In this episode, Caitlin Barrett interviews Angela Colucci about the twists and turns of naming in Italian:
- Why sound and rhythm matter
- What’s changed in Italian naming over the last century
- The impact and perception of English names
- How humor and irony show up in Italian naming (Hint: Toiletpaper Shop probably isn’t what you think it is)
- Why a “twist” matters when identifying a great name candidate
Want to go deeper? Read Angela’s report, What You Need To Know About Naming In Italy, along with all the other We Are Naming reports, right here: www.wearenaming.com/reports
About Angela
Angela has been working in the branding industry for more than 25 years, managing both local and international clients.
She is currently an independent brand advisor. Prior to this, she was Director of Client Services at Interbrand Milan, where she managed a diverse portfolio of clients — including Nestlé, TIM, Vodafone, Sorgenia, EDF, BPER, Bayer, Pirelli, Alcantara, Bulgari, Samsung, Prysmian Group, Lavazza, San Benedetto, Ferrero, FIAT, Piaggio, Mediaset, Courmayeur, and Trenitalia — across all brand disciplines.
Over the years, Angela has developed deep expertise in brand naming, guiding the creation of distinctive and enduring names for products, services, and corporate brands — from strategic naming systems for multinational corporations to culturally nuanced brand names for local markets. She has contributed to the development and launch of names across multiple sectors, always balancing creative insight with strategic rigor. Her passion for words, languages, and reading fuels her creative process, while her method is anchored in rigorous legal and linguistic checks to ensure every name is trademark-ready, culturally appropriate, and globally resonant.
Angela has been the Italian partner of We Are Naming since its inception, working alongside an international network of naming specialists to deliver projects for both emerging brands and global leaders. For her, naming is not only a strategic discipline but also an art — the first story a brand tells, and often the one people remember the most.
About How the World Names
Building on our “What You Need to Know About Naming in…” reports, How the World Names is a limited-run interview series that dives deeper into what matters most when naming across borders. Each episode spotlights a We Are Naming partner’s home market, unpacking the linguistic quirks, cultural landscape, emerging naming styles, and practical insights that shape brand names around the globe. For more information, visit wearenaming.com.
