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Archivespopular Italian names in the late 1800s
I'm writing a story about a group of lower-class kids which takes place in the slums of New York during the late 1800s (about 1880 to 1895). One of the characters is an Italian whose parents immigrated to the U.S. a few years before he was born (around 1882).
I need a name for him - something Italian, obviously, but I'd love for there to be an Americanized nickname that his friends invent for him. I was thinking Giovanni shortened to "Joe", but I'd love some other options.
Any ideas, anyone?
I need a name for him - something Italian, obviously, but I'd love for there to be an Americanized nickname that his friends invent for him. I was thinking Giovanni shortened to "Joe", but I'd love some other options.
Any ideas, anyone?
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Replies
Giovanni has been Americanized to John (even Gio); I've never seen a Giovanni called Joe.
You might be better off on the board that discusses this sort of topic, where there are other authors -- I think it's the "name opinions" board. You can also search genaeology sites or Italian-American history, or look at Italian history from the time period you're writing about.
Interestingly Italian names of that generation are coming back. I see in my own family that people Americanized their son's names around the period you're talking about, and now their sons are naming their own children the names of their grandparents' original names. Lorenzo-->Lawrence--->back to Lorenzo. Carlo--->Carl---->back to Carlo. I think some current Italian names, therefore, might give you an answer. Felice is a good one, because in America it's a female name (fuh-LEES) though in Italian (feh-LI-CHAY) it's male and was changed to Felix or something more "Americanly" masculine out of the "immigrant embarrassment" or "wanting to integrate" feelings of that time it seems you're going for.
You might be better off on the board that discusses this sort of topic, where there are other authors -- I think it's the "name opinions" board. You can also search genaeology sites or Italian-American history, or look at Italian history from the time period you're writing about.
Interestingly Italian names of that generation are coming back. I see in my own family that people Americanized their son's names around the period you're talking about, and now their sons are naming their own children the names of their grandparents' original names. Lorenzo-->Lawrence--->back to Lorenzo. Carlo--->Carl---->back to Carlo. I think some current Italian names, therefore, might give you an answer. Felice is a good one, because in America it's a female name (fuh-LEES) though in Italian (feh-LI-CHAY) it's male and was changed to Felix or something more "Americanly" masculine out of the "immigrant embarrassment" or "wanting to integrate" feelings of that time it seems you're going for.
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