Italian Boy Names
Italian boy names have a rhythm all their own: a stressed middle syllable, a vowel at the end and, very often, a saint or an artist standing behind them. This list gathers 100 names used in Italy today and across its history, grouped by style so you can move quickly from the classics your nonno would recognize to rare picks almost nobody in the US has heard.
Every entry includes its meaning and roots. Pair your favorite with a name from our Italian girl names if you’re planning for twins, or go back to the main Italian names page for surnames and nicknames. Fans of ancient history will also like our Roman boy names.
Most popular Italian boy names in Italy
These names are regularly among the most-registered in Italy’s birth statistics, and several have crossed into the US top 1,000.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Leonardo | Brave lion | Germanic Leonhard, via Latin leo |
| Francesco | Frenchman | Latin Franciscus |
| Tommaso | Twin | Aramaic, via Greek |
| Edoardo | Wealthy guardian | Old English Eadweard |
| Alessandro | Defender of men | Greek Alexandros |
| Lorenzo | From Laurentum; linked to laurel | Latin Laurentius |
| Mattia | Gift of God | Hebrew Mattityahu |
| Gabriele | God is my strength | Hebrew |
| Riccardo | Brave ruler | Germanic |
| Andrea | Manly, brave | Greek Andreas |
| Diego | Possibly from Didacus, “teaching” | Spanish |
| Nicolò | Victory of the people | Greek Nikolaos |
| Matteo | Gift of God | Hebrew, via Latin |
| Giuseppe | He will add | Hebrew Yosef |
| Federico | Peaceful ruler | Germanic |
| Antonio | From the Roman family Antonius | Latin |
| Enea | Praise; Aeneas of Troy | Greek |
| Samuele | God has heard | Hebrew |
| Giovanni | God is gracious | Hebrew, via Latin |
| Pietro | Rock | Greek Petros |
| Filippo | Lover of horses | Greek |
| Davide | Beloved | Hebrew |
Classic Italian names for boys
The names of fathers, uncles and grandfathers across Italy and Little Italy neighborhoods. They feel solid and familiar; for more old-school picks see our classic boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Giorgio | Farmer, earth-worker | Greek Georgios |
| Salvatore | Savior | Latin |
| Vincenzo | Conquering | Latin Vincentius |
| Luigi | Famous warrior | Germanic Ludwig |
| Carlo | Free man | Germanic Karl |
| Roberto | Bright fame | Germanic |
| Stefano | Crown, garland | Greek Stephanos |
| Massimo | Greatest | Latin Maximus |
| Franco | Free; a Frank | Germanic |
| Sergio | From the Roman family Sergius | Latin |
| Enrico | Ruler of the home | Germanic Heinrich |
| Alberto | Noble and bright | Germanic |
| Domenico | Belonging to the Lord | Latin Dominicus |
| Raffaele | God heals | Hebrew |
| Gianni | Short form of Giovanni, “God is gracious” | Italian |
| Fabrizio | Craftsman | Latin Fabricius |
| Maurizio | Moorish, dark-skinned | Latin Mauritius |
| Claudio | From the Roman family Claudius | Latin |
| Bruno | Brown | Germanic |
| Paolo | Small, humble | Latin Paulus |
Renaissance and artistic Italian boy names
Italy’s painters, poets and scientists turned these into legends. Many of them are having a quiet revival with parents who want a name with a story.
| Name | Meaning | Famous namesake |
|---|---|---|
| Dante | Enduring | Dante Alighieri, poet |
| Michelangelo | Michael (“who is like God”) + angel | Michelangelo Buonarroti |
| Sandro | Defender of men | Sandro Botticelli |
| Galileo | From Galilee | Galileo Galilei |
| Amerigo | Italian form of Germanic Emmerich, possibly “home ruler” | Amerigo Vespucci |
| Cristoforo | Christ-bearer | Cristoforo Colombo |
| Donato | Given (by God) | Donatello (Donato di Niccolò) |
| Cosimo | Order, beauty (Greek kosmos) | Cosimo de’ Medici |
| Tiziano | From the Roman name Titianus | The painter Titian |
| Giacomo | Supplanter (Jacob) | Giacomo Puccini |
| Gioachino | God will establish | Gioachino Rossini |
| Guglielmo | Will + helmet (William) | Guglielmo Marconi |
| Amedeo | Love God | Amedeo Modigliani |
| Marcello | Little warrior of Mars | Marcello Mastroianni |
| Italo | Italian | Italo Calvino |
| Primo | First | Primo Levi |
Short and modern Italian boy names
Two-syllable names that sound fresh in any language. Several, like Leo and Elio, now rank in the US too; see more in our mythology boy names for the heroes behind Ettore and Achille.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Leo | Lion | Latin |
| Elia | Yahweh is God (Elijah) | Hebrew |
| Nico | Victory of the people | Greek |
| Gioele | Yahweh is God (Joel) | Hebrew |
| Ettore | Holding fast (Hector) | Greek |
| Achille | Italian form of Achilles | Greek |
| Rocco | Rest, or possibly “crow” | Germanic |
| Dario | Holds firm the good (Darius) | Persian |
| Remo | Italian form of Remus, co-founder of Rome | Latin |
| Emilio | Rival, eager (Aemilius) | Latin |
| Elio | Sun | Greek Helios |
| Ugo | Mind, heart | Germanic Hugo |
| Teo | God | Greek theos |
| Luca | Man from Lucania | Latin Lucas |
| Mario | From the Roman family Marius; linked to Mars | Latin |
| Enzo | Short form of Lorenzo or Vincenzo; also from Germanic Heinz | Italian |
Rare and unique Italian boy names
Uncommon even in Italy, these carry an aristocratic or literary air. Several were originally Roman numbers or family names; our Latin boy names list has more like them.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Ottavio | Eighth | Latin Octavius |
| Settimo | Seventh | Latin Septimus |
| Orazio | Italian form of the poet Horace | Latin Horatius |
| Aurelio | Golden | Latin |
| Cesare | Italian form of Caesar | Latin |
| Fiorenzo | Flowering, prosperous | Latin Florentius |
| Gualtiero | Ruler of the army (Walter) | Germanic |
| Leandro | Lion man | Greek |
| Ippolito | Freer of horses | Greek Hippolytos |
| Lapo | Florentine short form of Jacopo | Italian |
| Corrado | Bold counsel | Germanic Konrad |
| Arturo | Possibly “bear” | Celtic |
| Valerio | To be strong | Latin |
| Zeno | Of Zeus | Greek |
| Lucio | Light | Latin Lucius |
| Tancredi | Thought + counsel | Germanic, via the Normans |
Italian saint and biblical names for boys
Faith has shaped Italian naming for centuries, and many boys are named for a local patron saint. More options live in our biblical names list.
| Name | Meaning | Saint or reference |
|---|---|---|
| Emanuele | God is with us | Isaiah 7:14 |
| Michele | Who is like God? | Archangel Michael |
| Tobia | God is good | Book of Tobit |
| Simone | He has heard | Simon Peter |
| Daniele | God is my judge | Book of Daniel |
| Benedetto | Blessed | St. Benedict of Nursia |
| Agostino | Venerable | St. Augustine |
| Ambrogio | Immortal | St. Ambrose, patron of Milan |
| Bartolomeo | Son of Talmai | Apostle Bartholomew |
| Gennaro | Of January | St. Januarius, patron of Naples |
| Rosario | Rosary | Our Lady of the Rosary |
| Nazareno | From Nazareth | Title of Jesus |
Tips for picking an Italian boy name
- Remember that -a doesn’t always mean girl. Andrea, Luca, Mattia, Elia and Nicola are all boys’ names in Italy.
- Test the stress. Italian names usually stress the second-to-last syllable (lo-REN-zo), but not always: Nicolò stresses the last one.
- Consider the built-in nickname. Giuseppe becomes Beppe, Alessandro becomes Sandro, Francesco becomes Cecco or Ciccio. Make sure you like the short form too.
- Go regional for character. Gennaro sounds Neapolitan, Ambrogio Milanese and Lapo Florentine, a nice nod to family roots.
- Try it with an English surname. Luca, Enzo and Leo sit easily beside almost any last name; longer names like Gioachino work best with short surnames.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular Italian boy name?
Leonardo has been the most popular boy name in Italy in recent years, followed by names such as Francesco, Tommaso, Edoardo and Alessandro.
What are strong Italian boy names?
Leonardo (“brave lion”), Valerio (“to be strong”), Massimo (“greatest”), Riccardo (“brave ruler”) and Ettore (the Trojan hero Hector) all have powerful meanings.
What are short Italian boy names?
Leo, Elio, Ugo, Teo, Nico, Enzo, Remo and Luca are short, easy to say in English and authentically Italian.
Is Luca an Italian name?
Yes. Luca is the Italian form of Luke, from Latin Lucas, “man from Lucania,” a region of southern Italy. It is a boy’s name in Italy.
What Italian names are used for boys in America?
Italian names that rank well in the US include Leonardo, Luca, Enzo, Dante, Matteo, Lorenzo, Giovanni and Rocco.