Italian Nickname Generator

Short forms, endearments and soprannomi Italians really use

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Get 500 Italian nicknames the way Italians use them: short forms with their source, such as Beppe (Giuseppe), Gigi (Luigi) and Titti, endearments like tesoro and cucciolo, and soprannomi like il Rosso.

About this generator

Most Italian nicknames are cut from the given name, and the cut often keeps the end of the name instead of the start: Sandro from Alessandro, Renzo from Lorenzo, Betta from Elisabetta. Others come by way of a diminutive. Luigi becomes Luigino and then Gino; Giuseppe becomes Peppino and then Pino. That is why Nino, Tino, Lino and Rino can each stand for several names, and why the entries here show the source in parentheses.

Region matters too. A Giuseppe is Bepi in Veneto, Peppe or Peppino in the south and Peppuccio in Sicily, while Salvatore turns into Sasà in Naples and Turi in Sicily. Endearments follow the grammar: amore, tesoro and gioia are the same for everyone, but caro and cara, cucciolo and cucciola change with the person you are talking to, so the gloss says who each form is for.

More than half of the 500 entries are short forms of men's and women's names. The rest are endearments for partners, children and family, words friends call each other from Milan to Catania, and the descriptive soprannomi that villages, classrooms and soccer teams have always handed out, such as il Rosso and il Biondo.

Tips for choosing a name

  • Match the ending to the person. Forms in -o are said to a man or boy and forms in -a to a woman or girl: Piccolo and Piccola, Micio and Micia. Amore, tesoro and gioia never change.
  • Let the region choose the short form. A Venetian Giovanni is Nane, a Tuscan Francesco is Cecco and a Neapolitan Antonio is Totonno, so one nickname can place a character without a word of backstory.
  • Keep the accent. Totò, Sasà, Mimì and Fofò are stressed on the last syllable, and without the mark a reader puts the stress in the wrong place.
  • A descriptive soprannome takes the article and can follow the name or replace it: Marco il Lungo, or just il Lungo. In Rome the article is er, as in er Roscio.
  • Many short forms are now registered names in their own right. An Enzo, a Sandro or a Rita today may never have been a Vincenzo, an Alessandro or a Margherita.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Italian word for nickname?

Soprannome is the general word, and it also covers descriptive names such as il Rosso (the redhead). A short or affectionate form of a given name is a diminutivo or vezzeggiativo, and a pet name between partners or for a child is a nomignolo. This list holds all three kinds.

Why is Pino a nickname for Giuseppe?

It comes through a diminutive. Giuseppe gives Peppino, and the last two syllables of that are Pino. Gino comes from Luigino the same way, and Nino from Antonino or Giovannino, which is why the list shows entries such as Gino (Luigi, from Luigino).

What do Italians call a boyfriend, girlfriend or child?

Amore and tesoro are the everyday choices for a partner, and both work for a child as well. Small animals and sweet things are common too: the list has Cucciolo (puppy, cub; to a boy), Stellina (little star), Topolino, Passerotto and Zuccherino (sugar lump).

Do Italian nicknames change from region to region?

Yes, both short forms and forms of address do. The list marks them: Bepi (Giuseppe, Veneto), Lapo (Jacopo, Tuscany), Giggino (Luigi, Naples) and Turiddu (Salvatore, Sicily), and among friends Vecio in Veneto, Compà in the south and 'Mbare in Catania. An entry with no region is understood all over Italy.

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All 500 names

This is the complete list the generator above draws its random batches from, sorted A to Z and grouped by first letter.

Plain text, one name per line.

A: 24 names

  • Adelina (Adele)
  • Agnesina (Agnese)
  • Albi (Alberto)
  • Ale (Alessandro or Alessandra)
  • Ami (short for amica)
  • Amica mia (my friend, to a woman)
  • Amico mio (my friend, to a man)
  • Amò (clipped amore, Rome and the south)
  • Amore (love)
  • Amore mio (my love)
  • Amorino (dear love)
  • Amoruccio (sweet love)

A, continued

  • Angelo (angel)
  • Angi (Angela or Angelica)
  • Angioletta (Angela)
  • Angioletto (cherub)
  • Angiolino (Angelo)
  • Anima mia (my soul)
  • Annarella (Anna, Rome)
  • Annetta (Anna)
  • Annina (Anna)
  • Annuccia (Anna)
  • Anto (Antonella or Antonio)
  • Ari (Arianna)

B: 37 names

  • Babà (rum cake; a sweetheart, Naples)
  • Babbino (daddy, Tuscany)
  • Babbo (dad, Tuscany)
  • Baldo (Ubaldo or Baldassarre)
  • Bambolina (dolly)
  • Barbarella (Barbara)
  • Bastiano (Sebastiano)
  • Bea (Beatrice)
  • Bella (beautiful)
  • Bellezza (beauty)
  • Bellissima (gorgeous, to a woman)
  • Bello (handsome)

B, continued

  • Bello de mamma (mom's handsome boy, Rome)
  • Bello di nonna (grandma's handsome boy)
  • Bene (Benedetta)
  • Bepi (Giuseppe, Veneto)
  • Beppa (Giuseppa, the north)
  • Beppe (Giuseppe)
  • Berta (Roberta or Alberta)
  • Berto (Alberto, Roberto or Umberto)
  • Betta (Elisabetta)
  • Bettina (Elisabetta or Benedetta)
  • Bettino (Benedetto)
  • Bice (Beatrice)

B, continued

  • Bicio (Fabrizio)
  • Bimba (girl, for a girlfriend; Tuscany)
  • Birba (rascal)
  • Birichina (cheeky girl)
  • Birichino (cheeky boy)
  • Biscottino (cookie)
  • Bobo (Roberto)
  • Bocia (kid, lad; Veneto and Lombardy)
  • Bomber (top scorer, joking praise)
  • Bortolo (Bartolomeo, Veneto)
  • Briciola (crumb)
  • Brontolone (grumbler)
  • Burdèl (kid, Romagna)

C: 56 names

  • Calò (Calogero, Sicily)
  • Cami (Camilla)
  • Campioncino (young champ)
  • Campione (champ)
  • Campionessa (champ, to a woman)
  • Capo (boss, chief)
  • Cara (dear, to a woman)
  • Carletta (Carla)
  • Carletto (Carlo)
  • Carluccio (Carlo)
  • Carmelina (Carmela)
  • Caro (dear, to a man)
  • Caruso (boy, Sicily)
  • Cate (Caterina)

C, continued

  • Catina (Caterina, Veneto)
  • Cecco (Francesco, Tuscany)
  • Cecè (Vincenzo or Cesare, the south)
  • Ceci (Cecilia)
  • Cenzo (Vincenzo)
  • Cesarino (Cesare)
  • Cesca (Francesca)
  • Cesco (Francesco)
  • Cettina (Concetta, Sicily)
  • Checco (Francesco)
  • Chiacchierone (chatterbox)
  • Chiaretta (Chiara)
  • Chiarina (Chiara)
  • Chicca (Francesca, Federica or Enrica)

C, continued

  • Chicco (Francesco, Federico or Enrico)
  • Cicci (sweetie)
  • Ciccillo (Francesco, Naples)
  • Ciccino (sweetie, to a man)
  • Ciccio (Francesco, the south)
  • Ciliegina (cherry)
  • Cilla (Cecilia)
  • Cioccolatino (chocolate)
  • Ciruzzo (Ciro, Naples)
  • Cit (small one, Piedmont)
  • Cittino (small boy, Siena)
  • Cocca (pet, darling girl)
  • Cocco (pet, darling boy)
  • Cocco di mamma (mommy's darling)

C, continued

  • Coccolone (cuddle lover, to a man)
  • Cola (Nicola, the south)
  • Comare (close woman friend, the south)
  • Compà (pal, Naples and the south)
  • Compare (close friend, the south)
  • Coniglietto (bunny)
  • Core de mamma (mom's heart, Rome)
  • Core mio (my heart, Rome)
  • Cri (Cristina or Cristian)
  • Cucciola (puppy, cub; to a girl)
  • Cucciolo (puppy, cub; to a boy)
  • Cucciolotto (big puppy, to a boy)
  • Cuore mio (my heart)
  • Cuoricino (sweetheart)

D: 10 names

  • Dado (Edoardo)
  • Dani (Daniele or Daniela)
  • Diavoletto (imp)
  • Dina (Bernardina and other names in -dina)
  • Dino (Bernardino, Corradino and other names in -dino)
  • Dolce metà (other half)
  • Dolcezza (sweetness)
  • Dora (Addolorata, the south)
  • Dormiglione (sleepyhead)
  • Dottò (doc; Rome and Naples, to any gentleman)

E: 8 names

  • Edo (Edoardo)
  • Ele (Elena or Eleonora)
  • Eli (Elisa or Elisabetta)
  • Emi (Emilia or Emilio)
  • Enza (Vincenza or Lorenza)
  • Enzino (Enzo)
  • Enzo (Vincenzo or Lorenzo)
  • er Roscio (the redhead, Rome)

F: 20 names

  • Fagiolino (bean, for a baby)
  • Fede (Federico or Federica)
  • Fefè (Federico, Ferdinando or Raffaele)
  • Fenomeno (phenomenon, half joking)
  • Figlia mia (my daughter)
  • Figlio mio (my son)
  • Figliolo (son, lad; Tuscany)
  • Filo (Filippo)
  • Fina (Serafina)
  • Fiorellino (little flower)

F, continued

  • Fofò (Alfonso, Sicily)
  • Fra (Francesco or Francesca)
  • Fragolina (strawberry)
  • Franca (Francesca)
  • Franci (Francesca)
  • Franco (Francesco)
  • Fratè (bro, Rome and the south)
  • Fratellino (kid brother)
  • Fratellone (big brother)
  • Frugoletto (lively toddler)

G: 41 names

  • Gabri (Gabriele or Gabriella)
  • Gattina (kitten, to a woman)
  • Gattino (kitten, to a man)
  • Gegè (Gennaro, Naples)
  • Genio (genius)
  • Gennarino (Gennaro)
  • Genny (Gennaro, Naples)
  • Geppetto (Giuseppe, Tuscany)
  • Geppino (Giuseppe)
  • Gero (Calogero, Sicily)
  • Ghita (Margherita, Tuscany)
  • Giacomino (Giacomo)
  • Giamba (Giambattista)

G, continued

  • Gianlu (Gianluca or Gianluigi)
  • Gianna (Giovanna)
  • Gianni (Giovanni)
  • Giannina (Giovanna)
  • Gigetta (Luigia)
  • Gigetto (Luigi)
  • Giggino (Luigi, Naples)
  • Gigi (Luigi)
  • Gigia (Luigia)
  • Gigio (Luigi)
  • Gina (Luigina or Giorgina)
  • Gino (Luigi, from Luigino)
  • Giò (Giovanni, Giorgio or Giovanna)
  • Gioia (joy)

G, continued

  • Gioia di papà (daddy's joy)
  • Gioia mia (my joy)
  • Gioiello (jewel)
  • Giorgina (Giorgia)
  • Giova (Giovanni)
  • Giovannino (Giovanni)
  • Giuli (Giulia or Giulio)
  • Giulietta (Giulia)
  • Giusi (Giuseppina)
  • Gnocchetto (little dumpling)
  • Golosone (sweet tooth)
  • Grande (legend, literally great one)
  • Guagliò (lad, Naples)
  • Guaglione (boy, Naples)

I: 31 names

  • Iano (Sebastiano, Sicily)
  • il Baffo (the mustache)
  • il Barba (the beard)
  • il Biondo (the blond one)
  • il Capitano (the captain)
  • il Conte (the count)
  • il Dottore (the doctor)
  • il Filosofo (the philosopher)
  • il Fulmine (the lightning bolt)
  • il Gatto (the cat)

I, continued

  • il Geometra (the surveyor)
  • il Ghiro (the dormouse, a heavy sleeper)
  • il Lungo (the tall one)
  • il Lupo (the wolf)
  • il Mancino (the lefty)
  • il Moro (the dark-haired one)
  • il Napoletano (the Neapolitan)
  • il Piccolo (the younger or smaller one)
  • il Poeta (the poet)
  • il Professore (the professor)

I, continued

  • il Ragioniere (the accountant)
  • il Riccio (the curly-haired one)
  • il Romano (the Roman)
  • il Rosso (the redhead)
  • il Sardo (the Sardinian)
  • il Sindaco (the mayor, the one who knows everybody)
  • il Toscano (the Tuscan)
  • il Vecchio (the old man)
  • Ila (Ilaria)
  • Imma (Immacolata)
  • Isa (Isabella or Luisa)

K: 1 name

  • Kekko (Francesco, modern spelling)

L: 41 names

  • l'Orso (the bear, a gruff man)
  • la Bionda (the blonde)
  • la Contessa (the countess)
  • la Lepre (the hare, a fast runner)
  • la Maestra (the schoolteacher)
  • la Mora (the brunette)
  • la Prof (the teacher)
  • la Roccia (the rock)
  • la Rossa (the redhead, a woman)
  • la Volpe (the fox)
  • Lalla (Laura or Ilaria)
  • Lando (Orlando or Rolando)
  • Lapo (Jacopo, Tuscany)

L, continued

  • Lauretta (Laura)
  • Lele (Emanuele, Gabriele or Raffaele)
  • Lella (Gabriella, Raffaella or Graziella)
  • Lello (Raffaele)
  • Lena (Maddalena or Elena)
  • Lenuccia (Elena, Naples)
  • Leo (Leonardo or Leone)
  • Leoncino (lion cub)
  • Lia (Rosalia, Amalia or Natalia)
  • Lilli (Liliana)
  • Lillo (Calogero, Sicily)
  • Lina (Carolina, Angelina, Pasqualina or Michelina)
  • Lino (Angelo, Michele, Nicola or Pasquale, from -lino)
  • Lisa (Elisabetta or Elisa)

L, continued

  • Lisetta (Elisa)
  • Lollo (Lorenzo)
  • Lore (Lorenzo)
  • Lory (Loredana or Lorenza)
  • Luce dei miei occhi (light of my eyes)
  • Luce mia (my light)
  • Luchino (Luca)
  • Luci (Lucia)
  • Luciella (Lucia, Naples)
  • Lucietta (Lucia)
  • Lucri (Lucrezia)
  • Ludo (Ludovico or Ludovica)
  • Luisella (Luisa)
  • Lulù (Lucia, Luisa or Ludovica)

M: 59 names

  • 'Mbare (buddy, Catania)
  • Madda (Maddalena)
  • Maestro (master, said in praise)
  • Malena (Maddalena, Sicily)
  • Malù (Maria Luisa)
  • Mammina (mommy)
  • Manu (Emanuele or Emanuela)
  • Mapi (Maria Pia)
  • Marcolino (Marco)
  • Maresa (Maria Teresa)
  • Marghe (Margherita)
  • Marì (Maria, the south)
  • Mariella (Maria)
  • Marietta (Maria)

M, continued

  • Marilena (Maria Elena or Maria Maddalena)
  • Marilù (Maria Luisa or Maria Lucia)
  • Mariolina (Maria)
  • Mariolino (Mario)
  • Marisa (Maria Luisa)
  • Mariù (Maria)
  • Mariuccia (Maria)
  • Marti (Martina)
  • Maruzza (Maria, Sicily)
  • Maruzzella (Maria, Naples)
  • Masino (Tommaso)
  • Maso (Tommaso, Tuscany)
  • Massi (Massimo or Massimiliano)
  • Mati (Matilde)
  • Mattacchione (joker)

M, continued

  • Matte (Matteo)
  • Mavi (Maria Vittoria)
  • Melina (Carmela)
  • Melo (Carmelo, Sicily)
  • Memmo (Guglielmo)
  • Mena (Filomena)
  • Menego (Domenico, Veneto)
  • Menica (Domenica)
  • Menico (Domenico)
  • Meo (Bartolomeo)
  • Meraviglia (wonder)
  • Michelina (Michela)
  • Micia (kitty, to a woman)
  • Micio (kitty, to a man)
  • Mico (Domenico, Calabria)

M, continued

  • Miki (Michele or Michela)
  • Milly (Camilla or Emilia)
  • Mimì (Domenico, the south)
  • Mimma (Domenica)
  • Mimmo (Domenico or Cosimo)
  • Mina (Guglielmina or Giacomina)
  • Mingo (Domenico)
  • Minguccio (Domenico, Puglia)
  • Mino (Giacomino, Guglielmino or Carmine)
  • Mitico (legend, to a man)
  • Momo (Girolamo)
  • Mondo (Raimondo or Edmondo)
  • Monella (rascal, to a girl)
  • Monello (rascal, to a boy)
  • Moni (Monica)

N: 21 names

  • 'Ntoni (Antonio, Sicily and Calabria)
  • Naldo (Arnaldo or Rinaldo)
  • Nando (Ferdinando or Fernando)
  • Nane (Giovanni, Veneto)
  • Nanni (Giovanni)
  • Nannina (Anna, Naples)
  • Nardo (Leonardo or Bernardo)
  • Nella (Antonella or Ornella)
  • Nello (Antonello or Brunello)
  • Nennella (baby girl, Naples)

N, continued

  • Nennillo (baby boy, Naples)
  • Nico (Nicola or Nicolò)
  • Nina (Antonina or Giovannina)
  • Nini (dear one, Tuscany)
  • Nino (Antonino or Giovannino)
  • Nonnina (granny)
  • Nonnino (grandpa)
  • Nora (Eleonora)
  • Norina (Eleonora)
  • Nuccio (Carminuccio and other names in -uccio)
  • Nunzia (Annunziata)

O: 3 names

  • Ometto (little man, to a boy)
  • Orsacchiotto (teddy bear)
  • Orsetto (bear cub)

P: 45 names

  • Paoletta (Paola)
  • Paolino (Paolo)
  • Paperella (duckling)
  • Papino (daddy)
  • Pasqualino (Pasquale)
  • Passerotto (little sparrow)
  • Pasticcino (pastry)
  • Pasticcione (bungler, said fondly)
  • Patatina (little potato, to a girl)
  • Patatino (little potato, to a boy)
  • Patti (Patrizia)
  • Peppe (Giuseppe)
  • Peppina (Giuseppina)
  • Peppiniello (Giuseppe, Naples)
  • Peppino (Giuseppe)

P, continued

  • Peppuccio (Giuseppe, Sicily)
  • Perla (pearl)
  • Pesciolino (little fish)
  • Peste (pest, said fondly)
  • Piccerella (small girl, Naples)
  • Piccerillo (small boy, Naples)
  • Picciridda (small girl, Sicily)
  • Picciriddu (small boy, Sicily)
  • Piccola (small one, to a woman)
  • Piccoletto (shorty, to a boy)
  • Piccolina (tiny one, to a woman)
  • Piccolino (tiny one, to a boy)
  • Piccolo (small one, to a man)
  • Pierina (Piera)
  • Pierino (Piero or Pietro)

P, continued

  • Piero (Pietro)
  • Pigi (Pier Luigi)
  • Pina (Giuseppina)
  • Pino (Giuseppe)
  • Pinuccia (Giuseppina)
  • Pinuccio (Giuseppe)
  • Pippo (Filippo or Giuseppe)
  • Pischello (kid, Rome)
  • Polpetta (meatball)
  • Principe (prince)
  • Principessa (princess)
  • Principino (young prince)
  • Pulcino (chick)
  • Pupa (baby girl, doll)
  • Pupo (baby boy, doll)

R: 19 names

  • Raffa (Raffaele or Raffaella)
  • Raggio di sole (ray of sunshine)
  • Regina (queen)
  • Reginetta (young queen)
  • Renza (Lorenza)
  • Renzo (Lorenzo)
  • Ricca (Riccardo)
  • Riccioli d'oro (Goldilocks)
  • Ricciolino (curly-haired boy)

R, continued

  • Ricky (Riccardo)
  • Rico (Enrico or Federico)
  • Rina (Caterina or Marina)
  • Rino (Gennarino, Pierino or Vittorino)
  • Rita (Margherita)
  • Robi (Roberto or Roberta)
  • Rosella (Rosa)
  • Rosetta (Rosa)
  • Rosi (Rosa, Rosaria or Rosalia)
  • Rosina (Rosa)

S: 28 names

  • Sabri (Sabrina)
  • Salvo (Salvatore)
  • Salvuccio (Salvatore)
  • Sandra (Alessandra)
  • Sandrino (Alessandro)
  • Sandro (Alessandro)
  • Santino (Santo)
  • Santuzza (Santa, Sicily)
  • Saretta (Sara or Rosaria)
  • Saro (Rosario, Sicily)
  • Saruzzo (Rosario, Sicily)
  • Sasà (Salvatore, Naples)
  • Scricciolo (wren, for a tiny child)
  • Signorinella (young miss)

S, continued

  • Silvietta (Silvia)
  • Simo (Simone or Simona)
  • Simonetta (Simona)
  • Simpaticone (charmer)
  • Socio (partner, buddy; Turin and Milan)
  • Sofi (Sofia)
  • Sognatore (dreamer)
  • Sorellina (kid sister)
  • Sorellona (big sister)
  • Ste (Stefano or Stefania)
  • Stefi (Stefania)
  • Stella (star)
  • Stellina (little star)
  • Susy (Assunta, Naples)

T: 41 names

  • Tano (Gaetano)
  • Tata (sweetie, to a girl; the north)
  • Tato (sweetie, to a boy; the north)
  • Tenerone (softie, to a man)
  • Teo (Matteo or Teodoro)
  • Tere (Teresa)
  • Teresina (Teresa)
  • Terremoto (earthquake, a wild child)
  • Teso (short for tesoro)
  • Tesorino (dear treasure)
  • Tesoro (treasure)
  • Tesoro mio (my treasure)
  • Testone (stubborn one)

T, continued

  • Tigrotto (tiger cub)
  • Tilde (Matilde or Clotilde)
  • Tilla (Domitilla)
  • Tina (Concettina, Valentina and other names in -tina)
  • Tino (Agostino, Costantino, Martino or Valentino)
  • Tita (Giovanni Battista, Veneto)
  • Titina (Annunziata, Naples)
  • Titta (Giovanni Battista)
  • Titti (Tiziana or Cristina)
  • Tizi (Tiziana or Tiziano)
  • Tommy (Tommaso)
  • Toni (Antonio)
  • Tonia (Antonia)
  • Tonino (Antonio)

T, continued

  • Tonio (Antonio)
  • Topolina (mouse, to a woman or girl)
  • Topolino (mouse, to a man or boy)
  • Tore (Salvatore, Sardinia and the south)
  • Tosa (girl; Veneto and Lombardy)
  • Totò (Antonio or Salvatore)
  • Totonno (Antonio, Naples)
  • Totore (Salvatore, Naples)
  • Totta (Carlotta)
  • Totuccio (Salvatore, Sicily)
  • Trottolina (spinning top, to a woman)
  • Trottolino (spinning top, to a man)
  • Turi (Salvatore, Sicily)
  • Turiddu (Salvatore, Sicily)

V: 12 names

  • Vale (Valentino, Valentina or Valeria)
  • Vanna (Giovanna)
  • Vanni (Giovanni)
  • Vecchio mio (old friend)
  • Vecio (old pal, Veneto)
  • Vero (Veronica)
  • Vez (pal, Bologna)
  • Vicè (Vincenzo, Sicily)
  • Vicky (Vittoria)
  • Violetta (Viola)
  • Vita mia (my life)
  • Vitto (Vittorio or Vittoria)

Z: 3 names

  • Zietta (auntie)
  • Zio (dude, literally uncle; youth slang)
  • Zuccherino (sugar lump)