Nomi personali femminili a Laterza. Tra vecchie e nuove identità

This paper aims to contribute to ongoing reflections on Italian onomastics. Italian names are changing. According to recent research, the most common male first names of the 1900s are still given to baby boys in the south of Italy, while for the female ones something is changing. People prefer trendier names for baby girls. With this in mind, I began a research project on personal names and naming practices in the towns of the Diocese of Castellaneta, with a special look at those that belong to the “Alta Murgia Tarantina”, starting from Laterza, without forgetting the neighboring towns of Matera and Montescaglioso. This essay presents the first data on the female first names of Laterza, focusing on names that nowadays are very uncommon or, on the contrary, have been given throughout the last century, and last but not least the names that are written in different ways. The main target of the study is to understand the impact of modernity and globalization on the traditional system of choosing a name to honor the family tradition of both parents.