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Baby names

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Original poster

English/Italian names for boys

61 replies

Whichnamepls · 11/01/2021 04:57

We are expecting a little boy in a few weeks and are stuck on names. I'm English and DH is Italian so ideally we would like one which works in both languages.

We are hoping to avoid one which will be mispronounced all the time as we live in an English speaking country.

This is our list so far:

Giacomo
Giorgio
Niccolò
Leo
Massimo
Raffaele

And, randomly, Henry - which seems to be the only English name we can both agree on.

Any thoughts on these names or other suggestions?

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coffeefizz · 15/01/2021 10:23

My husband is half Italian and our little boy is Massimo Rocco (after his dad's nonno). His friends call him Massi.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 15/01/2021 10:21

Marco
Ezio
Leo

Hollybutnoivy · 15/01/2021 10:19

Enzo is a bit of an old man's name. How about Tommaso?

palmstar · 15/01/2021 10:09

Emilio is my all time favourite name

StepOutOfLine · 15/01/2021 10:07

@Onedropbeat

If you like Henry you could go for Enzo which is the Italian version?

I’ve often found that Italian friends I know struggle to pronounce Henry

Enzo is the short version of Lorenzo or Vincenzo. Henry is Enrico.
Hollybutnoivy · 15/01/2021 09:40

My sons have Italian names and it is annoying when the final o is pronounced oh in an English accent. If you want to avoid that you could go with A/I ending names but a lot of those are problematic in English (Andrea, Nicola) or Luca, Mattia, Luigi. I like lots of names ending in E too (Gabriele, Michele ) but people mistake them for girls' names.

KirstenBlest · 15/01/2021 09:37

And you are right of course. Aren't we lucky to have your expert opinion.

Onedropbeat · 15/01/2021 09:36

It doesn’t make them wrong by the way.
They can shorten Lorenzo to enzo.
It’s just not the only origin of enzo

Sgtmajormummy · 15/01/2021 09:36

My kids both have Italian names. Anyone who matters will ask for the right pronunciation and use it correctly.
Personally I love the Italian names that end in “ele” (Michele, Raffaele, Emanuele) so what about:

Samuele, nickname Sam?

Onedropbeat · 15/01/2021 09:35

I’m Italian with Italian family and friends too

But I’m obviously wrong because you know an enzo Hmm

KirstenBlest · 15/01/2021 09:28

@Onedropbeat, er, I know an Enzo and he was named after his DF Lorenzo. They are italian so they should know.

Baby name web sites are often wrong.

gerispringer · 15/01/2021 09:17

Marco
Carlo
Lorenzo
Stefano

Duckyneedsaclean · 15/01/2021 09:12

Tommaso
Daniele
Paolo
Francesco
Antonio
Leonardo

Onedropbeat · 15/01/2021 09:07

Actually it’s originally a version of Henry

English/Italian names for boys
KirstenBlest · 15/01/2021 08:23

@Onedropbeat

If you like Henry you could go for Enzo which is the Italian version?

I’ve often found that Italian friends I know struggle to pronounce Henry

Enzo is short for Lorenzio, the Italian form of Laurence.

Henry in Italian is Enrico.

IndieRo · 15/01/2021 07:52

Franco
Lorenzo
Matteo
Gabriel
Guissepe
Dante
Brando

Onedropbeat · 15/01/2021 07:20

If you like Henry you could go for Enzo which is the Italian version?

I’ve often found that Italian friends I know struggle to pronounce Henry

kitschplease · 15/01/2021 07:17

I'd definitely go for something easy for non-italian speakers to spell or he will be spelling his name out forever. Same issue if you go for Henry if he chooses to live in Italy!

starsinyourpies · 15/01/2021 06:57

Marco? Bit easier on the pronunciation. We're in the same situation but have had girls so far.

mathanxiety · 15/01/2021 06:46
Grin
Gooseysgirl · 15/01/2021 03:42

*name not b BN

Gooseysgirl · 15/01/2021 03:41

Don't think I've seen Angelo in any of the suggestions yet? My DS has a buddy called Angelo - lovely b BN and and it really suits him!

Original poster
Whichnamepls · 15/01/2021 03:05

Oh @mathanxiety I really can't see myself shouting Agostino across the playground! Grin

I like Arturo a lot but big fat no from DH.

OP posts:
LadyMonicaBaddingham · 13/01/2021 20:42

I really like Vincenzo, and a little 'Vinny' would be soooo cute!

Girlyracer · 13/01/2021 20:37

Giacomo Puccini, born in Lucca, fabulous opera composer. Would be nice to be named after him.

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