Italian Traditions!

 “Hi, I’m Mario, meet my first cousins, Mario, Mario, Sandy, Santina,Tina & Tina”

‘We are all named after our grandparents.. and my sister Rita, well, she was born on St Ritas Day.’ 
Mario Gangemi, Production Manager, Ballandean Estate Wines

It true and fascinating!  Is it tradition, or possibly superstition?  For those intent on using Italian naming traditions, baby name books are quite unnecessary. To bring a new name into the family, you might find it necessary to have a fifth child, or 3 children of the same sex, even then, you will need a book on Saints Days handy.

Traditionalists will follow this naming pattern:

1. First male child is named after the paternal grandfather
2. Second male child is named after the maternal grandfather
3. First female child is named after the paternal grandmother
4. Second female child is named after the maternal grandmother

 

But, there are always exceptions to a rule, here are a few:

• ‘respect’ is more important than gender, allowing some families to name a first-born female after her grandfather eg. Giuseppa after Giuseppe. (Most  male Italian names have a female equivalent)
• If a child is born on an important feast day of a saint the child will probably be named after the saint.
• A child may be named after a deceased sibling, either in memory of  the deceased child or as continuing respect to the grandparent.