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Popular Italian Names – 1. Male Posted by on May 1, 2017 in Culture

Beppe, Totò, Fede, Gino … these are all common abbreviations for Italian male names. Where do they come from, and do they have an equivalent in English?

Simonetta Vespucci by Sandro Botticelli, who’s true name was Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi

The table below gives some of the most common Italian male names together with their variations and abbreviations.

Nome Varianti/Abbreviazioni Equivalente Inglese
 

Alberto

Alessandro

Alessio

Andrea

Angelo

Antonio

Claudio

Daniele

Davide

Edoardo

Emanuele

Enrico

Fabio

Federico

Filippo

Francesco

Gabriele

Giacomo

Giorgio

Giovanni

Giulio

Giuseppe

Leonardo

Lorenzo

Luca

Luigi

Marco

Matteo

Michele

Mirko

Nicola

Paolo

Pietro

Riccardo

Roberto

Stefano

Tommaso

Vincenzo

 

Berto, Albi, Albertino

Sandro, Alessandrino, Sandrino, Ale

Alessi, Ale

Andreano, Andreino, Andreuccio

Angiolo, Angiolino, Lino, Angelino

Antonino, Tonio, Tonino, Totò, Nino

Claudino

Danilo, Nilo, Lele

Davidino, Davino

Eduardo, Edo, Dodo

Manuele, Manuel, Manu, Ema, Lele

Arrigo, Errico

Fabiano, Fabietto

Frederico, Fedrico, Chicco, Fede

Filippino, Pippo

Franco, Franceschino, Checco, Cecco

Gabri, Lele

Jacopo, Iacopo, Giacobbe

Giorgino, Gino, Giò

Gianni, Nanni, Vanni, Giovi, Giova

Giuliano

Beppe, Peppe, Pino, Pippo

Lionardo, Leonardino, Leo, Narduccio

Lorenzino, Loris, Renzo, Renzino

Luchino, Luchetto

Luigino, Gigi, Gino

Marchino, Marcuccio, Marcello

Mattia, Matteino, Teo

Micaele, Michelino, Michi, Lele

Mirco

Nicolò, Niccolò, Nicolino, Nico

Paolino, Lino, Lillo, Polo

Piero, Pietrino, Pierino

Ricciardo, Richi, Ricky

Robi, Berto, Bobo

Steno

Tommasino, Maso, Masino, Mino

Vincente, Enzo, Vince

 

Albert, Bert

Alexander

Alexis

Andrew, Andy

Angel

Anthony, Tony

Claude

Daniel, Danny

David, Dave

Edward, Eddy, Eddie

Emanuel, Manny

Henry, Harry

Fabian

Frederick, Fred, Freddie

Phillip, Philip

Francis, Frank

Gabriel

James, Jamie, Jacob

George

John, Johnny, Jack

Julius, Julian

Joseph, Joe, Joey

Leo, Leonard, Lenny, Len

Laurence, Larry

Luke

Lewis, Louis

Mark

Matthew, Matt

Michael, Mike, Mickey

No translation

Nicholas

Paul

Peter, Pete

Richard, Richie, Ricky

Robert, Rob, Bob

Stephen, Steven, Steve

Thomas, Tom, Tommy

Vincent, Vince, Vinny

Obviously, the popularity of first names changes according to fashion. According to ISTAT (The Institute of Statisticians) these were the top ten male names chosen for newborn males in Italy during the period 1999 – 2014:

1. Francesco
2. Alessandro
3. Andrea
4. Matteo
5. Lorenzo
6. Mattia
7. Gabriele
8. Luca
9. Davide
10. Riccardo

And here are the most popular names given to Italian males around 40 years ago:

1. Giuseppe
2. Giovanni
3. Antonio
4. Mario
5. Luigi
6. Francesco
7. Angelo
8. Vincenzo
9. Pietro
10. Salvatore

Do you have a name of Italian origin? Please share.

To follow: Popular Italian Names – 2. Female

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Comments:

  1. Evelyn Ferioli:

    My husband’s middle name is Martini after his grandfather Martini Ferioli from Modena. We think that this would correspond to the English Martin.

    • Serena:

      @Evelyn Ferioli Salve Evelyn!
      The Italian name is Martino. Martini, in the plural form, is a widely common surname.
      Saluti da Serena

  2. Felix Pesce:

    My name is Felix. Ho preso il mio nome dal mio nonno si è chiamato in Italia “Felice” , which means happy in English

  3. Ann:

    My mother’s maiden name was Thelma Delmira (known as Mira) Pecorini. I believe her grandfather (mio bisnonno!), Ambrogio, emigrated from Parma in the 1860s with a band of musicians, including cousin Daniele and three Giuseppes. Other relatives I have traced include Cinzia (Aunty Cin, whose house was called Dimora) , Desolina. Pellegrino and Dantilio (Uncle Dante). Such a shame none are alive now, so I try to keep their language alive instead. Thanks Geoff and Serena.

    • Geoff:

      @Ann Ciao Ann, some beautiful names there! We tend to see names like that on the annunci that are posted on billboards here in Italy announcing deaths and funeral arrangements. These commonly tend to be for people in their 80’s and 90’s.

      Buona giornata, Geoff 🙂

  4. Norma Tingram:

    An Italian friend once told me that Guglielmo (William) is rarely used in its full form but is usually contracted to Gugu or something similar. Is this right? Is there a “Bill” form for William? Guglielmo isn’t in your list.

    • Serena:

      @Norma Tingram Salve Norma!
      Guglielmo is not very common in modern days, however I’ve never heard of the form Gugu, it must be a pet name. I don’t know of any equivalent of Bill.
      Saluti da Serena

      • Norma Tingram:

        @Serena How about the names Calogero and Corrado, which one encounters now and again. Are they now out of fashion?
        When were they in fashion?

        • Serena:

          @Norma Tingram Salve Norma!
          Calogero is a typical name from the south of Italy, especially Sicilia. I don’t know if it’s used anymore. Personally I like the name Corrado, but now it’s out of fashion. It is still common amongst middle aged men.
          Saluti da Serena


Leave a comment to Norma Tingram