Max, Leo or Luca - Italian/English baby boy!

[CraftyHam]

We’re expecting baby boy any day now and still going round in circles for a name!

My husband is Italian, I’m British and our surname is Italian, beginning with C. We want a first name that is easy to say, write and read in English and Italian. Middle name will be Michael.

My fave is Luca, but it’s really common. Nearly every time someone’s guessed what name we’re going to choose they’ve suggested it! Hubs loves Massimo. Leo has been in the running since the beginning, but the full version of Leonardo feels a bit ‘floral’ for us.

Help!

I like Leonardo but don't like Leo. Your right with Luca it's so popular now. I love Max from your list but prefer Maximilian as a full name.

I like Luca and Leo a lot. Max is ok, but not keen on Massimo and likewise not keen on Leonardo.

Luca Michael C could be a bit c heavy and is, as you suspect, probably a bit too predictable in your circumstances?

Leo Michael C goes better I think. Just Leo is fine, it doesn't need to be Leonardo if you're not keen.

I didn't vote as I really don't like Leonardo but, personally, I would go for Leo.

Max is best but not Massimmo.

I also like Leo and not Leonardo, but in Italy 99% of the time you are given the longer form of a name and your family/friends use your nickname, so that’s what we plan to do. That’s my only hesitation with Leo because I know my in-laws would call him Leonardo and…he’s not going to be a ninja turtle or an ageing actor with a predilection for under 25’s (hopefully!).

I actually prefer Massimo to Max thanks to a boy I went to primary school with, although I’m sure I could get over that given it’s been 20+ years! The other option is Massimiliano (Italian version of Maximilian), but the thought of teaching a toddler how to spell that makes me panic 😅

I love Luca

I love Max, but don't like any of the longer versions of it.

Leo is ok, but definitely not leonardo.

Luca is also ok!

I'm English, married to Italian DH. Our surname starts with a C. We chose a very short, 2 syllable name easily pronounced in both languages. Ends in an 'o'. Lots of similar names like
Niccolò (Nico), Milo, Ludovico (Ludo). Then there’s Alex ..... Alessandro, Sandro. Marco is also great, as is Fabio.

I love Maximilian. If your surname is italian why not use an english variant for the first name ? Maximilian Costello (or whatever the last name is) sounds great.

Matteo also works easily internationally.

I also like Marco. Luca is nice but very very common.

They're all really popular. If that's a concern you might need to go back to the drawing board.

I think Luca is a really nice name. I prefer that to Leo and Max, although they're both perfectly fine names too.

Matteo, Alessio, Marco, Nico and Enzo would also work well in both languages.

I really like Matteo.

I like Max and Leo but not Luca.
I'd not use the long forms.

my cousin is italian and her husband english, their first boy is Alessandro known as Ale - pronunciation Al Lay . (i think it might have an accent over the e, but not sure !) it's really nice and unusual. tbh tho i like all three names you have chosen . congratulations on the upcoming of arrival of your baby xx

i know two Massimos in England and they’re both shortened to “Massi” never to Max. So I don’t think that shortening works.

Leo is super popular as is Luca.

I like Massimo and Leo. I don’t think Luca would work with a C surname - a bit staccato.

How about Marius?

Marius isn’t Italian (it would be Mario). OP also needs to check that the name is a saint’s name for the onomastico … can’t miss out on that extra celebration day! My niece was named before they realised it wasn’t a saint’s name, so they hurriedly had to tag on a middle, saint’s name.

We know a Massimiliano who is known as Max, so that does work.

Ale is a usual diminutive for both Alessandro/Alessandra. It’s not written with any accent, but would normally only be used as a nickname; the full name would be on formal documents. It wouldn’t work in the UK written down …. I could foresee non Italian speakers pronouncing it as the beer!

Did you rule out

Lucio

Federico

I love both of those Italian names

Giacomo (Giac)
Lorenzo (Enzo)

I LOVE Marius