In exactly one week I leave for Naples and Rome…yet all my papework says Napoli and Roma…why don’t we just say Napoli and Roma? Why must things change across the ocean?
When my hubby’s family came over from Central Italy in the early 1900’s the pronunciation of the family surname changed from “Care ah day oh” to “Cah rid ee oh”. Why? Who knows-I guess they thought it sounded more “American”. Funny because every time someone tries to pronounce it they say it the “Italian” way.
It got me thinking about names…I love Italian names, so romantic, with the emphasis usually on the 2nd or 3rd syllable. I love how for every name there is a male or female counterpart…the male names usually end in an “o’, while the female end in an “a”…like Giovanno or Giovanna.
I love my hubby’s ancest0r’s names. His grandfather was Faustino, a name given to several early Saints in Roman times. It sounds strong and manly! I started researching the names on a site called www.behindthename.com. It is really fun! Almost every Italian name is after some Saint. His grandmother was Gaetana, named after a ancient nurse who became a Saint. Paul was named after St Paul, even my name literally meaning “dark” was named after a Saint who gave all her all her wealth to charity-I love that!
My mother in law, Victoria, means “victory”, and was named after a Roman goddess-she would like to think she is a goddess. The most popular Italian names haven’t changed too much through the years…Maria, Anna, Francesca still top the list for girl names.
I found it interesting that during Roman times you were known by your first name but soon after the fall of Rome the surname’s began to be important, known in Italian as your “cognomi”. The surname was usually given in one of 3 ways. By your origin or location…like Leonardo do Vinci, means Leonardo FROM the Town of Vinci…or by your father’s name, or by a personal characteristic…like “Antonio the short”…ha.
Our family surname comes from a small ancient town in Central Italy, “Carredo”-although the town is now gone, the area is exactly where his Grandfather was from! So it all makes since.
I also think it is nice to have yet ANOTHER reason for Italian’s to celebrate! While your birthday is important in Italy so is your “name day” called “onomastino”-which is celebrated also with cake and sparkling wine. I thought my name date and birth date would be the same but my mother told me she picked my name out years earlier…but doesn’t remember the date, but she was watching the “Gone With The Wind” movie! ha So I guess I can just make up a name date and celebrate. Do you have a name date? And if you find out you are named after a Saint, like I did, Italy has a holiday for that too! It’s called All Saint’s Day or “Ognissanti” and falls on November 1st every year!
It is also interesting that the women don’t take their husbands name when they marry-although if they do, they just add it to the end. I figured this out while visiting several cemateries and reading the head stones. When we bought our property I also noticed the owners had different last names although I knew they had been married for 30 plus years. Italians like to boast that they specialize in….”individuality”…this is one way they accomplish that.
Some of the people we have met in Italy have beautiful names and are beautiful people…
Paolo-(our bread making friend) name is a form of Paul, named after St Paul.
Marco-(wine expert in Greve) name is a form of Mark, named after St Mark.
Francesca-(the beekeeper) named from St Francis of Assisi who devoted his life to the poor.
Lucia-(taught me how to bottle oil) named after the Patron Saint for the blind.
Marzia-(my neighbor in Crasciana) name is derived from Mary, mother of Christ.
Stephano-(our old pizza maker) named from Stephen, disciple of Jesus.
Take a moment to look your own name up! You might just learn something new.
