Help to find name for Scottish-Italian baby

[Toscaitalia]

Need some help for this one as DP and I are struggling to come to an agreement on baby names.

The background is that I am Italian and DP is Scottish. We live in Scotland but are planning to move to Italy or Spain in the future (5years or so). We don't know the sex of the baby yet but I really want it to have an Italian name, DP wants it to have a Scottish name. Baby will have both of our surnames which are obviously Scottish and Italian.

Names I like for girls :
(Italian)
Francesca
Caterina
Elsa
Marina
Alessia
Milena

(scottish/gaelic) :
Malina
Evina
Saoirse

Girls names DP likes:
He literally hasn't given any because he's convinced it's a boy! He has however said he's not adverse to Francesca or Caterina

Boys names I like:
(Italian)
Alessio
Alessandro
Federico
Michele
Stefano
Elia
Elio
Nico

(scottish/Gaelic)
Conall
Torren

Boys names DP likes:
Michael
Harris
Alexander
Bruce

He quite liked Alessio and Alessandro but thought they would get called Alice for short in Scotland and didn't like that.

I've tried to be open to Scottish/Gaelic names that I like the sound of that I think will be pronounced ok in Italy by my family and friends. I don't care if spelling is tricky (I've spent a lifetime spelling my name, it's not a big deal for me).
The main thing I don't like is names that are Italian but often used by non-Italians, so I love the names Luca and Lucia but wouldn't use it because so many people who aren't Italian seem to use them in UK. I don't care how popular it is in Italy or how popular it is if it's a Scottish name.

Any suggestions of names that could work for us and would work in both countries?

Oh and I also like Fiadh for a girl or Breagh, the one name DP has suggested for a girl is Grace.

*Breagha

Rosa, Rosalie, Emilia, Sofia, Valentina, Cara

Matteo, Marco, Leo, Leonardo, Dante, Enzo

Matteo, Marco and Leo I like (although spelled Lio to fix with pronunciation in UK). I also like Dante and have suggested all these to DP but he said no. You're making me want to go back and try them on him again though.

I like Valentina. Cara is too close to my name (Chiara). Rosa, Emilia and Sofia are all lovely but I would see them as names often used by non-Italians. It might seem strange to some but I like the name being a reflection of heritage and feel it stops being that if it's not seen as an Italian name over here. That might be why I would love an Italian name so much, that people would hear it and know they're from there.

Flora, Fia (easier in Italy than Fiadh?), Iona, Isla, Arabella, Skye, Isobel

Rory, Evan, Logan, Maxwell, Max, Callum, Finlay, Finn

Ailsa would be a lovely alternative to Elsa - Scottish, but pronounceable in Italian, I think?

Cara is also popular in Ireland, because it means "friend", but might that be a bit weird in Italy?

Francesca and Caterina are both great.

Flora and Florence are also traditional in Scotland, and Flora has a nice Roman vibe too.

Some others I like (might be dated in Italy, sorry!)
Gaia
Livia
Valentina
Valeria

Matteo
Gabriele
Nicolo

Carmen, Carlotta, Elisa, Elena, Viola

Cosimo, Elia, Roman, Romano

I prefer the Italian names too. Not sure what you mean about spelling Leo as Lio. Leo is a very traditional and in the UK too, often short for Leonard. My grandfather was called that and I knew a few others born early 20th century and a Leo now who is 4. It would be pronounced Lee-oh, is that different to your pronunciation?

Your own name is perfect in both places. we need another like that!

Not sure what you mean about spelling Leo as Lio. Leo is a very traditional and in the UK too, often short for Leonard. My grandfather was called that and I knew a few others born early 20th century and a Leo now who is 4. It would be pronounced Lee-oh, is that different to your pronunciation?
Leo would be pronounced lay-oh in Italy whereas Lio would be lee-oh. It's the male version of Lia (which I also like).

Lots of great suggestions! I love Isla and Ailsa but 2 people very close to me have just called babies these names so I don't think I could use them (which is a shame because I think DP would like them!). I also really like Livia.

I quite like Finlay, Callum and Rory. I just seem to find it easier to let go of Italian names for girls than for boys, I'm not sure why, but DP is the opposite for Scottish names!

Ah I see! Maybe Italian first name and Scottish middle name or vv to compromise?

Fiora/Flora Gabriele/Gabriel

Maybe Italian first name and Scottish middle name or vv to compromise?

Yes that's a good idea.

If it’s a girl could you agree to do Italian first name, Scottish middle name, and for a boy vice versa? If you do that then I think the main thing is they both have first names that exist in each country, even in slightly different forms (eg Elisabetta/Elspeth, Alexander/Alessandro) so you can give them nns that work in both countries? What I’d avoid is modern Scottish names like Harris (because there is no equivalent in Italy), and complex Gaelic spelling, because that really will be hellish in Italy or Spain.

Francesca and Catarina are great - how about Eleanora, Cecilia and Maria also. I know you don’t want names that are v popular in the UK - but just to say Isabella is the one name I can think of that has very strong Italian and Scottish roots. (Flora is obviously very Scottish and with Roman roots, but I don’t think it’s used in Italy much?)

And for boys - Robert (Roberto), Alexander (Alessandro) are the two most obvious - perhaps also Anthony (Antonio) and both great names.

My favourites would be:

Carina
Maria
Milena

Matteo
Luca

We have Italian-Scottish friends and they have a Gabriel.

He quite liked Alessio and Alessandro but thought they would get called Alice for short in Scotland and didn't like that.

I'd have thought that would be more likely to become Alec or Alex.

Is Alexander / Alexandra something you'd consider?

Flavia? Antonio?

Whatever you do make sure it's obvious to people from both countries how to pronounce it.

I have a friend in Belgium with a daughter name Margot. When she goes to Portugal to see the other side of her family, she uses another name due to the pronounciation of" Margot" being constantly slaughtered

Bianca
Alba
Mia
Romana
Sienna

Gino
Massimo
Rocco
Pino
Paulo

If you do that then I think the main thing is they both have first names that exist in each country, even in slightly different forms (eg Elisabetta/Elspeth, Alexander/Alessandro) so you can give them nns that work in both countries?

This has made me think of one of the suggestions I made to DP which was to give them a name with a Scottish or Italian equivalent so the other could be used by family/friends from the other country, for example I said we could call the baby Michael if a boy, one of his top picks, and I would call him Michele. I really liked this idea and he's not totally against it but I've not sold him on it yet. It didn't help that on the phone a guy he works with heard me say Michele and laughed at it as a baby name.

What about Alessandro but. You could shorten to sandy.. V common shortening of Alexander in Scotland
Or Scots gaelic version Alasdair

Valentina, Giulia, Mario, Paulo,

I've came across a Michele at college in Glasgow. Every lecturer read it as girls name Michelle.

I think I'd avoid it.

I would stay away from Gaelic names as they will perplex mediterraneans and choose a name that works in both languages.

All of the Italian girls' names you've given work in both.

Cosmo & Cosima (latter is an old lady name in Italy)
Orlando
Raffaello/a
Sholto (Scottish but would work in Italy)
Luca

Gabriella
Aurora

Sholto is interesting!! I think my issue with finding a Scottish boys name that I like is that they don't end in vowels, I like that Sholto does.