[February, 2012] The area around the Duomo is the centre of the city and there are always a lot of people here.
I wonder if I call ‘Marco!’, how many people would turn around.
There are so many Marcos in Italy.
Maybe because they name their children after some related saints, the number of the names are limited.
I do not know so many Italians, but I can think of 5 Andreas, 3 Umbertos, 2 each of Francesco, Luca, Alberto and Simone.
As for Marco, I know 6.
For female names, 3 each of Laura and Ilaria, 2 each of Maria and Erica
In south Italy, there is a custom that when you have a son you name after your father and daughter after your mother.
One man named his son totally different from his fathers and his father did not speak to him for a whole year.
Anyway, nowadays, young people break the custom and use some non Italian names.
A girl who was born last year is Guenda and a boy who will be born soon will be Nicholas.
[ Aug.2017 ] Five and a half years has passed since I wrote above article.
I just found an interesting material regarding the name, Marco.
This map shows how Marco spreads in Italy.
According to this, the main area where the most Marcos are in Lombardy where 23.3% of men are called Marco.
Milan is in Lombardy, so it is natural for me who visit Milan regularly feel many people are called Marco.
But if you look at the whole Italy, Marco is not too popular, especially in the south there are few Marcos.
In Italy, apparently, the men called Marco are about 347000 and it is only the 31st popular name.
The No.1 for men’s name is Giuseppe and for women Maria.
They were the couple who brought Christ up, aren’t they.
Italy is really a Catholic people’s country.
