Amatasana

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Latin

Meaning: “Loved, healthy.”

Pronunciation: (ah-mah-tah-SAH-nuh)

Nicknames: Ama, Amy, Matti, Taz, Sana

Detail: A given name in early 14th century Italy.

Farfalla

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Italian

Meaning: “Butterfly.”

Pronunciation: (far-FA-lah)

Nicknames: Fara, Falla

Detail: Italian word for butterfly.

The pasta, farfalle, often called “bow-ties” in the US, are really butterflies.

Efisio

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Italian

Meaning: “One from Ephesus.”

Pronunciation: (eh-FEE-zee-oh); (eh-FEE-zhoh)

Nicknames: Fiso, Efo

Detail: From the Latin byname Ephesius, which originally belonged to a person who was from the city of Ephesus, in Ionia.

This was the name of a saint martyred on Sardinia in the 4th century

Giovanna

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Italian

Meaning: “God is gracious.”

Pronunciation: (joh-VAHN-nah); (jee-oh-VAHN-nah)

Nicknames: Gio, Gia, Gianna, Gi, Gigi, Giovi, Giova, Jo, Jojo, Vanna

Detail: Feminine form of Giovanni, which is the Italian variation of John.

Cosmo

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Greek

Meaning: “Order, universe.”

Pronunciation: (KAWZ-moh)

Nicknames: Cos, Cosi, Coso, Coco, Mo

Detail: From the Greek name kosmos meaning “order, universe”.

Saint Cosmas was martyred with his twin brother Damian in the 4th century. They are the patron saints of physicians.

Male Variations:

• Cosmas (Greek)
• Cosmo (English)
• Cosimo (Italian)

Female Variations:

• Cosima (Italian)
• Cosma (Italian)

Novara

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Italian

Meaning: “New air.”

Pronunciation: (noh-VAR-ah)

Nicknames: Nova

Detail: This is name is formed from nov meaning “new”, and aria meaning “air”.

Novara is a city in Italy.

Lorenzo

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Latin

Meaning: “Man from Laurentum.”

Pronunciation: (loh-REN-zoh)

Nicknames: Lozo, Enzo, Renzo, Lenzo

Detail: Italian and Spanish form of Laurentius, which meant “from Laurentum”, its name probably deriving from Latin laurus “laurel”.

Saint Laurence was a 3rd-century deacon and martyr from Rome.

In the Middle Ages this name was common in England (in a variety of spellings), partly because of a second saint by this name, a 7th-century archbishop of Canterbury.

Arlo

The Half Holiday, Alec home from school by Elizabeth Adela Stanhope Forbes

Gender: Masculine

Origin: English / Spanish / Germanic

Meaning: “A man, barberry tree, fortified hill.”

Pronunciation: (AR-loh)

Nicknames: Ar, Arl, Lo

Detail: There are several origins of the name:
An Italian variant of the German Charles meaning “man”
The Spanish word for the “barberry tree”
An Old English variant of Harlow, derived from the Anglo-Saxon words here and hlaw meaning “army hill”

Mafalda

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Germanic

Meaning: “Mighty in battle.”

Pronunciation: (mah-FAHL-dah)

Nicknames: Maffy, Mafa

Detail: Mafalda is a Spanish and Italian variant form of Matilda, from the Germanic maht “strength” and hild “battle”.

In Rowling’s Harry Potter Mafalda Hopkirk is an improper Use of Magic Office employee at the Ministry of Magic.

Francesca

Paolo and Francesca by Charles Edward Halle

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Latin

Meaning: “From France.”

Pronunciation: (frahn-CHES-kah)

Nicknames: Cesca, Cesi, Chess, Frankie

Detail: Francesca (and Paolo) were historical contemporaries of Dante Alighieri.

Francesca was blatantly tricked into marrying Gianciotto, who was disfigured and uncouth, when the handsome and elegant Paolo (Gianciotto’s brother) was sent in his brother’s place to settle the nuptial contract. Angered at finding herself wed the following day to Gianciotto, Francesca made no attempt to restrain her affections for Paolo and the two in fact soon became lovers. Informed of this liaison, Gianciotto one day caught them together in Francesca’s bedroom (unaware that Paolo got stuck in his attempt to escape down a ladder, she let Gianciotto in the room); when Gianciotto lunged at Paolo with a sword, Francesca stepped between the two men and was killed instead, much to the dismay of her husband, who then promptly finished off Paolo as well.

Ravenna

Artwork by Emmanuel Polanco a French designer/illustrator/artist.

Gender: Feminine

Origin: English

Meaning: “Raven.”

Pronunciation: (rah-VEN-nah)

Nicknames: Ravi, Raven, Venna, Enna

Detail: Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven.

In Dante’s Inferno, Guido da Polenta is lord of Ravenna.

Amidala

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Italian

Meaning: “Beautiful flower.”

Nicknames: Ama, Ami, Dala

Benvolio

A Special Moment by Emile Munier

Gender: Masculine

Origin: Italian

Meaning: “Affectionate; benevolent.”

Pronunciation: (ben-VOH-lee-oh); (ben-VOL-yo)

Nicknames: Ben, Volo

Detail: In Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” Benvolio is Romeo’s cousin and close friend

Petronella

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Greek

Meaning: “Rock.”

Pronunciation: (pet-roh-NELL-ah)

Nicknames: Petra, Nella, True, Ronnie

Isolde

Sophia Myles

 

Gender: Feminine

Meaning: (Welsh) “Beautiful; fair lady.” Or (Germanic) “Ice princess.”

Pronunciation: (ih-ZOLD)

Origin: The origin of Isolde is somewhat disputed. It might derive from the Welsh word “esyllt,” meaning “beautiful”; it might also derive from the Germanic words for “ice” and “to rule.”

Detail: In Arthurian legend, this is the name a tragic princess who was the lover of Tristan.

Variations:

• Essylt (Old Irish)
• Esyllt (Welsh)
• Iseult (Old French)
• Ishild (Ancient Germanic)
• Isold (English)
• Isolda (English)
• Isolina (Italian)
• Isolt (English)
• Isolte (English)
• Isotta (Italian)
• Izolda (Polish)
• Yseult (Old French)
• Ysolt (Celtic)