hobbit

Unadapted borrowing from English hobbit; coined by J.R.R. Tolkien.

hobbit (a member of a fictional race of small humanoids with shaggy hair and hairy feet)


Andrea

From Latin Andreās, from Ancient Greek Ἀνδρέας (Andréas). Due to the loss of the final S, the female name Andrea translates as Andreina.

a male given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Andrew


Rebecca

From Hebrew רִבְקָה (Riḇqāh, “enchantingly beautiful, captivating, snare”).


Abele

a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abel


Maria

a female given name, equivalent to English Mary


Ester

a female given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Esther


Anna

From Latin Anna, from Ancient Greek Ἄννα (Ánna), from Biblical Hebrew חַנָּה (Ḥannâ).

a female given name, equivalent to English Ann


Caracalla

From Latin Caracalla, from caracalla (“a kind of cloak”).


Giuseppe

From Latin Iōsēphus, from Ancient Greek Ἰωσήφ (Iōsḗph), from Hebrew יוסף.

a male given name from Hebrew, feminine equivalent Giuseppa, equivalent to English Joseph


Marco

From Latin Mārcus, from an earlier adjectival form *martcus (“pertaining to Mars”), from the name of the deity Mārs.


Paolo

a male given name from Latin, equivalent to English Paul


Stalin

Ста́лин Сталин#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Ста́лин (Stálin)


Amos

Possibly from Biblical Hebrew עמוס (Amos, “to carry; a burden”).


Bartolomeo

From Ancient Greek Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaîos), from Aramaic בר תלמי (bar tolmai, literally “son of Talmai; son of Ptolemy”), from ברא (bra, “son”) and תלמי (tolmai, “Talmai; Ptolemy”).

Βαρθολομαῖος

a male given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Bartholomew


Giovanni

→ English: Giovanni

→ Armenian: Ջիվան (J̌ivan)

From Latin Iōhannēs, Iōannēs, from Ancient Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוחנן (Yôḥānān, “Yahweh is gracious”).


Castiglione

From castiglione (“fortress, fortified town”), from Latin castilium (“fortified city”) (from castellum (“castle, fort”), diminutive of castrum (“armed camp”)) + -one (augmentative suffix). Compare Italian Castelleone, Sicilian Castigghiuni.


Dante

particularly Dante Alighieri, Italian writer

a male given name and a surname, a syncopic form of Durante


Giacomo

From Late Latin Iācomus, dialect variant of Latin Iācōbus, from Ancient Greek Ἰάκωβος (Iákōbos), from Ἰακώβ (Iakṓb), from Biblical Hebrew יַעֲקֹב (Yaʿăqōḇ).


Adamo

From Latin Adam, Adamus, from Ancient Greek Ἀδάμ (Adám), Ἄδαμος (Ádamos), from Biblical Hebrew אָדָם (adam, “earth, man, soil, light brown”), from אדמה (adamah, “red earth, ground”).

a male given name, equivalent to English Adam


Leonardo

From Old French Leonard, name of a 6th century Frankish saint, from Old High German Leonhart (literally “as strong as a lion”), from leo (“lion”) and hart (“hard, strong”).

a male given name, equivalent to English Leonard


Michelangelo

From Michele (“Michael”) + Angelo (“Angel”), referring to Michael the Archangel.


Filippo

Borrowed from Latin Philippus, from Ancient Greek Φίλιππος (Phílippos).

a male given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Philip


Elisabetta

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἐλισάβετ (Elisábet), a transliteration of Biblical Hebrew אֱלִישֶׁבַע (Elishéva, literally “my God is an oath”).

der

a female given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Elizabeth


Pietro

From Latin Petrus, from Ancient Greek Πέτρος (Pétros), from πέτρος (pétros, “stone, rock”), related to πέτρα (pétra) (compare pietra).

a male given name from Ancient Greek, equivalent to English Peter


Timoteo

a male given name, equivalent to English Timothy


Luca

English: Luca

German: Luca


Ezechiele

a male given name, equivalent to English Ezekiel


Isaia

From Ancient Greek Ἠσαΐας (Ēsaḯas) from Hebrew יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (yəšaʿyā́hū).

יְשַׁעְיָהוּ

Hebrew יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (yəšaʿyā́hū)


Daniele

From Latin Daniēlem, from Ancient Greek Δᾱνῑήλ (Dānīḗl), from Biblical Hebrew דָּנִיֵּאל (Dåniyel, literally “God is my judge”).

a male given name from Hebrew, feminine equivalent Daniela, equivalent to English Daniel


Gabriele

a male given name from Hebrew of biblical origin


Eliseo

From Biblical Hebrew אֱלִישָׁע (Elisha').


Giovanna

a female given name, masculine equivalent Giovanni, equivalent to English Jane


Lia

From Latin Līa, itself from Hebrew לֵאָה (Le'a).


Lia

From the Sicilian surname/name Lìa, from Ilìa (“Elijah”).


Fibonacci

Leonardo Fibonacci, Italian mathematician


Lenin

Ле́нин Ленин#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Ле́нин (Lénin)


Raffaele

Borrowed from Biblical Hebrew רָפָאֵל (Rāfāʾēl).

bor+

a male given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Raphael

Raphael, the Archangel (biblical character)


Totò

From the reduplication of the stressed syllable, already present in the Southern dialectal forms Totonno and Totore.

(southern Italy) a diminutive of the male given name Salvatore (“Savior”)


Zaccaria

Zachariah, Zacharias, Zachary, Zechariah (biblical character)


Tobia

Derived from Ancient Greek Τοβίας (Tobías), from Hebrew טוֹבִיָּה (toviyá, literally “my good is YHWH”).


Tiziano

Saint's name from Latin Titiānus, patronymic of the Roman gens name Titius.


Beniamino

Borrowed from Latin Beniāmīnus, itself through Greek Βενιᾱμῑ́ν (Beniāmī́n) from Biblical Hebrew בִּנְיָמִין (binyamín).


Emmanuele

a male given name, more common in the form Emanuele


Isacco

From Hebrew יצחק (Yiṣḥāq, “[he] will laugh”).


Taddeo

Ancient Greek Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaîos), of uncertain origin.

a male given name, equivalent to English Thaddeus


Noè

From Ancient Greek Νῶε (Nôe), from Biblical Hebrew נֹחַ (nóakh, nṓaḥ).

Noah (a figure in Abrahamic religions, believed to have built an ark)


Socrate

A male given name in Ancient Greek, Σωκράτης (Sōkrátēs), usually used for the philosopher Socrates


Giuditta

→ Maltese: Ġuditta; ⇒ Ktieb ta’ Ġuditta


Petrarca

Purposely changed from Petracco, his father's given name and his patronymic, derived from the name Pietro (“Peter”).


Lazzaro

Motta San Giovanni
Motta San Giovanni#English

A hamlet in the comune of Motta San Giovanni, Reggio Calabria, Calabria, Italy


Ismaele

From Hebrew יִשְׁמָעֵאל (yishma'él (yišmāʿēl), “God hears, God will hear”).


Egeo

Borrowed from Latin Aegeus, from Ancient Greek Αἰγεύς (Aigeús).


Avogadro

Borrowed from Venetan Avogadro, a surname derived from Latin advocātor via the nominative. Doublet of avogadore (“lawyer”), also borrowed from Venetan, this time from the Latin accusative advocātōrem.

Amedeo Avogadro, Italian physicist


Giovenale

English: Giovenale

a male given name from Latin, equivalent to English Juvenal.


Giosia

Hebrew יאשׁיּהוּ


Pitagora

From Ancient Greek Πυθαγόρας (Puthagóras).


Napoleone

Napoleone Orsini Frangipani
it:Napoleone

The name is first attested in 1263 as cardinal Napoleone Orsini Frangipani; probably of Germanic origin, possibly from the clan name Nibelung.
It was later associated by folk etymology with Napoli (“Naples”) leone (“lion”).

a male given name; a saint's name, rare today


Gedeone

From Hebrew גִּדְעוֹן (gid'ón, “Gideon”).


Ezechia

From Hebrew חִזְקִיָּה (chizkiyá, “Hezekiah”).


Esdra

From Latin Esdras, ultimately from Biblical Hebrew עזרא.


Cheope

Borrowed from Latin Cheopem, from Ancient Greek Χέοψ (Khéops), from Egyptian x-w-f-w (ḫw.f-wj).


Alarico

From Latin Alarīcus, from Gothic *𐌰𐌻𐌰𐍂𐌴𐌹𐌺𐍃 (*alareiks), from Proto-Germanic *Alarīks (literally “king of all”).

der

(rare) a male given name from Proto-Germanic, feminine equivalent Alarica, equivalent to English Alaric


Augusto

a male given name from Latin, equivalent to English Augustus


Anassagora

From Ancient Greek Ἀναξαγόρας (Anaxagóras).


Caino

From Biblical Hebrew קַיִן (Káyin, “craftsman”).


Piero

a male given name, equivalent to English Peter


Togliatti

Palmiro Togliatti (1893–1964), Italian politician


Serse

From Ancient Greek Ξέρξης (Xérxēs), from Old Persian 𐎧𐏁𐎹𐎠𐎼𐏁𐎠 (Xšayāršā, “ruler among kings”).


Berlusconi

Silvio Berlusconi (Italian politician and businessman)


Fortebraccio

Fortinbras (a character in Shakespeare's Hamlet)


Avicenna

Borrowed from Medieval Latin Avicenna, from Arabic اِبْن سِينَا (ibn sīnā).

اِبْن سِينَا

Arabic اِبْن سِينَا (ibn sīnā)

L'Aere, secondo Avicenna, è uno degli elementi delle cose generate

13ᵗʰ century, “Ⅱ. Dell'aria, e conoscimento della bontà, e malizia sua [2. About the Air, and the Discernment of Its Goodness and Badness]”, in Trattato dell'agricoltura [Treatise On Agriculture], translation of Opus ruralium commodorum libri Ⅻ by Pietro De' Crescenzi, published 1605, page 4:

Air is, according to Avicenna, one of the elements of the created things

[…] e vidi Orfeo,
Tulïo e Lino e Seneca morale;
Eulide geomètra e Tolomeo,
Ipocràte, Avicenna e Galïeno,
Averoìs che ’l gran comento feo.

1300s–1310s, Dante Alighieri, “Canto IV”, in Inferno [Hell], lines 140–144; republished as Giorgio Petrocchi, editor, La Commedia secondo l'antica vulgata [The Commedia according to the ancient vulgate], 2ⁿᵈ revised edition, Florence: publ. Le Lettere, 1994:

and Orpheus saw I, Tully and Livy, and moral Seneca, Euclid, geometrician, and Ptolemy, Hippocrates, Avicenna, and Galen, and Averroes, who the great Comment made.

Avicenna (Persian polymath (c. 980–1037))


Parmenide

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Παρμενίδης (Parmenídēs).


Pirandello

Luigi Pirandello (1867–1936), Italian dramatist and poet


Rufo

a male given name, equivalent to English Rufus


Saladino

Borrowed from Arabic صَلَاح الدِّين (ṣalāḥ ad-dīn).

صَلَاح الدِّين


Seleuco

From Latin Seleucus, from Ancient Greek Σέλευκος (Séleukos).


Silla

Lucius Cornelius Sulla
w:Lucius Cornelius Sulla


Tolstoj

Borrowed from Russian Толсто́й (Tolstój).

Толсто́й Толстой#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Толсто́й (Tolstój)


Asdente

the nickname of a medieval Italian magician and soothsayer


Beccaria

Borrowed from Lombard beccaria or Piedmontese becarìa, bëccarìa (“butchershop”). Cognate with English butchery, French boucherie, and Sicilian vuccirìa, among others. Doublet of beccheria and Vucciria.


Farinata

Manente degli Uberti
w:it:Farinata degli Uberti


Palladio

Andrea Palladio, Italian architect


Malebranche

le Malebranche (canonical feminine plural)

From male (“bad, evil”) + branche (“claw, talon”), literally “Evil Claws”.

af

Malebranche (Divine Comedy)
it:Malebranche

a group of devils from Hell in the Divine Comedy


Malebranche

Unadapted borrowing from French Malebranche.

unadapted borrowing

(masculine only) Nicolas Malebranche (1638–1715), a French philosopher


cinghialone

nickname of Italian politician Bettino Craxi


Andreotti

From the given name Andrea (“Andrew”) with the masculine plural suffix -otti.

Giulio Andreotti (1919–2013), Italian statesman and former prime minister of Italy

a surname transferred from the given name


Ariosto

Ludovico Ariosto, Italian poet

The young countess touched her lute—it had no music; she gathered flowers—they had no sweetness; she turned to the fairy page of Ariosto—but she took no interest in his knights or dames; and at length the day was spent ere she had finished pacing the hall, and imagining all the possible and impossible dangers that could befall Carrara.

1832, Letitia Elizabeth Landon, Forget Me Not 1833 (in English), Giulietta—A Tale of the Forteeenth Century:


Boccaccio

Giovanni Boccaccio, Italian writer and poet


Cannizzaro

From Sicilian Cannizzaru, from Sicilian cannizzaru (“related to somewhere or someone related to reeds or wattle”), from cannizzu (“wattle”), from canna.

der

A small town in Catania, Sicily, Aci Castello


Carducci

By apheresis from Riccarduccio, a diminutive of Riccardo (“Richard”) obtained by adding -uccio, changed into plural as it is usual for many family names.

Giosuè Carducci (1835–1907), Italian poet


Caravaggio

The painter was named after his family's place of origin.


Deledda

Borrowed from Sardinian Deledda, possibly from de Ledda (“from Ledda”), an ancient toponym in the area of Sassari nowadays disappeared, but still present as a surname.

Grazia Deledda (1871–1936), Italian writer


Galuppi

Baldassare Galuppi, Italian composer


Gramsci

Antonio Gramsci, Italian politician, philosopher etc.


Giolitti

Giovanni Giolitti (1842–1928), Italian politician and prime minister of the Kingdom of Italy


Leopardi

Seemigly from the Medieval Latin name Leopardus.

Giacomo Leopardi (1798–1837), Italian poet


Manzoni

There are several hypotheses:
* from manzo (“steer”), as an occupational surname for cow breeders;
* from Latin mānsus (“remained”, later “tame”), referring to a land worker, or the related Italian medieval given name Manso;
* from Provençal.

Alessandro Manzoni (1785–1873), Italian poet and novelist


Meucci

By aphesis of Bartolomeucci or Romeucci, patronymics derived from the pluralization of given names Bartolomeo and Romeo + -uccio (diminutive suffix). Compare e.g. Colucci.


Pinturicchio

nickname of the Italian painter "Bernardino di Betto Betti"


Vanvitelli

Luigi Vanvitelli (1700

Caspar van Wittel (1652–1736), Dutch painter, father of Luigi


Verga

From verga (“crook”), possibly in reference to the job of a shepherd.

Giovanni Verga (1840–1922), Italian writer


Belisario

Belisarius (a general of the Byzantine Empire)


Kasparov

Borrowed from Russian Каспа́ров (Kaspárov), from Armenian Կասպարյան (Kasparyan).

bor+

Каспа́ров Каспаров#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Каспа́ров (Kaspárov)


Bixio

Ligurian bixio (“gray, grey”), now spelled bixo, probably from Vulgar Latin *bysseus, from Latin byssus (“linen”). Compare variants adapted in pronunciation, such as Bisio. Doublet of bigio.

Nino Bixio (1821–1873), Italian patriot


Segrè

Emilio Segrè (1905–1989), Italian physicist

Alternative form of Segre: a Jewish surname


Venier

Borrowed from Venetan Venier, probably from Latin Venerius, a given name from that of the goddess Venus (whence Venere). Doublet of Venerio.

Mara Venier (born 1950), Italian actress and television presenter


Galvani

Luigi Galvani, Italian physician and anatomist


Murri

Augusto Murri, Italian doctor


Renzi

Originally a plural of Renzo, a diminutive of the male given name Lorenzo (“Lawrence”).

Matteo Renzi (born 1975), Italian politician


Gucci

English: gucci, Gucci

A variant of the Old Italian name Uguccione, a diminutive meliorative form of Ugo through the suffix -uccio, found primarily in Tuscany.

Guccio Gucci, Italian designer


Madre di Dio

(Christianity) Mother of God (the mother of Christ)


Gorgia

Via Latin Gorgiās from Ancient Greek Γοργίᾱς (Gorgíās).


Gentileschi

From Gentile (a masculine given name from Latin gentīlis “clansman, kinsman”) + -eschi (plural form of the relation-forming suffix -esco).

(feminine) Artemisia Gentileschi (1593–1656), Italian painter

(masculine) Orazio Gentileschi (1563–1639), Italian painter, father of Artemisia


Eratostene

From Ancient Greek Ἐρατοσθένης (Eratosthénēs).


Epaminonda

From Ancient Greek Ἐπαμεινώνδας (Epameinṓndas).

Ἐπαμεινώνδας


Segre

Disputed: it may be derived from French Segré, a municipality in Maine-et-Loire, of uncertain origin; or from Catalan Segre, the name of a river along the French-Spanish border, from Latin Sicoris, of uncertain Proto-Celtic origin.

Cesare Segre (1928–2014), Italian philologist and semiotician

Liliana Segre (born 1930), Italian Holocaust survivor


Craxi

Borrowed from Sicilian Craxi, Craxì, obsolete spelling using x for /ʃ/. Doublet of Crasci and Crascì, adapted in pronunciation. Compare crasi.

Bettino Craxi

Bettino Craxi (1934–2000), Italian politician and former prime minister


Soderini

From an old male given name Sodero (+ -ino: diminutive Soderino), probably from Ancient Greek σωτήρ (sōtḗr, “saviour/savior”). Compare Salvatore.

der

Piero Soderini (1451–1522), Florentine statesman


Gamaliele

From Late Latin Gamaliēl from Koine Greek Γαμαλιήλ (Gamaliḗl) from Aramaic גַמַלִיאיֵל (Ḡamalīʾēl) from Biblical Hebrew גַּמְלִיאֵל (Gamlīʾēl). Compare Classical Syriac ܓ݂ܰܡܰܠܺܝܐܝܶܠ (Ḡamalīʾēl).

bor

Aramaic גַמַלִיאיֵל (Ḡamalīʾēl)

cog

ܓ݂ܰܡܰܠܺܝܐܝܶܠ

a male given name from Hebrew (“God is my reward”)


Nearco

From Latin Nearchus, from Ancient Greek Νέαρχος (Néarkhos).


Shostakovich

Borrowed from Russian Шостако́вич (Šostakóvič). Ultimately, from Belarusian and Ukrainian derivatives of Proto-Slavic *šestъ (“sixth”).

bor+

Шостако́вич Шостакович#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Шостако́вич (Šostakóvič)


Čajkovskij

Borrowed from Russian Чайко́вский (Čajkóvskij).

Чайко́вский Чайковский#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Чайко́вский (Čajkóvskij), usually applying to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky


Šostakovič

Шостако́вич Шостакович#Russian


Prokofiev

Borrowed from Russian Проко́фьев (Prokófʹjev).

Проко́фьев Прокофьев#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Проко́фьев (Prokófʹjev)


Terpandro

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Τέρπανδρος (Térpandros).

Il più celebre, Terpandro, fu condotto da Lesbo, e gli si diede quel nome che significa “deliziatore di uomini” perché compose inni patriottici dove nessuno poteva fare un assolo.

1959, Indro Montanelli, “Licurgo [Lykourgos]”, in Storia dei Greci [History of the Greeks], 39th edition, Milan, published 1973, page 119:

The most famous [musician], Terpander, was brought in from Lesbos, and was given the name meaning "delighter of men", because he composed patriotic hymns where no one could have gone solo.


Chajkovski

Чайко́вский Чайковский#Russian


Dostoevskij

Borrowed from Russian Достое́вский (Dostojévskij).

Достое́вский

Достое́вский Достоевский#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Достое́вский (Dostojévskij), usually applying to Fyodor Dostoevsky


Gorbacev

Borrowed from Russian Горбачёв (Gorbačóv).

Горбачёв Горбачёв#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Горбачёв (Gorbačóv)


Gorbaciov

Transliteration of Russian Горбачёв (Gorbačóv).

translit

Горбачёв Горбачёв#Russian


Eltsin

Borrowed from Russian Е́льцин (Jélʹcin).

Е́льцин Ельцин#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Е́льцин (Jélʹcin)


Solzenicyn

Borrowed from Russian Солжени́цын (Solženícyn).

bor+

Солжени́цын Солженицын#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Солжени́цын (Solženícyn)


Khruscëv

Хрущёв Хрущёв#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Хрущёв (Xruščóv)


Brežnev

Borrowed from Russian Бре́жнев (Bréžnev).

Бре́жнев Брежнев#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Бре́жнев (Bréžnev)


Solgenitsyn

Солжени́цын Солженицын#Russian


Kruscev

Хрущёв Хрущёв#Russian


Chruščëv

Хрущёв Хрущёв#Russian


Solženicyn

Солжени́цын Солженицын#Russian


Prokofev

Проко́фьев Прокофьев#Russian


Prokofjev

Проко́фьев Прокофьев#Russian


Rachmaninov

Borrowed from Russian Рахма́нинов (Raxmáninov).

Рахма́нинов Рахманинов#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Рахма́нинов (Raxmáninov)


Prokof'ev

Проко́фьев Прокофьев#Russian


Rachmaninoff

Unadapted borrowing from Russian Рахма́нинов (Raxmáninov).

ubor

Рахма́нинов Рахманинов#Russian


Stravinskij

Borrowed from Russian Страви́нский (Stravínskij).

bor+

Страви́нский

Страви́нский Стравинский#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Страви́нский (Stravínskij)


Musorgskij

Borrowed from Russian Му́соргский (Músorgskij).

Му́соргский Мусоргский#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Му́соргский (Músorgskij)


Dudaev

Transliteration of Russian Дуда́ев (Dudájev).

translit

Дуда́ев Дудаев#Russian

A transliteration of the Russian surname Дуда́ев (Dudájev)


Pletone

Plethon (the Hellenic-styled alias of Georgios Gemistos, a 14th-century Greek scholar)


Caronda

Borrowed from Latin Charōndas, from Ancient Greek Χαρώνδας (Kharṓndas).

Charondas, an ancient lawgiver of Sicily