Prete is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Davide Prete (born 1974), Italian sculptor and architect Giancarlo Prete (1943–2001), Italian actor Sesto Prete (1919–1991), Italian-born American philologist and paleographer
It is used among Scottish homes as a term for a foolish person.
See also Del Prete, a family name of Italian origin