Category Archives: Italian Names

Gilda

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Italian
Meaning: “sacrifice; value.”
Eng (GIL-duh); It (JEEL-dah)

The name is derived from the Germanic element, gild, meaning “sacrifice; value.”

The name appears in Verdi’s 1851 opera, Rigoletto.

It was the name of a title character in a 1946 film starring Rita Hayworth.

The name was also notably borne by American comedienne, Gilda Radner (b.1946), one of the original cast members of Saturday Night Live. She died at the age of 42 from ovarian cancer, and since has become an icon for ovarian cancer awareness.

In Argentina, it is borne by Gilda, a pop singer (b.1961); and is also borne by an Italian singer, known simply as Gilda (b.1950).

The designated name-days are: January 29 (Poland); October 5 (Lithuania).

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/php/find.php?name=gilda

Sibyl

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “prophetess; sibyl.”
(SIB-el)

The name comes from the Greek, Σιβυλλα (Sibylla) meaning “prophetess.” In Greek and Roman legend, the sibyls were ten female prophets who were located at various sites throughout the ancient world, one notable location being Delphi.

Among Christians, the sibyls were believed to have had divine knowledge, especially with the coming of Christ, and were respected on par as the prophets of the Old Testament. The name was quite common in Medieval Europe as a result, but fell out of usage after the Protestant Reformation. It was revived in the 19th-century.

The name is the subject of a novel by Benjamin Disraeli (1845).

Other forms of the name include:

Sibil·la (Catalan)
Sibyla (Czech)
Sibylle (Danish/French/German)
Sibille (Dutch)
Pille, Sibülle (Estonian)
Sybille (French/German)
Sibylla (German/Greek/Swedish)
Szibilla (Hungarian)
Szibill (Hungarian)
Sibilina (Italian)
Sibilla (Italian/Latvian/Lithuanian/Polish)
Sybilla (Late Latin/Estonian)
Sibila (Portuguese/Spanish)
Sebille (Turkish)

Nicknames include:

Billie, Sibbie (English)
Bülle, Sibä, Sible (Swiss German)

Notable bearers include: Sibylla of Burgundy, Queen of Jerusalem (1126-1150); Sibylla of Burgundy, Duchess of Burgundy (1065-1103)

The designated name-days are: April 29 (Poland); May 19/20 (Latvia); October 3 (France); October 20 (Sweden)

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/php/find.php?name=sybilla

Léger

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: German/Frankish
Meaning: “people of the spear; spear people.”
Fre (leh-ZHAY)

The name is derived from the Old German name, Leudgari, which is composed of the Germanic elements, leud (people) and gar (spear).

The name was borne by an early saint, St. Léger of Autun, a 5th-century bishop and martyr. He was tortured by the Duke of Champagne, by having his eyes gouged out and cauterized and was not murdered until years later.

Other forms of the name include:

Leodogari (Catalan)
Leodegarius (Dutch/Late Latin)
Leodegar (English/Polish)
Leodogar (German)
Leodogario (Italian)

The designated name-day is October 2 (France and Poland).

Source

  1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leodegar
  2. http://www.behindthename.com/namedays/lists/10.php

Rayner, Rainer, Rainier

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: German
Meaning: “army advice.”

The name is the English form of the Old Germanic, Raganhar, which is composed of the elements, ragin, meaning “advice” and har, meaning “army.”

The name was introduced into England via the Normans and subsequently fell out of usage by the High Middle Ages.

Other forms of the name include:

Ragnar (Danish/Estonian/Icelandic/Norwegian/Swedish)
Regner (Danish)
Reinier (Dutch)
Rain (Estonian)
Raino (Estonian/Finnish)
Rauno (Estonian/Finnish)
Raknar/Raknari/Raknu (Finnish)
Rainier (French)
Rainer/Reiner (German/Estonian)
Nero (Italian)
Raniero (Italian)
Riniero (Italian)
Neer (Limburgish)
Reneer (Limburgish)
Ragnarr (Old Norse)
Rajner (Polish)
Rávdnár (Sami)
Rainerio (Spanish)

Nicknames include:

Rein (Dutch)
Raik and Reik (German)
Ranuccio, Nero (Italian)
Ragge (Swedish)

Feminine forms are:

Raina (German/Estonian)
Raniera/Rainera (Italian)

The name is a common one in the Grimaldi house of Monaco, it was borne by Prince Rainier I Grimaldi (1267-1314); Rainier II Grimaldi (1350-1407) and the late Prince of Monaco, Prince Rainier III (1923-2005)

The designated name-day is October 1 (Estonia/Finland/Sweden).

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/php/find.php?name=ragnar

Ariel

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Biblical Hebrew
Meaning: “lion of God.”
אֲרִיאֵל
Eng (Air-ee-el): Mod Heb (AHR-ee-EL)

The name is from the Biblical Hebrew, meaning “lion of God” and is found in the Old Testament as another name for the city of Jerusalem.

In Jewish and Christian apocrypha, it is also the name of an archangel, believed to be the angel who has authority over the Earth and its elements.

As a given name, it has been used by Jews, exclusively as a masculine name for centuries. It has only been in recent years, most notably, following the release of Walt Disney’s, the Little Mermaid (1989), that is has been given to females.

As a male name, it was the 556th most popular male name in the United States (2009), while for females it was the 206th most popular (2009).

In 2006, Ariel was the 78th most popular male name in Chile.

Shakespeare used this name for one of his characters in his play, The Tempest (1611).

Other forms of the name include:

Ariel (Catalan/English/French/German/Hebrew/Hungarian/Polish/Spanish)
Ariël (Dutch)

Feminine forms include:

Ariëlle (Dutch)
Arielle (French)
Ariela (German/Modern Hebrew/Polish/Spanish)
Ariella (Italian)

Hebrew short forms for the masculine version include: Ari and Arik.

A Polish diminutive form is Arielka.

Other notable bearers include: Ariel Sharon, former Israeli Prime Minister (b.1928); Polish soccer player, Ariel Jakubowski (b.1977); Polish Soccer Player, Ariel Borysiuk (b.1991); Argentine writer, Ariel Dorfman (b.1948); Mexican soap actor, Ariel López Padilla (b.1962); Argentine soccer player, Ariel Ortega (b.1974).

The designated name-day is October 1 (France).

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/name/ariel

Xanthippe

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “blonde horse; yellow horse.”
Eng (ZAN-thip-PEE)

The name is composed of the Greek elements, ξανθος (xanthos), meaning, “blonde; yellow” and ‘ιππος (hippos), “horse.”

The name was most notably borne by the wife of Socrates, of whom, Socrates wrote both quite fondly and also rather harshly about.

Other forms of the name include:

Xantippa (Czech/Swedish)
Xantippe (Danish/Norwegian)
Xanthippe (Dutch/English/French/German/Greek)
Santippe (Italian)
Ksantypa (Polish)
Xântipe (Portuguese)
Xantipa (Romanian)
Ksantippa Ксантиппа (Russian)
Jantipa (Spanish)

Note, the above forms are rare outside of Greece and mostly appear in an historical context.

A masculine form is Xanthippos Ξανθιππος.

The designated name-day in Greece is September 23.

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/name/xanthippe

Mireille

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Provençal
Meaning: “admire.”
(mee-HRAY)

Mireille is believed to be a franconized version of the Provençal female name, Mirèio, which is believed to be derived from the Provençal word mirar “to admire.”

The name was first brought to the Francophone world’s attention in 1859, when French poet, Frédéric Mistral, wrote a poem in Occitanian about a girl named Mireille (Mirèio in the Provence version). The poem retells the star-struck love of Mireille, the daughter of a nobleman, and Vincent, a poor basketmaker, who fall in love and are unable to marry due to their different social classes. In the poem, Mireille dies while imploring the patron saints of Provence to change the hearts and minds of her parents.

The poem was translated into several other languages, and the name appears in other forms, including:

Mireia (Catalan/Spaniah)
Mirèio (Catalan/Provenςal/Occitanian)
Mirela (Croatian/Polish/Romanian)
Mireille (French)
Mirella (Hungarian/Italian)
Mirèlha (Provenςal)

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/name/mireille

Faustina

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “lucky.”
Eng (faw-STEE-nah)

The name is a feminine form of the ancient Roman cognomen, Faustinus, which in itself is derived from Faustus, meaning, “lucky.”

The name was a common one among the Nerva-Antonine dynasty, being borne by several women in that family, most notably, Anna Galeria Faustina the Elder (100-140) and her daughter of the same name (125-175).

Other forms of the name include:

Fausta (Italian)
Faustina (Croatian/German/Italian/Lithuanian/Spanish)
Faustyna (Czech/Polish)
Faustine (French)
Fausztina (Hungarian)

Male versions include:

Faust (German)
Faustino (Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
Fausto (Italian/Portuguese/Spanish)
Faustus (Latin)
Faustinus (Latin)

The male version of, Faust is the subject of a German folklore, in which a man by the name of Dr. Faust makes a deal with the devil. This story was later adapted into literature by Christopher Marlowe and Goethe, and was even adapted into a famous opera.

Other notable personages include: Roman noblewoman, Rupilia Faustina (87-138); Faustina, wife of Constantius II (340-366); Faustina Constantia, daughter of Faustina and Constantius II; St. Faustina of Como, a 6th-century Italian saint; Italian Mezzo-Soprano, Faustina Bordoni (1697-1781); Saint Faustina Kowalska, a 20th-century Polish nun and saint (1905-1938).

The designated name-days are: February 15 (Poland); September 23 (France) and October 5 (Poland).

Source

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/php/find.php?name=faustine

Zita

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Italian
Meaning: “little girl; maiden; virgin.”
(ZEE-ta)

The name is derived from the Tuscan medieval dialectical term referring either to a little girl or unmarried woman. Over time, the term has taken on various meanings depending on the region of Italy. In some instances, it was used as a term of endearment for a young girl, in others, it was used to refer to a “spinster.” In modern Sicilian, zita literally means “girlfriend” while zito is boyfriend.

The name was borne by a famous medieval Italian saint, Zita of Lucca (1218-1227). Since she was a poor servant of unknown background, Zita may have actually been an affectionate nickname given by her devout followers, her true name being lost to history.

St. Zita was known for her piety and selfless acts. She was known for taking her megre earnings and food to the poor. She is also known for many miracles. She is considered the patron saint of servants and lost keys. Due to her cult, the name became popular outside of Italy and in other Catholic countries.

In German, the name could also be considered a contracted form of Felizitas.

As of 2009, Zita was the 65th most popular female name in Hungary and the 65th most popular female name in Belgium (2006)

Other forms of the name include:

Zita (Czech/French/German/Hungarian/Italian/Latvian/Lithuanian/Portuguese/Slovak/Slovene)
Zite (French)
Zitella (French)
Zéra (French)
Zérane (French)
Cita (Italian)
Zyta (Polish)

Nicknames include the Czech, Zitka, Zituška, Zitunka, Zituš, Zituna, Zitule and Zitulka. The Polish Zytka.

Italian masculine forms include: Zito, Zitolo, Cito and Citolo

The designated name day is April 2 (Slovakia); April 24 (Italy; Poland) April 27 (Lithuanian); August 11 (Latvia); September 19 (Czech Republic)

Sources

  1. http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zita
  2. http://www.behindthename.com/php/find.php?name=zita

Bertha

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Bertha of Swabia, by Albert Anker 1888

Gender: Feminine
Origin: German
Meaning: “bright.”
Eng (BER-thuh); Germ (BEHR-tah)

The name is derived from the Old Germanic element, beraht, meaning “bright.”

It was borne by an early Germanic goddess of childbearing and weaving, also known as Perchta or Berchta in Southern Germanic dialects.

According to Jacob Grimm and Lotte Motz, Perchta was the Alpine version of Holda (see http://legitimatebabynames.com/2010/09/15/hulda/)

As a given name, it was quite common among the Franks, as is demonstrated with Charlemagne’s mother, whose name was Bertha.

As is to be expected, the name does not appear in the U.S. Top 1000. In the latter half of the 20th-century, Bertha has taken on a bad reputation as being the worst name one can give to a daughter. In 1883, however, Bertha was the 7th most popular female name in the United States.

Other forms of the name include:

Behrte (Anglo-Saxon)
Berta (Czech/Estonian/Faroese/Hungarian/Icelandic/Italian/Norwegian/Polish/Slovak/Slovene/Spanish/Swedish)
Berthe (French)
Bertille (French)
Bertilla (Italian)
Bertina (Italian/Hungarian)
Behrta/Perchta (Old German)

    Obscure Italian male forms include, Berto, Bertinello, Bertillo, Bertino, Bertolo and Bertonello.

    Other notable bearers include: St. Bertha of Kent (593-612) known for her Christianization of Anglo-Saxon England; St. Berthe Val d’Or (d.c 690); St. Berthe of Artois (c.725); St. Bertha of Bingen (c. 757); Berthe of Burgundy, Queen of France (c. late 10th-century); Bertha of Swabia, Queen of France (907-966); Berthe of Holland, Queen of France ( 1055-1093); Bertha of Sulzbach, renamed Irene, was a Byzantine Empress and first wife of Manual I Comnenus (1110-1159); Blessed Berta de Bardi (d. 1163); Austrian novelist and pacifist, Bertha von Suttner (1843-1914); First woman Puisne Justice of the Canadian Supreme Court, Bertha Wilson (1923-2007).

    The designated name-days are: February 8 (Sweden); May 1 (Germany); May 15 (Poland); July 2 (Slovakia); August 6 (Hungary); August 24 (Estonia); September 23 (Czech Republic)

    Source

    1. http://www.behindthename.com/name/bertha