E. Rossoni notes that the surname derives from the archaic term gabbana or gabbano, which designated a type of ample coat with sleeves and hood, sometimes lined with fur, used in the medieval period. The surname could refer to those who used to wear that garment or to those who made it.

F. De Laurentiis agrees on the lexical base, but broadens the semantic analysis: gabbano designated an overcoat open at the front and with a hood, used especially when travelling, while gabbana also functioned as a nickname for the one who changed opinion or side suddenly, with a nuance of coarse cunning or meanness. De Laurentiis considers less probable the derivation from the verb gabbare, "to deceive".

As for its distribution, Rossoni indicates that Gabban is concentrated in the Alessandria and Novara areas, and in the Rovigo area. The related forms present other distributions: Gabbana is peculiar to the Treviso, Pordenone and Venice areas; Gabbani appears in the Verbania area, in Tuscany between the Pistoia, Florence and Pisa areas, and in the Pesaro area; Gabbano is practically unique.