, Carlo, Roberto, Paolo.
-a endings
Many feminine Italian names end in -a: Maria, Paola, Roberta, Francesca.
Gi- names
Names such as Giovanni, Giuseppe and Giacomo are very recognisably Italian.
Name families
Some pairs are easy to spot: Francesco / Francesca, Giuseppe / Giuseppina, Roberto / Roberta.
Quick facts
50 names25 Italian male names and 25 Italian female names.
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Italian names FAQ
What does this Italian names page include?
It includes Italian male and female names with English equivalents and short etymology notes.
Are Italian names always the same as English names?
No. Some names are almost identical, such as Alice and Anna, while others have different forms, such as Giovanni for John or Giuseppe for Joseph.
Why do many Italian names end in -o or -a?
Many Italian masculine names end in -o and many feminine names end in -a, although there are exceptions such as Andrea and Michele.