Our list of popular Italian baby boy names includes some that have been trending in Italy recently and others that are eternally popular. As with Italian baby girl names, we also like that many of these names have several variations.
Whether you name your baby boy after one of the great artists of the Renaissance or for your favorite soccer player, remember that in Italian, you pronounce every letter — though the pronunciations are often different than in English.
Alessandro. This eternally popular baby boy name in Italy softens the “x” in Alexander, a name which means “protector of men.” Sandro is a common nickname, as is Ale (ah-lay). Alessio, Italian for Alex, is a popular derivative.
Angelo. The name means “messenger sent from God” — and naming your baby boy Angelo is certainly a nice way to give thanks for his arrival.
Dante. The author of The Divine Comedy died 700 years ago, but his name is still on trend. Dante is short for durante, the Italian word for enduring and once a common first name. It’s pronounced dahn-tay.
Domenico. Like Dominic or Dominick, Domenico has biblical origins, and means “of the lord” or “belonging to the lord.” And in Italy, there’s a cute, unusual nickname — Mimmo, pronounced mee-mo!
Giorgio. If you're drawn to the English name George, you may also love its Italian version, pronounced jor-joe. We also like the fun nickname, Gio, pronounced joe.
Giovanni. The Italian version of John has biblical origins, and John the Baptist (San Giovanni Battista) is a very important saint in Italy. Nicknames include Gianni (like Johnny) and Vanni. It’s pronounced joe-vanni.
Leonardo. The name means “strong like a lion” and is of course most associated with a certain Renaissance genius who painted the Mona Lisa. Note that in Italian, it’s pronounced lay-o.
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Lorenzo. Another name with ancient origins, Lorenzo was first associated with Laurentum, a region west of Rome. It’s the Italian version of Laurence or Lawrence — in Italy, Renzo is a popular nickname.
Luca. This baby boy name has a lot of history behind it. Its origins in Italian are linked to the Lucani, an ancient tribe from southern Italy, but in Latin, it means “bringer of light.” It’s a cute alternative to Luke or Lucas.
Marco. This name’s origins refer to the Roman god of war, Mars. But Marco — Mark in Italian — is a common Italian name that also references San Marco (Saint Mark).
Massimo. Max, Massimiliano or Massimo — they all come from the Latin maximus, for “greatest.” What a way to start your baby boy off on the right track!
Matteo. For fans of Matthew, their English equivalent, the name Matteo has a fun Italian flair. Teo, pronounced tay-o, is a common nickname.
Michelangelo. Pronounced mee-kell-angelo, naming your baby boy after the brilliant painter, sculptor and architect might give him some big shoes to fill, but you can always call him Mickey for short! Michele, the Italian version of Michael, is a derivative.
Nicolo’. If you’re considering naming your baby boy Nicholas, consider one of the many Italian variations, each with a different pronunciation: Nicolo’ is nee-kol-O. Niccolo’ is nee-KOL-o. Nicola is nee-KOL-a. They’re all boys’ names (the feminine version is Nicoletta). For boys or girls, Niko (neek-o) is a fun nickname.
Paolo. In the 1960s and 70s in Italy, it seemed like every other baby boy born was named Paolo, for Paul. San Paolo, St. Paul, is one of Italy’s most important saints, pronounced pow-low.
Stefano. This popular Italian baby boy name is the equivalent of Stephen or Steven and is another name with likely Greek origins. It’s pronounced STE-fano, with the accent on the first syllable.
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