 The first part of the name is a reference to Saint Michael Archangel, worshipped by the Lombards, whose image appears on the village coat of arms on a bridge (recalling the Italian word "ponte",from the Latin "pons,pontis"); according to popular tradition, the last word derives from "pantano" meaning swamp or marsh, as it seems that in early times there was some marshland in the valley below the village.More likely, the name comes from being Sant'Angelo located in the administrative district of the Gastaldato Pontano, established by the Lombard Duke of Spoleto.In old scroll documents the name is transcribed as follows