Italian is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful languages in the world. It has a very lyrical quality to it and when it comes to giving your boat a sophisticated or flashy sounding name choosing between the English “Beautiful Life” or the Italian “Bella Vita” is a no brainer. 

If you have Italian heritage, or just an appreciation for the language and culture, then you may be moved to give your vessel an Italian name before you hit the water for the first time. If that’s the case, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of some of the most popular, unique and fun Italian boat names you’ll find. Naming boats is always personal, but it never hurts to get some help if you’re not entirely familiar with all the great Italian words that can be used for a solid Italian boat name. Hopefully our list inspires you!

Popular Italian Boat Names

  • La Bella Vita: Meaning “The Beautiful Life” and one of the most widely used Italian names for a boat. It is a common sentiment among boaters and their feeling towards the lifestyle, but expressed through the beauty of the Italian language. La Vita Bella, or Life is Beautiful, is an alternate version of this.
  • La Dolce Vita: “The Sweet Life,” a common variation on la bella vita and one of the most well known Italian phrases to non-Italian speakers.
  • Bella Luna: This translates to “Beautiful Moon” and has captivated a number of boaters.
  • Bella Donna: This one literally translates to “Beautiful Lady” but, as many people know, Belladonna is also a very poisonous plant so this name can have dual meanings.
  • Ciao Bella: Another common Italian phrase, this can mean either “Hello, Beautiful” or “Goodbye, Beautiful.” The dual meaning makes it a fun name for a boat.
  • Tesoro: Meaning “Treasure,” a name with a dual nautical meaning to express the perceived value of the boat and boating, as well as a sly reference to the history of pirate treasure. Il Tesoro or “The Treasure” is also widely used.
  • Veloce: Means “Fast” and has a much more mysterious allure than the English word which often comes across a little too blunt or simple for a boat name. Good name for a jet boat.
  • Azzurro: This means “blue” and you’ll often see “azure” in boat names in English as a more sophisticated sounding substitute for the word “blue.” The Italian word takes it up a notch and sounds more exciting to many.
  • Porta Fortuna: This is a fun one because it sounds nautical with the “porta” but it translates to “Brings Good Luck” which is still a good name, but obviously less nautical in English. This would be solid for a fishing boat.
  • Amore Mio: Means “My Love” and is another popular boat name. Italian is often considered a romantic language and this brings that poetic romance with it. This could be a great name for a yacht, for instance.
  • Serenità: This means “Serenity,” which is another hugely popular name for boats.
  • Perla Nera: Translates as “Black Pearl” but offers a little twist to the expected. La Perla or “The Pearl” is also a popular choice.
  • Pace: This is a fun one because it translates to “Peace” but the English meaning also works and seems appropriate for a sailing boat. 
  • Mediterranea: This means Mediterranean which is obviously fitting for a boat from Italy and is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea. 
  • Libertà: This is the Italian word for “Liberty.”
  • La Barca: This is a fun one because it looks like it must mean something but the translation is literally “The Boat,” which is so simple it could be a solid joke name.
  • Andiamo: This one has been popular for a long time as the word andiamo is fairly well known to English speakers and means “Let’s Go.”
  • L’Avventura: Translates to “The Adventure” which is obviously appealing to anyone wanting an adventure at sea. 
  • Baciati dal Mare: This means “Kissed by the Sea.”
  • Fluttuante Nell’Aria: This means “Floating on Air” and would be a great name for a pontoon boat.
  • Cuore di Mare: Similar to above, this one means “Heart of the Sea.”

Italian Boat Names That Invoke the Sea Itself

In Italian “Il mare” means “the sea” and the pronunciation of the word seems to be something many English-speaking boaters find more exciting than the English version. As such “mare” finds itself in a lot of interesting Italian boat names. Here are some of the more fun ones. 

  • Il Mare: This one is simple and just means “the sea” but it has that Italian charm to it.
  • Sogno di Mare: This one means “Sea Dream” and brings to mind some of the magic of sailing
  • Re Del Mare: Means “King of the Sea” and obviously has a powerful and regal aspect to it.
  • Signore Del Mare: Means “Lord of the Sea” and is a variation on the above.
  • Aria di Mare: This sounds very elegant and means “Sea Breeze”
  • Mare Nostrum: Meaning “Our Sea” which is apparently well favored among Italians for its patriotic history.
  • Canto del Mare: This one means “Sea Song”
  • Mare e Sole: This means “Sea and Sun” which of course are two of the most powerful images for any boater.
  • Sapore di Mare: This one means “Taste of the Sea.”
  • Mare Infinito: This means “Infinite Sea” and is one of those magical sounding names that some boaters like
  • Vino e Mare: If you like to relax on your boat then this name, meaning “Wine and Sea” might work for you.
  • Mare di Sangue: This means “Sea of Blood” and definitely a hardcore, badass sounding name.
  • Fantasma del Mare: This means “Sea Ghost” and is also a darkly cool sort of name.
  • Diavolo del Mare: This one means “Sea Devil” and would definitely work for a fast boat or a pleasure boat
  • Mare di Ferro: This means “Iron Sea” and sounds very powerful and cool.

Italian Boat Names that Invoke Sea Life

Lots of people like names that reference birds, fish, sharks and so on. In Italian, many of these names take on a new quality that’s mysterious and powerful sounding. 

  • Lupo di Mare: Means “Sea Wolf” which has a powerful aspect to it.
  • Falco di Mare: This means “Sea Falcon” and seems like it would be great for a fast vessel.
  • Leviatano: This means “Leviathan” which is both Biblical and a reference to any giant beast of the sea, like a whale. 
  • Acqua Serpente: Means “Water Snake.” There’s also “Serpente di Mare” or “Sea Snake.
  • Stella Marina: Means literally “Sea Star” but most would translate it as “Starfish.”
  • Zefiro: This is the Italian word for “Zephyr”
  • Squalo Tigre: This means “Tiger Shark”
  • Mostro Marino: Means “Sea Monster”
  • Predatore: Means “Predator,” of course.
  • Grande Bianco: This is Italian for “Great White” and would definitely work for a larger boat or a small one if you’re feeling a little quirky.
  • Il Pesce Volante: Means “The Flying Fish” and would definitely suit a fast sailboat.
  • Pellicano: This translates to “Pelican”
  • Balena Assassina: This one means “Killer Whale.”
  • Pesce Spada: This translates to “Swordfish.”
  • Pesca Leone: The translation of this is “Lionfish.”
  • L’Anguilla Scivolosa: The name looks super elegant in Italian and in English it translates to “The Slippery Eel.”
  • Il Granchio Croccante: We’re having a little fun with this one. It translates to “the crusty crab” or, if you’re a Spongebob fan, the Krusty Krab.
  • Libellula: Maybe not exactly sea life, but this translates to “Dragonfly.”

Italian Boat Names that Invoke the Weather

If you like things a little stormy there are a lot of powerful and fun sounding names that reference the type of weather you can find at sea.

  • Tempesta: This simply means “Storm” and is a strong sounding name for a boat.
  • Cacciatore di Tempeste: This one means “Storm Chaser”
  • Cavaliere della Tempesta: Translates to “Storm Rider.”
  • Il Vento: This one just means “The Wind.”
  • Acqua e Vento: In English this means “Water and Wind”
  • Onde Felici: This translates to “Happy Waves” and is good for a relaxed type of boater.
  • Sorriso e Onde: Meaning “Smile and Waves,” a little play on words.
  • La Burrasca: Meaning “The Squall”
  • Burassca Bianca: This is a variation meaning “White Squall.”
  • Vento Selvaggio means “Wild Wind” and would be great for a sailboat.
  • Cattura il Vento is another good sailboat name which means “Catch the Wind.”
  • Tuono e Fulmine: This means “Thunder and Lightning.”
  • Mari Lisci: Meaning “Smooth Seas.”
  • Arcobaleno: This one means “Rainbow” and sounds a lot more sophisticated in Italian.
  • Vento della Fortuna: This means “Wind of Fortune” and sounds like a fun name for any sailboat.

Badass Italian Boat Names

While Italian is known for being lyrical and romantic, it also really captures the essence of cool sometimes. If you want a badass Italian name for your boat, here are a few that could really make it stand out.

  • Drago Marino: Or “The Sea Dragon,” which has a real edge to it.
  • Corsaro: This means “Corsair” which is a pretty cool name to use in and of itself, but the Italian twist just makes it sound a little cooler. 
  • Flagello Dei Sette Mari: If you want to go really hard, this one translates as “Scourge of the Seven Seas.”
  • Sangue Nell’acqua: This is “Blood in the Water,” which is definitely badass.
  • Sole Bruciato: This means “Sun Scorched.”
  • Dalle Profondità: If you like an ominous name, this means “From the Depths.”
  • Temerario: This is the Italian word for “daredevil” or just “daring” and would certainly work for a fast boat.
  • Vendetta: Here’s another Italian word we all know. It means “Vengeance” but it’s clearly got a hardcore ring to it.
  • La Furia Dell’Oceano: This translates to “The Ocean’s Fury” and is pretty intense sounding.
  • Furia: Taking a note from the last name, Furia by itself just means “Fury.”
  • Predona: This is how you say “Marauder” in Italian.
  • Spettro Del Mare: This means “Sea Wraith”
  • Il Colosso: This means “The Colossus” which is a solid name for something giant and powerful
  • La Razza: This sounds cool in Italian and English. It’s “The Stingray.”
  • Vortice: Though this is a weather related one, the translation of “Maelstrom” sounds very cool. 

The Bottom Line

Italian is one of those languages that really packs a punch, even for people who don’t speak it. It has a flow and a presence that can seem both elegant and intense at the same time. It can be elegant and romantic or harsh and serious depending on what you’re trying to say to people.

Choosing any name for a new boat should always be a personal experience and you’ll want something that speaks to who you are and what you feel about the boat and boating in general. If you have Italian roots, then an Italian name is a great fit. Also, if you like a little mystery and something off the beaten path, then choosing a name in a language like Italian can shake up names that might be a little mundane otherwise.