What do you think...

[Pickle0901]

I really want an Italian girls name as I'm losing my
Italian surname and will have a short formal English surname...

I am struggling to come up with any that I will like the shortened version of... I.e. I like Valentina but not keen on Val / Tina for short.

My number one is Liliana at the moment which can be shortened to Lily.

I don't think there are as many Liliana's around either, as I feel like there are a lot of Lily's...

My partner prefers just having a short name but I do like the melodic sound of Liliana and think it's pretty.

Any thoughts?

Go for it. Then when she’s older she can choose her long formal name or the shortened version

Liliana is lovely. Like Lily and Ana for nn too.

I know a Luciana and that's pretty too. She gets Lulu, Lucy or Ana for nn.

It's frilly alright, but it's very pretty.

I love the classic simplicity of Lily, even though it's popular.

It'd be nice for your DD to have a choice.

why don’t you just keep your surname?

Giovanna nn Gigi 😍

I love the name Antonella, which can be shortened to Nelly/Nells or Toni if preferred.

Liliana is really pretty but if she’ll be known as Lily she will be one of many - but it’s still a lovely name anyway. I actually also like Valentina too.

Giovanna/Gianina are pretty too.

Liliana is very pretty. I second the suggestion of Luciana! Or Gabriella, Estella, Julia.

Valentina is gorgeous, she could have nn Vee or Leni instead. Liliana is nice but the popularity of Lily might put me off. Maybe Raffaella, Gabriella, Caterina, Francesca or Violetta. I’m very jealous, I love Italian girls names. Good luck.

Liliana doesn't scream Italian to me and she'd probably just end up being called Lily.

How about...
Bianca
Mona
Maria
Rosa
Carla

A shorter name is less likely to be messed with.

Sofia
Carina
Leonora
Stella
Rosalia
Aurelia
Cara
Natalia
Cecilia
Alessandra
Roma
Calandra
Alma
Cristina
Romana
Claudia
Lia
Rafaella
Angelica
Emilia
Serafina
Chiara
Stella
Carlotta
Adelina

There are a lot of Lily’s so if you shorten it then she’ll just blend in with all the others.

Does it matter to you whether the name is fashionable in Italy? Will she go there a lot?

Liliana is cute but as far as I know very old lady in Italy and not in a cool way but in a not-ready-for-a-comeback-just-yet way like Barbara or Doris. I know because friends named their daughter this a few years back (British mum, Italian dad) and the Italian side of the family didn't think it was very stylish. She ended up going by Lili, though.

So if you like Liliana, go for it! But if you want something that's currently popular in Italy (many of these are pronounced differently, though):

Alice
Beatrice
Sofia
Gaia
Ginevra
Giulia
Aurora
Giorgia
Vittoria
Chiara
Bianca
Azzurra
Arianna
Gioia
Eleonora
Clarissa
Stella

Others:

Isabella
Luigina (super dated but I think it's cute)
Ilaria
Flavia
Livia
Alessia
Ilenia

I think it’s a bit wet and little girly - and Lily is so overused.

There are so many fantastic Italian names, isn’t there something else you like?

We were considering Liliana for a while but didn't go with it as it didn't go well with our surname.
Go for it!

Rochelle humes has a Valentina called Vallie for short? Love Liliana too. Could be Lil instead of Lily.

@Pickle0901 Out of interest, why are you having to lose your Italian surname, do you want to?

You could add your surname to your married name or add it as another middle name preceding your married surname, similarly you could do the same for your child, if you want to.

Valentina is pleasant and as the name suggests, strong, although Rochelle Humes naming her daughter this means it will inevitably become more ubiquitous. Similarly, that footballer naming his son, Raphael.

Liliana is just a bit too frilly, almost too girly, and your daughter may not appreciate it if anagrams come into play when she’s a teenager. I agree with @Luredbyapomegranate

I'll have my surname because we aren't married but I don't know if it's just going to overcomplicate it for the baby if she has a double barrelled... i love my surname but I spend my life spelling it... so I wonder if it will be annoying for her to have that and another.... the naming thing is so difficult!

Thank you.... hadn't thought about that.
We probably will go quite often but not as much as when I was a child...

It's something to ponder on, thank you :)

Thank you... yes I love Raffaela but other half not so keen... some more to think about...

Yeah it's lovely but have one in the family already but it is gorgeous and different

Thanks.... I like Lucia too actually...

Thanks.... yeah that's what I thought. I have a name like that where I do actually use both versions...

We aren't married and I kind of thought in the future she might not appreciate me giving her my name over her dads, like tradition states.

Maybe she could have it as a middle name.

Thanks for comments