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Italian Dog Names That Are Bellissimo

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Italian dog names are soulful, passionate, charismatic and unique. What more could you want in a name?

Italy is one of the most beautiful and cultured places in the world. With the most amazing food, we must add. And this lends itself to so many interesting names.

Italian Dog Names

No matter what your inspiration, whether it’s Italian heritage, time spent there or just affection for the boot-shaped country, Italian dog names are always a good choice when exploring options for your new pup.

Here are 85+ ideas we think you’ll enjoy.

Adorable Italian Dog Names Based on Italian Words

To kick off our list, let’s explore Italian words that make adorable, interesting dog names.

  • Aldo – “Rich”
  • Alto – “Wolf”
  • Amico – “Friend”
  • Amore – Translates to “love.”
  • Bella – “Beautiful”
  • Bellissimo – Meaning very beautiful.
  • Bambino – Italian for baby. How cute is this name?
  • Bianca – “White” Perfect for light-colored or white pups.
  • Bravo – “Good boy”
  • Bruno – “Brown hair”
  • Cane –  The literal translation of dog.
  • Carina – “Cute”
  • Cucciolo  Meaning “puppy,” “cub,” or any type of baby animal in general.
  • Dolce – “Sweet”
  • Grazie – “Thank you” in Italian just sounds like a cool name, doesn’t it?
  • Luna – “Moon”
  • Lupo – “Wolf”
  • Mamma Mia – Believe it or not, Italians really do say this as an expression.
  • Piccolo – Meaning “little one.”
  • Polpetto – Lovingly translates to “meatball.”
  • Primo – “First”
  • Tesoro – An affectionate term that means “treasure.”
  • Topolino – Translating to “little mouse,” this is a sweet term of endearment in Italy.
  • Vita – “Life”

Italian Dog Names Inspired By Geography

From gorgeous Roman ruins to stunning coastal views to the sun-soaked Tuscan countryside, Italy has some of the most amazing scenery and sites in the world. We’ve used this as inspiration for beautiful Italian dog names.

  • Florence – The beautiful capital city of Tuscany.
  • Roma – The Italian version of “Rome.”
  • Venice – The gorgeous city full of canals and culture.
  • Milan – The large Italian city known for its fashion.
  • Verona – The historical city in northeast Italy.
  • Pisa – Home of the famous leaning tower.
  • Siena – A stunning city in Tuscany.
  • Amalfi – As in the Amalfi Coast, a stretch of beautiful coastline on the Salerno Gulf.
  • Como – Inspired by Lake Como, a stunning lake that’s a popular retreat for the wealthy.
  • Trevi – As in the Trevi Fountain.
  • Pompeii – The Italian town mostly destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Italian Dog Names Inspired By Italians In History

Italy has such a rich history with so many important contributions to the world. We can’t pass up the opportunity to recognize these individuals and use their names as inspiration.

  • Da Vinci – As in Leonardo Da Vinci, the Italian Renaissance man with astounding talents in painting, sculpting, architecture, science, music, mathematics, engineering and more.
  • Michelangelo – An Italian sculptor, painter and architect with an incredible influence on Western art.
  • Raphael – An Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance.
  • Donatello – An Italian Renaissance sculptor from Florence.
  • Galileo – One of the most important figures in modern science.
  • Marco Polo – A Venetian merchant who went on incredible adventures.
  • John Paul – Pope from 1978 to 2005.
  • Mussolini – Italy’s Fascist leader from 1922 to 1943. This name is a bit controversial but could be a humorous option for a strong and serious dog.
  • Caesar – As in Julius Caesar, the Roman general and leader.
  • Augustus – The founder of the Roman Principate and considered the first Roman emperor.
  • Nero – The last emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
  • Claudius – Another well-known Roman Emporer.
  • Pavarotti – Last but not least is the talented and flamboyant opera singer.
  • Versace – Famous Italian clothing company named after founder Gianni Versace.

Italian Dog Names Inspired By Food

From the delicious pasta to the scrumptious desserts to the enticing drinks, Italy is home to some of the best food in the world, hands down.

This can be used as inspiration when thinking of Italian dog names. Here are some ideas:

  • Gelato – Italian ice cream that is delicious and crave-worthy.
  • Tiramisu – A popular coffee-flavored Italian custard dessert.
  • Risotto – A northern Italian rice dish cooked in a broth to a creamy consistency.
  • Ravioli – One of the most popular Italian pasta dishes.
  • Cannoli – Delicious Italian pastries.
  • Budino – A sweet Italian dish, usually rich and creamy like a custard or pudding.
  • Prosecco – An Italian white wine.
  • Zuppa – The Italian word for soup.
  • Pesto – An Italian sauce with pine nuts, garlic, basil, cheese, olive oil and other ingredients.
  • Gnocchi – Thick, small dumplings.
  • Ziti – A thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center.
  • Biscotti – Italian almond biscuits that originated in the city of Prato.
  • Venti – Means “twenty” also known in the US as a Starbucks coffee size (20 oz drink).
  • Vino – Translates to “wine”, a Italian specialty.
  • Espresso – Concentrated coffee drink

Traditional Italian Names For Your Male Dog

Another idea when searching for Italian dog names is to explore the most popular names for humans. Fortunately, there are many options that seamlessly double as dog names. Let’s start with male names:

  • Francesco 
  • Alessandro
  • Leonardo
  • Lorenzo
  • Matteo
  • Riccardo
  • Tommaso
  • Giuseppe
  • Antonio
  • Federico
  • Luca
  • Giovanni
  • Pietro
  • Diego
  • Filippo
  • Tito
  • Salvatore
  • Vincenzo
  • Luigi
  • Mario
  • Domenico
  • Paolo
  • Sergio
  • Angelo
  • Dante
  • Enzo
  • Gino
  • Guido
  • Rocco
  • Tino
  • Vito
  • Fabio
  • Renzo
  • Romeo

Traditional Italian Names For Your Female Dog

Likewise, female people names also work well for pups. They’re beautiful, soulful and sweet.

  • Sofia
  • Giulia
  • Giorgia
  • Martina
  • Chiara
  • Francesca
  • Alessia
  • Giada
  • Ginevra
  • Ludovica
  • Carlotta
  • Margherita
  • Federica
  • Bellissa
  • Antonia
  • Caprice
  • Giovanna
  • Stella
  • Aria
  • Gemma
  • Octavia
  • Pippa
  • Rosa
  • Sofia
  • Allegra
  • Anita
  • Renata

What do you think of these Italian dog names? Will any of them make your list?

Or, you could also explore other European name ideas like:

We hope you enjoy this list of Italian dog names and use it as inspiration when naming your new pup!

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1 Comment

  1. Rogina Keil

    We are getting a Cane Corso, male….fawn color. Needing Italian male names please??!!

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