Two well-known Italian names that start with the letter ‘L’ —Leonardo and Lorenzo— are linked to the Italian Renaissance; the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and the influence of Lorenzo de' Medici as a patron of the arts have extended the visibility of these names far beyond Italy’s borders.
Also starting with the letter ‘L’, there is Luigi, another Italian name with global appeal —a recognition derived this time not from the Italian Renaissance, but rather from Nintendo’s video games where Luigi is the green-clad plumber who is also Mario’s brother and sidekick.
From beautifully simple names like Lucia, Livia, and Luisa, to longer names like Lucrezia, Luciana, and Lodovica, there are plenty of Italian girl names that start with ‘L’.
Many Italian names that begin with the letter ‘L’ contain one of the three following Latin roots: “leo”, “lucis”, and “laurus”.
The Latin word “leo” —which translates to “lion”— appears in names such as Leonardo, Leone (which is the capitalized form of the Italian word for “lion”), and Leonello (which also has a variant spelled Lionello).
The Italian names Luciano, Lucio, and Luzio are related to the Latin word “lucis” —a declined form of the term “lux” meaning “light”— which provides them with a luminous charm.
Lauro, Lorenzo, and Lorenzino are Italian names that can be traced back to the Latin word “laurus” (Laurel tree). This connection adds an aura of distinction to these names because, in ancient times, laurel wreaths were used as symbols of victory and high status.
Most Italian names come from Latin —not surprising given that the Italian language evolved from Latin.
Italian names borrowed from other languages usually adopt a distinctively Italian spelling, for example: Ludovico (the Italian version of the German name Ludwig) and Lazzaro (the Italian version of the name Larazus which comes from Hebrew).
A name can gain additional allure through a famous namesake. This is the case for several Italian names that begin with the letter ‘L’ which have been associated with creative and artistic personalities.
These include famous artists (Leonardo da Vinci and the Baroque painter Leonello Spada), famous musicians (Luciano Pavarotti and Ludovico Einaudi), actors and filmmakers (Lino Ventura and Lucio Fulci) as well as a Renaissance patron of the arts (Lorenzo de' Medici).
| Name | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Leonardo da Vinci | Italian Renaissance polymath (1452–1519) |
| Luciano Pavarotti | Italian operatic tenor (1935–2007) |
| Lorenzo de' Medici | Italian Renaissance patron of the arts (1449–1492) |
| Lucio Fulci | Italian filmmaker (1927–1996) |
| Ludovico Einaudi | Italian pianist and composer |
| Lino Ventura | Italian actor |
| Leonello Spada | Italian painter |