Italian Version of Name

nuccia · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:01 pm Post subject: Italian Version of Name

Does anyone know what the Italian version of Donald might be or if there is an Italian version of it. I am curious.

uantiti · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:10 pm Post subject: Re: Italian Version of Name

Hi Nucia,
the translation for Donald would be Donaldo but I think it's a very, very old name (medieval). Nowadays a similar name could be Donato but with a completely different meaning.

Ciao Ada

uantiti · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:27 pm Post subject: Re: Italian Version of Name

I think I must make a correction:
my dictionary of Italian names (dated 1980) says that there were about 50 people called Donaldo, at that time, so it's not as old as I thought. Donaldo is a variation of Dono, also listing as variations: Donello, Donelio, Donillo and the meaning is gift, more or less the same meaning of Donato.

Ada

nuccia · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:09 pm Post subject: Re: Italian Version of Name

Thank you Ado. I think the person I am looking for may have been Donato and I may just have found him so this works out. His grandson is named Donald so it would fit.

How about Dennis. DO you know of a translation for that?

uantiti · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:22 pm Post subject: Re: Italian Version of Name

Dennis = Dionigi or Dionisio. Old names too, now people in Italy use Dennis just the same as in Usa.

Ada

nuccia · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 2:21 pm Post subject: Re: Italian Version of Name

Thank you. This really helps alot. Can I ask you for a few more?

Joan
Margaret
I think I have an idea but I would like opinions.

goganga · Dev Joined: Jul 11, 2007 Posts: 226 Location: North Italy

Joan = Giovanna
Margaret = Margherita

nuccia · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:14 pm Post subject: Re: Italian Version of Name

Ahhhhh...thank you! Smile

uantiti · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:40 pm Post subject: Re: Italian Version of Name

There is a variant for Margherita which is Margarita a bit old fashioned but I found many in the birth acts I looked at for my family.
Joan could also be Gianna or Giannina, variations of Giovanna but names on their own.

Ada

nuccia · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 5:43 pm Post subject: Re: Italian Version of Name

Great. Now I have options. I knew the obvious ones but I never thought of these. As for Donato..my husband uncle has that name and he just calls himself Danny. And my father who is Damiano also goes by Danny and not Damien so this is interesting.