Popular in Italy

The French spin on the name of the great Homeric hero with the vulnerable heel seems somewhat more portable into the modern world.

Credit the award-winning single-named British singer for taking the girls’ name Adele from a quiet semi-retirement back into currency. Adele reentered the US Top 1000 popular baby names in 2011 and has remained there ever since.

For anyone seeking a more unusual version of Alexander, this is a real winner.

Alessio, simpler than the related Alessandro, would be a welcome settler here.

Andrea may be a gender neutral name in its native Italy and other European countries, but in the US it's 98 percent a girls' name, with only about 20 males to more than 1800 baby girl given that name in the most recent year counted.

Once a Top 100 name, this Spanish diminutive of Ana still retains some of her Latin flair. A notable namesake is noted attorney Anita Hill, another is the great jazz singer Anita O'Day. Plus there's Disney cred via the lead human character in 101 Dalmatians.

This international color name, close enough to the English to be easily understood in the US or other English-speaking countries, ranks among the top names for girls in Italy.

The saintly Italian form of the saintly Latin Benedicta.

Screen legend Marlon's surname has loads more swagger than his first. But little Brando will forever have to endure jokes connected with the actor.

Chiara is a lovely and romantic Italian name that's familiar but not widely used here: a real winner. You might consider Chiara instead of Claire, Clara, Cara, or even Keira.

This name of an old Hollywood nightclub still retains a spark of glamour.

Elisa may be one of the most appealing of this contingent of names, but the Elizabeth variations that start with A are heading up, the E versions down. Eliza is much more stylish these days than Elisa.

Enea is derived from Aeneas, the name of a Roman mythological hero with strong ties to the city of Rome. It's no surprise then, that Italians have embraced Enea, a more modern variation of his name.

Has a lot more charm than the ancient Hector.

If Frederick feels too heavy, the Spanish and Italian has more energy. It's a long-term Top 20 name in Italy, and has neat nicknames like Fredo in Italian and Fede in Spanish. Famous bearers include the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca and the Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. Further back in history, it was the name of a fifth-century Visigoth leader, the brother of Theodoric II.

Flavio is derived from Flavius, a surname used in Ancient Rome. These family names, or cognomens, were given to distinguish branches of the clan and were chosen based on a characteristic of an important bearer. In this case, the Flavius family patriarch was likely blond-haired.

Francesca is a lighter and much more feminine choice than the classic Frances, and one that is increasingly popular with upscale parents.

Thanks to the inspiration of Pope Francis, Francesco has galloped to the front of the line to become the Number One boys' name in Italy. As Francesca has become a familiar and popular form of the name for girls in the wider world, so does the handsome Francesco have that potential for boys.