Girl Names from French Origins

Here are some interesting girl names that originate from Norman French or Old French origins. These have a variety of popularity and usage levels in the US.

Amarante - Taken from the Amaranth flower, this is the French form of the name. It comes from the Greek amarantos meaning "unfading".  This is a very rare name. It has been used a total of 23 times on record for boys, and none for girls, but the most recent year it was used was 1933. This means it is ripe for the picking! It deserved to be renewed as a fresh floral name for girls.

Avril - This is the French form of April which possibly comes from the Latin aperire meaning "to open" referring to the opening of flowers in the springtime month. Avril first gained recorded usage in the US in 1919. It has never been common but began gaining more births per year around 2003, presumably in line with the popularity of singer Avril Lavigne who hit the scene in 2002.

Blanche - From a Medieval French nickname meaning "white, fair", derived from the word blanc. This is a name that has fallen from its former glory. It was most popular in 1917 with 2,836 births for the year. It did very well before that time and just slightly after.  It was on the decline by the 1930s and left the Top 1000 in 1965. These days, the name only has single-digit usage including 9 births in 2016. Could it make a comeback as a retro vintage choice soon?

Cerise - This name comes from the French word for "cherry". The name Cherry itself isn't known for being the classiest choice, but Cerise is a great alternative. It is pronounced SU-REEZ. Cerise didn't have any recorded usage in the US until 1951, and even then, it has never had more 20 in a single year aside from 29 in 1955. There were only 5 girls given the name in 2016, which makes this a very rare option that lands in the food, color, and French name categories and deserves more usage today.

Chantal/Chantel/Chantelle/Shantel/Shantelle - While it is now associated with the French chant meaning "song", it was originally derived from a place name meaning "stony". Chantal first gained usage in the US in 1947, followed by Chantel in 1957. Chantel became the more popular spelling, gaining a peak of 738 births in 1990, compared to Chantal's 428 births. Alternate spelling Shantel also received 486 births in 1990. Since the 90s, these names have all declined. In 2016, there were 28 Shantels, 18 Shantals, 28 Chantals and 41 Chantels born. There were 33 girls named Chantelle and only 11 Shantelles. Which spelling do you prefer?

Désirée - This is the French form of desiderata from the Latin desideratum meaning "desired". Desiree first appeared in 1910 in the US, followed by Desirae in 1955. The late 1960s started an upward trend of popularity for both names which peaked between 1983 and 1992.  Both spellings have declined since then. There were 282 girls named Desiree and 95 named Desirae in 2016. There are probably even more alternate spellings too.

Esmé - In Old French, this name means "loved" or "esteemed". Esme is very much on the rise right now. It originally had very sporatic use in the US as early as 1913, but it didn't catch on regularly until 1980. In 2010, it entered the Top 1000 with 280 births. As of 2016, there were 426 girls given the name which is its popularity peak so far. I expect it will continue to climb.

Estelle - Taken from an Old French name that was derived from the Latin word stella meaning "star".  Estelle peaked in popularity in 1915 with 1,784 briths. By the 1930s, the name had half as much usage and continued to decline. It fell to double digits by 1966 but in 2004 it started to swing upward again. There were 339 girls named Estelle in 2016.  Similarly, there were 302 girls named Estella.

Fleur - This means "flower" in French". There's also the diminutive Fleurette. Fleur had 19 births between 1926 and 1933, 5 in 1956, 64 births between 1970 and 1982. And 84 births since 2002, including 12 in 2016.  It may be on the verge of gaining increased popularity. Fleurette had minimal usage between 1915-1953. There were a few births in the 1970s, but the last time this name appeared on record was 1995.

Jacinthe - The French cognate of Hyacinth, the name of a flower and a precious stone. It comes from the Greek hyakinthos. According to the Social Security Administration in the US, there has never been at least 5 births in a single year for the name Jacinthe. This is a rare name!

Jolie - Meaning "pretty" in French, it is obvious why it is not actually used as a name in France. However in the US, it has been popularized by actress Angelina Jolie. The name first appeared on the charts in 1947. It had a good amount of use in the 1970s then again starting in the late 1990s. Jolie peaked in 2008 with 546 births for the year, declined a bit, and is currently trending upward again with 430 births in 2016.

Lacy/Laci/Lacey - From a surname derived from the name Lassy which is a town in Normandy. It may come from the Latin Lascius.  Surprisingly, Lacy is unisex. In fact, in 1927, there were 116 boys given the name and only 20 girls. Around 1975, their roles flipped. Lacy gained a boost of usage for girls and entered the Top 1000 while it declined for boys. 1982 had a high of 987 female births (and only 27 for boys), proving to be its best year yet. Popularity has waned since then. In 2016 there were 117 girls named Lacy and <5 boys. Lacey followed a similar pattern and is actually the preferred spelling now with 634 female births in 2016. Laci had 90 births. Which gender and which spelling do you prefer?

Macy/Maci/Macey - Similar to Lacy, Macy comes from a surname derived from towns called Massy in France. It may come from a Roman personal name that was Latinized as Maccius. Macy dates back to the late 1800s for both genders but has always been more commonly used on girls. It entered the Top 1000 in 1990 and peaked in 2003 with 1,483 births. As of 2016, it was given to 628 girls for a rank of #490. Maci is even more popular! It was given to 1,185 girls in 2016 with a rank of #265. Macey is not used as much with only 211 births. Which spelling do you like more?

Maëlys - The Feminine form of Maël which is the French form of the Breton name Mael. It originally comes from a Celtic word meaning "chief" or "prince". Maelys has only been on record in the US since 2008. From then until now, there have been a total of 69 females given this name, including 10 in 2016.  The diaeresis mark above the "e" may discourage use so many of these girls may or may not have it included. The record lists it without.

Marjolaine - This is a name that means "marjoram" in French, which is a minty herb.  I like this  name since it is reminiscent of Marjorie with the laine/line ending that is so popular. With the correct French pronunciation, it is MAR-ZHAW-LEN. Marjolaine was actually used in the US from 1922-1923 on record for a total of 11 births. This is another rare name.

Noëlle - This is the feminine name derived from the French word Noël meaning "Christmas".  Noelle has been on record since 1927 for girls. It is listed without the diaeresis mark above the "e", so it is unknown how many of these girls use it and how many are just Noelle. Either way, this name began gaining popularity in the early 1960s. It held steady for years until it gained another boost around 2012. In 2016, there were 1,260 girls given the name.

Océane - Meaning "ocean", this French spelling is pronounced AW-SE-AN. It is quite rare. It first appeared on the charts in the US in 2002 with 6 births. It hasn't climbed much since then. In 2016, there were 10 girls given this name.

Paris - The name of the capital city of France, which is derived from an ancient Celtic tribe called the Parisii.  Paris, as a name, can be used in reference to a person hailing from Paris, France. Paris is unisex. It was used for males in the US since 1881, but it was not given to females until 1917 on record. It had similar popularity over the years for both genders, but starting around 1985, it leaned more in favor of the girls. Paris had a booming year in 2004 with 2,150 births, a record high for girls.  Now it had 1,152 births for girls in 2016 and only 80 for boys.

Reine - This name comes from the French word meaning "queen" and is pronounced REN.  Reine has been consistently rare since the 1880s. It would get a handful of births, skip a couple years, then get a handful more, and repeat. It was not steadily used until 2007. In 2016, there were 12 girls named Reine. This spelling isn't popular, but there are similar names such as Raine, Raina, Rayne, Rayna and so on that have more usage. Reign is also popping up a lot.

Rose/Roselle/Rosette/Rosine - Rose was originially a Norman form of a Germanic name composed of the elements hrod and heid. The Normans introduced it to England as Roese and Rohese. It was later associated with the Latin rosa and grew popular as inspired by the flower. Roselle, Rosette and Rosine are French forms and diminutives derived from Rose.  Of course Rose is extremely popular and has always ranked in the top 400, its best years being around 1917. However, the other names are rare. Roselle had 12 female births in 2016, while Rosette and Rosine had less than 5. In fact, Rosine hasn't been used on record since 1961. If you want something unique but familiar-sounding, these names are for you!

Tracy - A first name that was taken from a surname, derived from a Norman French place name which meant "domain belonging to Thracius". That refers to the Thracia region of Europe which is divided between Greece and Turkey today. Tracy is also sometimes a diminutive of Theresa, the French form being Thérèse. Tracy was more popular for boys until the late 1950s and early 1960s. In 1950 there were 178 girls named Tracy (#645 rank). In 1960 there were 5,768 (#84). But it was 1970 that exploded all over the charts. There were a whopping 18,468 girls named Tracy in 1970, which is a very impressive boost. It ranked at #10 that year. It declined again after that, leaving the Top 100 in 1985 and the Top 1000 in 2005. Now in 2016, there were only 92 girls named Tracy. This name will probably not return for several more decades, if ever.

Violette - The French form of the name Violet which is based on the flower.  Violette dates back to the late 1880s and saw decent usage around 1920. However, it grew rarer over time and was not used often until it gained a resurgence around the 2000s. Thanks to the popularity of Violet (#47 in 2016), Violette is now being used more than it ever was in the past with 196 births in 2016.

Which of these names do you like the most? Would you consider using any of them? Share your thoughts in the comments below!! Thanks for reading. Check out French Names for Boys too! 

Boy Names from French Origins

Here are some interesting boy names that originate from Norman French or Old French origins. These have a variety of popularity and usage levels in the US.

Amis/Amias/Amyas - medieval names taken from Amice and the Latin amicus meaning "friend". It was popular in the middle ages. There is also a medieval French poem titled "Amis and Amiles".  While Amis only landed on the US popuarity charts once with 5 births in 1928, Amias is skyrocketing. It first appeared in 2000, but since then has climbed its way up to the Top 1400 with 116 births in 2016. It should continue to gain popularity and break into the Top 1000 soon. Amyas is also starting to appear.

Courtney - An aristocratic English surname taken from the French place name Courtenay, which came from currents from the Latin curtus meaning "short".  Courtney has always been unisex. Up until the 1960s, it was mostly given to boys, but after that the majority of usage went to the girls, especially in the 1990s.

Deforest/Deforrest - from a French surname meaning "from the forest". Both spellings are rare. They aren't seeing any usage today, however Deforest did have mild usage around the 1920s.
Deforrest is more hit or miss, but popped up on record a handful of times since the 1910s.

Gage - Old French name meaning "measure" or "pledge" which refers to one who was a moneylender. Gage first popped up on the record for boys in 1914, but was rare until it entered the Top 1000 in 1989. Its highest ranking occurred in 2003 at #136. It is trending down now, ranking at #281 in 2016.

Garner/Garnett - An English surname taken from the Old French carne which referred to a person who made hinges. Garner has been used for boys in the US since 1881, rarely at first, but more regularly after 1908. It has never been common, always just 30 or fewer births per year. Garnett dates back just as far and was similarly rare over the years but with slightly bigger numbers. Garnett hasn't been used on record since 2013. Garner is still around with 22 male births in 2016.

Grant - a surname taken from the Norman French word grand meaning "great, large". The usage of the name Grant dates back to the beginning of record-keeping in the US, 1880. The name has only gained popularity over the years, getting a boost around 1912, and another in the late 1970s. It ranked highest in 1997 with 3,314 and a rank of #115. As of 2016, it remains a constant by ranking at #171.

Jourdain- French form of Jordan which comes from the Hebrew yarden and yarad meaning to "descend" or "flow down". Jourdain has only had usage for boys between 1984 and 2012, the best year being 1996 with 20 births.

Lamar - from a French surname and a place name in Normandy, which was derived from Old French la mare meaning "the pool". Lamar has been in usage since 1882 in the US and has almost always been in the Top 1000. It's best year for boys was 1989 with 737 births.

Mel/Melville/Melvin - a Scottish surname derived from a Norman French place name meaning "bad town". Melville was in use from 1880 up until it lost popularity in 1981. Melvin has always been in the Top 1000 but is currently trending down quickly. It was most popular between 1920 and 1950.

Monte/Monty/Montgomery - surname meaning "Gumarich's mountain" in Norman French. I was surprised to see the popularity of Monte over the years. It dates back to 1881 on record and ranked in the Top 1000 from 1924-1990. It still received 109 births in 2016 for boys. Monty is a bit less popular with only 45 births in 2016.  Montgomery gained steady usage back in 1905 but was  always uncommon. 2016 was actually its best year with 115 births.

Noel - This name means "Christmas" in French and had often been given to children born in the holiday since the middle ages. Noel has always been used in the US and it has been steadily gaining popularity since 1880. As of 2016, there were 844 boys named Noel (and 202 girls).

Parris - from an English surname denoting a person who came from Paris, France.  Parris started out with usage on boys, but as of 2016, there were 26 girls given the name, and only 14 boys. It has never been common (in this spelling) for either gender. The spelling Paris, however, ranked at #274 for girls with 1,152 births, and only 80 births for boys.

Quincy - A surname derived via the French place name Cuinchy, which is based on the Latin quintius referring to the number 5. Quincy peaked in popularity in 1977 with 717 male births. It has fallen to 473 births in 2016, but it is also starting to rise for girls.

Régis - This name comes from a surname meaning "ruler" in Occitan, which is a dialect spoken by 1.5 million people in Southern France. Régis was the name of a 17th century French Jesuit priest: St Jean-François Régis. This name gained usage in the early 1900s with its best years being between the 1910s and the 1950s. It left the Top 1000 in the early 1960s and only had 13 male births in 2016.

Seymour - This comes from a Norman surname originally referring to a person from the French town of Saint Maur, derived from Saint Maurus, Maurus being from a Latin name meaning "dark skinned". Seymour had one giant popularity peak in 1924 for boys consisting of 785 births. It fared best between 1912 and 1939 and dramatically declined in usage after that. Many years after 1979 didn't have at least 5 births in a single year in order to be on the record. There were 9 births in 2016.

Sinclair - There is a Norman French town called Saint Clair which led to the surname Sinclair in honor of it. Clair comes from the Latin Clarus meaning "clear, bright, famous". Sinclair has been used for boys since 1900 but has never had more than 30 births in a year, including 12 in 2016. It gained usage for girls in 1989 and has more recent usage than for boy over the past two decades. There were 9 female births in 2016. This is a rare unisex name.

Taylor - An English surname referring to someone who was a tailor. It comes from the Norman French tailleur, from the Latin taliare meaning "to cut".  Male Taylors have a good 71 years of usage on the females. Boys date back to 1880 while the girls gained usage in 1951. It was more popular for boys until 1990 when it began surging upward for females.  There were 3,261 girls named Taylor and 639 boys in 2016.

Wallace - from a Scottish/English surname denoting a Welshman or a "foreigner" in Norman French. Wallace peaked in popularity in 1923 with 2,803 births, but it declined again nearly as fast. It hung on through the 1940s but left the Top 1000 by 1994. Today it is showing signs of gradual recovery by earning 196 male births in 2016.

Which of these names do you like? Would you use any of them?

Destry

Today we will take a look at one of the interesting boy names from our list of "Baby Names Ending With The Letters -ry".  

Destry is the English form of Destrier, a French surname derived from the Anglo-Norman word destrer meaning "warhorse".  The destrier is the best-known war horse of the medieval era. It carried knights in battles, tournaments, and jousts. Sources of its time called it the "Great Horse" due to its significance.

In 1930, "Destry Rides Again" was published by Max Brand. This western novel introduced the name Destry to America, and brought forth films in 1939 and 1954, and a short-lived TV series in 1964.  Interestingly, according to Social Security records in the US, the name Destry was not in use until 1955, the year after that second movie was released.

This name's most popular year coincided with that brief TV series in 1964 when 149 boys (and 5 girls) were named Destry. You could label this year as Destry's peak in popularity; one that has never been matched since. The year 1965 only brought 50 births with the name, and it continued to decline thereafter.  In 2016, only 10 boys were given this name.

In that novel, Destry was used as a surname: Tom Destry was the main character.  This name would fit in well with other surname names such as Parker, Bennett, Callahan, Lincoln, Guthrie, Dawson, Wiley, Flynn and more. Destry also works well as a unisex name like Autry, Emery, Finley, Auden, Reese, Avery, Riley, Quinn, and others.  Based on the popularity of these two trends, surnames and unisex names, I could imagine Destry catching on and gaining a bit more popularity than just 10 births a year. Alternatively, for parents who wanted to name a girl Destry but

What do you think of Destry? Would you help increase its usage? If so, here are some ideas for middle names and sibling names:

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Audra, Bailey, Harper, Madisyn, Noelle, Piper, Scarlett

Brothers: Aldin, Campbell, Everett, Forrest, Graham, Parrish, Wade

Middle Name Ideas (boys):

Destry Emerson

Destry Hudson

Destry Lance

Destry Mitchell

Destry Vincent

As a Middle Name (boys):

Austin Destry

Calvin Destry

Jacob Destry

Oliver Destry

Samuel Destry

Middle Name Ideas (girls):

Destry Alana

Destry Charlotte

Destry Jeanne

Destry Olivia

Destry Yvette

As a Middle Name (girls):

Amelia Destry

Celia Destry

Madeline Destry

Nora Destry

Sylvia Destry

 

These are just ideas. What other name would you pair with Destry?

Percy

Today's featured boy name is pulled from the list of names ending with the letters -cy.

Percy is is male given name that comes from an English surname. There is a commune in Normandy in Northwestern France called Percy-en-Auge from which the surname was derived. The House of Percy (or Perci in Old French) was one of the most powerful noble families in northern England.

There are still members of the Percy family to this day who are Dukes of Northumberland. Their surname comes from the manor of Percy-en-Auge in Normandy which was their home during the Norman Conquest. The name Percy started out being used as a given name in their honor.

The Greek Perseus is similar in sound and could be assigned the nickname Percy. It means "to destroy" in Greek and was the name of a mythological hero who killed Medusa and founded the ancient city of Mycenae.

Percy can also be considered a short form of the name Percival. The name Perceval, with this spelling, was created by a French poet named Chrétien de Troyes in the 12th century. He wrote a poem called "Perceval, the Story of the Grail" in which Perceval was one of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table.  It is likely that the name Perceval was based on the name of a Welsh hero, Peredur, which means "hard spears" in Welsh. Perceval may have also been influenced by the Old French words percer val meaning "to pierce the valley".

So what does Percy actually mean? Take your pick!  How about its usage?

Percy has been in use on record in the US since 1880. It was used the most in 1920 with 601 births. It fell off the Top 1000 chart as of 1989 and is now a rare name. It only had 58 male births in the year 2015 for a rank of #2275. Despite being a possible short form of Percival, the name Percy on its own has ranked way better over the years. Percival has never scored more than 25 births in a single year.

What do you think of the name Percy? Would you consider it? If so, here are a few middle and sibling name ideas to help you out:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alina, Cordelia, Georgia, Helena, Leonora, Matilda, Rose
Brothers: August, Clyde, Jasper, Lucien, Maurice, Simon, Willis

Middle Name Ideas:
Percy Ambrose
Percy Edmond
Percy James
Percy Randall
Percy Sebastian

As a Middle Name:
Charles Percy
Everett Percy
Finnegan Percy
Jonathan Percy
Nolan Percy

What would you pair with the name Percy? Or do you prefer Percival or Perseus?

Yannick

Our final boy name of the A-Z series is Yannick. It comes straight from the list of The Very Best Y Names for boys and girls.

Yannick  is a diminutive of the name Yann which is the Breton form of the name John. Yann is well-used by the French, recently ranking at #113. Yannick is a bit more unusual but it did rank at #288 in The Netherlands recently.

Nameberry says that Yannick is "not likely to appeal to many American ears," but I disagree. It may never be popular but it isn't strange either. It could even be unusually refreshing to meet a little Yannick. There have been many names ending with -ick over the years. In the 1960s in particular, names like Derrick, Erick, Dominick, Frederick and Patrick ranked well. They all declined in usage after that but they are all ticking upward again today. Add to that list Maverick and Kendrick too for more modern options.

Perhaps, though, they are referring to the "yann" part rather than the "ick". Y Names in general aren't popular. They're not even common. There's no denying that. But if you were to choose one, Yannick is one of the cooler options.

Yannick has been in use in the US since 1981. It has never been popular but it is regularly used. The most births in a single year that it has received was 34 in 2013, and it is currently down to 33 in 2014.

Since it is a form of John, Yannick means "God is gracious".  This name could very nicely honor a relative with any number of related John names, especially if the family has any French or Breton ancestry. If you're looking for something French and unusual with a solid lineage, Yannick would be a great choice. Here are some ideas for sibling and middle names.

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Angeline, Coralie, Eugenie, Helene, Lenore, Manon, Valorie
Brothers: Armand, Gerard, Hugo, Mathias, Remi, Roland, Sebastien

Middle Name Ideas:
Yannick Augustin
Yannick Damien
Yannick Julien
Yannick Laurent
Yannick Ross

As a Middle Name:
Beau Yannick
Evan Yannick
Hugh Yannick
Michael Yannick
Victor Yannick

What do you think of Yannick? Is there another Y name you would have chosen instead?

Quincy

Quincy was hand-chosen from our article that featured The Very Best Q Names for Boys and Girls. We'll take a closer look at it now.

Quincy is a surname that came from the place name Cuinchy which is a village in France. Cuinchy was originally derived from the Ancient Roman praenomen, or given name, Quintus which means "fifth" in Latin. Typically, Quintus was only given to the fifth born son but this isn't a necessary requirement for a modern boy named Quincy.

Perhaps the most famous bearer of this name is the sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams, who happened to be born in the town Quincy, Massachusetts which was named after his mother's grandfather Colonel John Quincy.

This interesting, quirky name has been in regular usage since name records were first kept in 1880 in the US. It was never all that popular until the mid 1970s. At its peak, Quincy ranked at #273 in 1977 with a total of 717 male births. Usage has now fallen to a steady 400-500 births per year. In 2014, 422 boys were named Quincy for a popularity rank of #622.

While I am featuring this name for boys, it has also been regularly used for girls since about 1913. Quincy has never ranked within the Top 1000 for girls, but it is up to #1468 in 2014 with 152 female births. It is gaining more and more usage for girls and could potentially be considered unisex and then surpass the boys, especially with the popularity of the similar name Quinn for girls these days.

Since we're focusing on the male Quincy for now, here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Charlotte, Darby, Fallon, Meghan, Olivia, Piper, Riley
Brothers: Dashiell, Finnegan, Kelvin, Neil, Owen, Sawyer, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Quincy Eamon
Quincy Donovan
Quincy Jude
Quincy Logan
Quincy Samuel

As a Middle Name:
Eli Quincy
Isaac Quincy
Levi Quincy
Malcolm Quincy
Sean Quincy

What do you think of Quincy? What middle name would you pair with it?

Colette

To round out our week of examining French baby names and customs, here is one of my favorite choices for a girl! You voted for Colette on the poll that I had on the sidebar of the blog and she won with 40% of the vote!

Colette is the short form of Nicolette which comes from Nicole, the French feminine form of the masculine name Nicholas. All of these related names (and believe me, it is a huge family tree) come from the Ancient Greek name Nikolaos. They all mean "victory of the people" from the Greek words nike meaning "victory" and laos which refers to "people".  There are many names that come from this tree but let's focus on our lovely French name of the week, Colette.

Famous namesakes include Saint Colette from 15th century France. She was a nun who was known for giving her money to the poor. There was also a French author known as Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954). There are several more that are listed on Nameberry if you'd like to view them.

As a name, Colette first appeared on American babies in 1892.  It wasn't until 1906 that the name gained regular yearly usage and by the mid-1940s, she began climbing up the charts. Her biggest popularity peak was side by side with many other -ette names in 1966 with 594 births for the year and a ranking of #372.

In 1987 she completely fell off the Top 1000 chart and it wasn't until 2012 that she made a reappearance. Jumping from #1040 in 2011 to #659 in 2012 is quite a big deal, even if it only accounted for 424 births. Now in 2013 with 456 births, she's up to #608! This means that she's climbed 432 ranks in just 3 years!  If she continues climbing at that pace, we could expect to see more of her in the near future!

With this new-found momentum in the popularity game, Colette is a proving to be refreshing to modern parents' ears today! This name is a lovely French option that can also work very well on non-French baby girls. It is a bit fresher today than Nicole and not as long as Nicolette, but Colette is still unique enough to bea great under-the-radar choice! Nicknames could include Coco, Coli, Cole, Lette, Lettie & Ette. Can you think of more?

Below are some names that I'd personally pair with Colette. What would you use? Feel free to share them with us in the comment section below or on Facebook!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Camille, Elodie, Frances, Genevieve, Madeleine, Natalie, Teresa
Brothers: Alexandre, Damien, Joseph, Michael, Olivier, Patrick, Vincent

Middle Name Ideas:
Colette Adelaide
Colette Gabrielle
Colette Johanna
Colette Renee

As a Middle Name:
Aubrey Colette
Harper Colette
Olivia Colette
Rosalie Colette

World-Wide Wednesday: French Baby Names

Featured French Names:
Olivier & Colette

This month's edition of World-Wide Wednesday will focus on French baby names.  The French were originally very limited in what names they could use for a child because France was very strict as far as which names were and were not allowed.

Traditionally, babies were only allowed to be named after Roman Catholic saints. Sometimes a child acquired the name of the saint who's National Saint Day fell on the day they were born. Today, that practice is not commonly used anymore, however most French people are still given the name of a saint or a version of a name of a saint. The Saint's Day associated with their name is then celebrated throughout their life as a second birthday.

The most common saint names that were used include Jacques (James), Jean (John), Michel (Michael), Pierre (Peter), or Jean-Baptiste (John the Baptist) for males; and Marie (Mary), Jeanne (Jane), Marguerite (Margaret), Françoise (Frances), or Élisabeth (Elizabeth) for females. Often these names would be hyphenated such as Jean-Pierre or Marie-Claude. This is still a popular naming style today.

When 1966 came around, the government decided to give parents a bit more freedom by allowing mythological names as well as some regional or foreign names. It wasn't until 1993 that parents gained even more freedom. In that year, most restrictions were lifted as long as the name was not deemed detrimental to the child's future. The birth registrar has the ultimate say and can refuse to allow a name that is thought to be harmful. If a name is rejected, the parents may be sent to a local court but this tends to be a rare occurrence.

Typically in the past, the French tended to have one given name that they use, (hyphenated names are considered one name) and a second and third name that are hardly mentioned beyond official documents. These latter names tend to honor godparents or grandparents and may be considered "out of fashion" for those reasons. These second and third names are similar to the Anglo-Saxon "middle name" that is rarely known or used. However, a French person may choose to be called by one of these more "hidden" names rather than the first one listed on the birth certificate. Nowadays, using more than one name on a daily basis is rather out of fashion, but they still tend to have multiple middle names.

Nearly all traditional given names are gender-specific. There are some cases where a name may appear unisex but actually be pronounced or spelled slightly differently for each gender such as Frederic (M) and Frederique (F).  When it comes to compound or hyphenated names, sometimes the second name can be that of the opposite gender; for example, a girl named Marie-George or a boy named Jean-Marie. It is the first name that denotes the gender.

As a result of the lifting of the baby naming restrictions, names that are being given today are drastically different than the names used even 40+ years ago.

For French-Canadians, there was a typical name structure in place up until the mid-1900s. Children were generally given three names. The first denoted the gender of the child, like Marie or Joseph. The second name was that of a godparent of the same gender. The third name is what the child was actually called by. It was even common for every sibling to receive the same sex appropriate first name, which brought about families whose children looked like this: Marie-Louise, Marie-Antoinette, Jean-Pierre and Jean-Paul. They would then either go by the second half of the hyphenated name or by a third name.

Baptism records often listed only the child's first name and sometimes the second name. The third was virtually ignored. However, the family bible would list all of the names. Records sometimes got confusing, especially when the children were all given the same first names. This would lead to plenty of mistaken identities in genealogical records. Occasionally there was also a practice up until the 1930s in which the name of a deceased child would be reused again for the next child. That no longer happens but it definitely led to even more confusion on official records.

As of 2011, popular baby names in France were much different than those in America. One source even mentioned that using an "American" name is not fashionable and can sometimes indicate a lower class family. This is because the French overused "American" names in the 1990s so they currently shy away from our trends. But they definitely have their own. If the name is not French in origin, it may be Italian, Greek, Spanish or Irish instead, which are all being commonly used these days. There is plenty of debate about whether a foreign name could hurt the child's future job prospects since the country had very limited choices for so long. It is feared that if a name is too unique, the child may not fare well.

Recent trends have included using shorter names like Lucas and Clara rather than using long ones like Alexandre or Nathalie. Girls are increasingly being given names that end with -a rather than the more usual -e endings.  Boys are seeing more names ending in -o.

       Top Names in France for 2013:

Boys:             Nathan Lucas Léo Enzo Louis Gabriel Jules Timéo Hugo Arthur Ethan Raphaël Maël Tom Noah Mathis Théo Adam Nolan Clément

Girls: Emma Lola Chloé Inès Léa Jade Manon Louise Zoé Lilou Léna Sarah Camille Maëlys Lina Eva Louna Clara Alice Romane

For a much longer list of names that are used in France, check out the top names from 2011. It is a bit older but it is more complete than the above.  Which name on the list is your favorite?

[Note: I know very basic French but I've never been to France or Quebec or any other French-speaking country. If I have misinterpreted any information, please let me know!]

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Olivier

I selected four French boy names and threw them in a poll on the blog. You voted and Olivier was barely the winner with 14 votes, sneaking past front-runner Laurent in the 11th hour. So let's take a look at the French name Olivier as we kick off French-Week! Stay tuned for our World-Wide Wednesday post about French naming customs too, and a girl name on Friday!

Parents are in love with Oliver today. Nameberry describes it as "energetic and good-natured, stylish but not nearly as trendy as twin-sister Olivia, with a meaning symbolizing peace and fruitfulness." The French Olivier may have pronunciation problems in the US along with sister Olivie, however there are also other similar options such as the Spanish Olivero and the Italian Oliviero. Olive is also becoming a favorite for girls.

With the following pronunciations, o-lee-VYAY (French), O-lee-veer (Dutch), Olivier isn't exactly rolling off American tongues the same way Oliver is. Both of these names may come from either the Germanic name Alfher or the Old Norse name Áleifr. They became more popularly influenced by the Latin oliva over time which means "olive tree". According to Behind the Name: "In the Middle Ages the name became well-known in Western Europe because of the French epic 'La Chanson de Roland', in which Olivier was a friend and advisor of the hero Roland.

In England Oliver was a common medieval name, however it became rare after the 17th century because of the military commander Oliver Cromwell, who ruled the country following the civil war. The name was revived in the 19th century, perhaps in part due to the title character in Charles Dickens' novel 'Oliver Twist' (1838), which was about a poor orphan living on the streets of London."

Both of these names clearly have some solid history behind them in Europe since medieval times, and if you take a look at Behind the Name, you'll see a long list of Oliver's popularity around the world! Oliver is ranked pretty high in several countries, but what about their popularity in the US today?

While Oliver is enjoying plenty of usage at #73 in 2012 in the US, the French spelling of Olivier is not very popular.  Olivier ranked in at #2046 which means only 67 boys were given the name. It has only been in regular usage since the 1960s whereas Oliver dates back in the US to 1880 with a bit of a popularity boost around 1920.   Olivier ranks #282 in England/Wales, #348 in France and #43 in the Netherlands.

If you have any French ancestry or a French last name, Olivier is a wonderful choice! However, non-French Americans seem to flock towards Oliver instead. Which do you prefer? Using the American format of a first and middle name, what would you pair with these? Here are some ideas I came up with for each:

Sibling Name Ideas (Olivier):
Sisters: Amelie, Beatrice, Claire, Estelle, Lucille, Rosalie, Sylvie, Vivien
Brothers: Augustin, Benoit, Emile, Felix, Frederic, Luca, Maurice, Sebastien

Middle Name Ideas:
Olivier Fabian
Olivier Gerard
Olivier Noel
Olivier Remi

As a Middle Name:
Claud Olivier
Damien Olivier
Henri Olivier
Mathieu Olivier

--

Sibling Name Ideas (Oliver):
Sisters: Amelia, Charlotte, Eleanor, Lily, Lucy, Rose, Sophie, Violet
Brothers: Alexander, Daniel, Elliot, Henry, Leo, Noah, Samuel, Thomas

Middle Name Ideas:
Oliver Dominic
Oliver James
Oliver Tristan
Oliver Vincent

As a Middle Name:
Gideon Oliver
Julian Oliver
Nathan Oliver
Sebastian Oliver

What do you think? What sibling or middle name ideas would you add?

Fletcher

Fletcher is originally a surname that refers to a person who fletches arrows as their occupation. It is a Middle English name meaning "arrow maker" which comes from the Old French flechier. It is a surname but it has a tough, masculine feel to it with a bit of unique quirkiness added in.

Following this week's post about names inspired by poetry, there was a poet named Thomas Fletcher (1666-1713) who was also a priest of the Church of England.  John Fletcher was a Jacobean playwright (1579-1625) who took over Shakespeare's role as the house playwright for the King's Men. Click here to view many more famous namesakes including several fictional characters named Fletcher.

This name has been in regular use since 1880 in the US. It had a boost in popularity in 1914 that lasted through the early 1950s before it declined again. However it was in the top 1000 names from 1880-1971, and 1985-1986. The year 1998 saw another boost, catapulting the name back into the Top 1000 in 2003 at #991.  In 2012, Fletcher saw 283 births which put the name at a ranking of #791.

It fits right in with other occupational surnames like Carter (#36), Hunter (#45), Tyler (#50), Parker (#80) and Cooper (#82).  Fletcher currently ranks at #220 in England/Wales.

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Audrey, Charlotte, Macy, Piper, Sophia, Willow
Brothers: Bennett, Holden, Jack, Nathan, Oliver, Tobiah

Middle Name Ideas:
Fletcher Augustus
Fletcher Benjamin
Fletcher Daniel
Fletcher Miles
Fletcher Reid

As a Middle Name:
Adam Fletcher
Ethan Fletcher
Gabriel Fletcher
Owen Fletcher
Vincent Fletcher

Remy

The four-letter name of the week is one that is being revived for both boys and girls. It has a modern feel to it and is certainly attractive on both genders, however I prefer it for a boy.

Rémy is a French name that comes from the Latin name Remigius which was derived from the Latin remigis meaning "oarsman".  It was also the name of a fifth century saint.

This name, when said in its French form, is pronounced ray-MEE. However you can get by with just REM-ee in the US, especially without the accent mark over the e. Another variant is Rémi or Remi. The Italians, Portuguese and Spanish prefer the name Remigio.

The name appears on French alcoholic beverages: Rémy Cointreau is the company and they have a brandy called Rémy Martin.

In pop culture, there is a band called Remy Zero; and the main character in the film Ratatouille is named Remy. There are also a few geographical locations with this name. As for famous namesakes who have Remy as a first name or a surname, the list is far too long for this blog. Take a look here if you want to view it.

Statistically, the name breaks down like this for the year 2012:
Remy (Boy): #891 with 233 births
Remy (Girl): #1237 with 195 births
Remi (Boy): #2074 with 66 births
Remi (Girl): #1036 with 242 births

So according to this data, it is fair to say that the Remy spelling is more commonly used for boys, while Remi is a bit more feminine. However, it is clearly very unisex overall.

Boy Remy and Boy Remi were used in the US well before either girl spelling.  Remy was first used on 6 boys in 1914 and Remi followed the next year with 8 births. Females began receiving these names much later. Remi appeared on the record for girls in 1963 with 5 births and Remy followed the next year, also with 5 births. At least these names seem to travel together!

It wasn't until the late 70s and early 80s that these 4 names were regularly used every year, and it is only in the past decade that they've gained a boost in usage. Despite this, none of the spellings have ever been in the Top 1000 except for Boy Remy who cracked the barrier in 2009. Girl Remi may be next!

I favor Remy for a boy over all of these. While I love the French spelling and pronunciation, I can't help but like the Americanized REM-ee a little bit more.  However, for Francophones, I definitely recommend Rémy paired with a French middle name.  Which spelling do you prefer for which gender and which pronunciation do you like best?


Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelie, Benoite, Claire, Eloise, Helene, Jovie, Lydia, Nadine, Odette, Sophie, Vivienne
Brothers: Armand, Bastien, Dashiell, Eben, Finn, Jasper, Lucien, Pascal, Rupert, Soren, Thierry

Middle Name Ideas (Boy):
Remy Alexandre
Remy Benoit
Remy Gervais
Remy Laurent
Remy Olivier
Remy Sebastien

Middle Name Ideas (Girl):
Remy Alaina
Remy Beatrice
Remy Diane
Remy Isabelle
Remy Nicolette
Remy Simone

Amandine

This week's name theme is food-inspired. I have previously featured two of the names that are on the list: Basil and Clementine. I thought I would choose one that is less obviously food-related and more wearable as a name: Amandine.

Did you know that Amandine is a culinary term that refers to almonds that are used as garnish? It is sometimes misspelled as almondine in cookbooks in the US.  Did you also know that Amandine is the French form of the feminine name Amanda? Makes sense, right?

This lovely French diminutive means "much-loved" and is a wonderfully unique twist on the previously-popular and somewhat-dated name Amanda. On that note, it would also do well to honor a relative named Amanda but still give the child a modern and unique choice.

The French word for almond is amande. If you pronounce Amandine the way the French do, it would be a-mawn-DEEN. This name recently ranked at #87 in France and is occasionally used in Belgium. However, it is exceedingly rare in the US.

Actor John Malkovich named his daughter Amandine in 1990 which may have caused the very first record of the name being used in the US: there were 6 births in 1991. After that, there were 6 girls born with the name in 1996, 5 in 1999, 34 between 2002 and 2008. There were 5 born in 2013 with this name for a ranking of #16,594. (Of course the records require at least 5 births for the year so there could have been a few more Amandines born in between then that were not recorded.)

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Alessia, Beatrice, Camille, Eugenie, Juliette, Melisande, Nicolette, Rafaella, Vivienne
Brothers: Alexandre, Basil, Bastien, Florian, Jourdain, Lawrence, Mathieu, Olivier, Percival

Middle Name Ideas:
Amandine Belle
Amandine Colette
Amandine Elise
Amandine Faye
Amandine Giselle
Amandine Matilde
Amandine Noelle

Middle Name to Avoid:
Amandine Joie (essentially Almond Joy, a candy bar.)

As a Middle Name:
Claire Amandine
Isabelle Amandine
Natalie Amandine
Sophie Amandine

What middle name would you pair with Amandine? Do you have any more suggestions for a good sibling name? Let me know in the comment section!

Top Baby Names from Switzerland in 2012

It is always fun to take a look at what kind of names are popular in other parts of the world. Sometimes, us American bloggers get so caught up writing about the Top US names that we forget to look around.

In 2012, there were 82,164 live births in Switzerland. 39,729 were girls and 42,435 were boys. Below are the top names for the babies born to parents who speak French, German and Italian but live within Switzerland.

It is so interesting that these names can come from one country and yet differ so greatly between the three languages. One thing is certain, they all tend to favor the "L" sound in many of these favorite names!  Take a look at the top 16 names for each language!

French-Speaking Switzerland:

Boys:
1. Gabriel
2. Luca
3. Thomas
4. Noah
5. Nathan
6. Lucas
7. Samuel
8. Theo

Girls:
1. Emma
2. Léa
3. Chloé
4. Zoé
5. Lara
6. Eva
7. Charlotte
8. Clara

German-Speaking Switzerland:

Boys:
1. Noah
2. Luca
3. David
4. Leon
5. Leandro
6. Nico
7. Levin
8. Julian

Girls:
1. Mia
2. Alina
3. Laura
4. Julia
5. Anna
6. Emma
7. Leonie
8. Lena

Italian-Speaking Switzerland:

Boys:
1. Gabriel
2. Alessandro
3. Leonardo
4. Matteo
5. Nathan
6. Samuele
7. Elia
8. Samuel

Girls:
1. Sofia
2. Alice
3. Emma
4. Elisa
5. Giulia
6. Martina
7. Giada
8. Giorgia

I think I would side with the French-Speaking list but they are all pretty great! Which do you like best?

Source | Source | Source

Boy Name of the Week: Chandler

The Boy Name of the Week is one of my favorite occupational names and I chose it in honor of yesterday's name list. It is derived from an Old French name that took form as a Middle English occupational name meaning "candlestick maker" or "candle seller."  Have you guessed? Yes, its Chandler. A chandler was the head of the chandlery in medieval households, responsible for wax, candles, and soap.

There are some parents who will give this name to their daughter but it is more popular for boys. The most popular example in recent memory is funny-man Chandler Bing on the TV show Friends which aired from 1994-2004. However, despite fitting right in with the "-er" trend and the occupational name trend, Chandler has lost its popularity since 2004. In fact, the most usage this name has seen was indeed during the airing of that show. It more than doubled between 1994 and 1995, (from 704 births to 1,856). Its highest peak occurred in 1999 with 2,394 births and a ranking of #151.

But lets back up a bit. Chandler first appeared on American baby boys in 1900 with 5 births. It took 62 years for the name to hit the girl market with 10 female births in 1962. Yet, before Friends even aired, the girl-Chandlers increased from 90 births in 1991 to 437 births in 1992 with its highest peak of 744 births occurring in 1995.

The name has declined in usage for boys over the past decade, but it has actually increased for girls. In 2016, male Chandlers ranked at #466 with 650 births, whereas the females made a leap onto the Top 1000 chart, returning for the first time since 2002 for a rank of #995 and 264 births. It is almost time for this name to be fresh again.

What do you think of this name and do you prefer it on a boy or a girl?  Here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Avery, Delaney, Jessica, Matilda, Savannah, Willow
Brothers: Carter, Ethan, Harrison, Landon, Lincoln, Taylor,

Middle Name Ideas (Boy): 
Chandler Michael
Chandler Ellis
Chandler Adrian
Chandler Scott

Middle Name Ideas (Girl):
Chandler Isabelle
Chandler Lillian
Chandler Elise
Chandler Sophia

Which gender do you prefer for the name Chandler? What middle name would you pair with it?

Revised: 5/18/17

Name(s) of the Day: Melisande/Millicent

Today, you get a 2-for-1 special for the Name(s) of the Day.

I've recently had a new-found fascination with the name Millicent but it just feels a bit too old-fashioned and stiff for me to personally consider using. I decided to look at variations of it and fell in love with the French Melisande, which I would use in a heartbeat if I could get hubby on-board since he speaks French and I'm learning it.

When I went to look up the popularity stats on these names that I hear quite frequently on naming forums, I was surprised to see how little-used and extremely rare Melisande is in the US.

Check this out! The data pool that I use doesn't record a name for the year if there were not at least 5 births. So perhaps there have been 1-4 births here and there all along, but according to this data, there were 5 girls named Melisande in 2005 (ranked #18226), 6 in 1972, 5 in 1960, 5 in 1947 and that is all! A total of 21 little girls named Melisande in the US EVER! How much more unique could you get?

Yet the name sounds familiar as if you should know a Melisande or two. Millicent, however, has been steadily popular since the SSA began ranking names in 1880. There was a peak of 249 girls named Millicent in 1927 (which is its highest chart ranking of #435) and it has never reached that many since then. In 2012, there were 71 baby Millicents which ranked the name at #2539.

Source

Both names are rarely heard of today and would be refreshing and adorable! Millicent could go by Millie, and Melisande could be Mellie or Sandy or even Lissy or Andy if you go by spelling instead of sound. (Remember, it has a French pronunciation which roughly sounds like "mehl-ee-sahnd.) See the popularity of Melisande in France here.

Both names mean "Strong" or "Industrious". Melisande is French and Millicent is German. Melisande was used by Maurice Maeterlinck in his play 'Pelléas et Mélisande' (1893). The play was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).

What do you think of these non-ranking names? Too old-fashioned, or perfectly unique and beautiful?

Sibling Name Ideas for Melisande:
Sisters: Amandine, Anneliese, Clementine, Genevieve, Lucinda, Romilly
Brothers: Clement, Frances, Marcel, Phineas, Roman, Tobias

Middle Name Ideas:
Melisande Joie
Melisande Colette
Melisande Ramona
Melisande Kate
Melisande Elise

As a Middle Name:
Ivy Melisande
Anna Melisande
Juliet Melisande
Lily Melisande

Sibling Name Ideas for Millicent:
Sisters: Amelia, Elizabeth, Francesca, Lucille, Mabel, Philippa
Brothers: Benjamin, Elliott, Finnegan, Oliver, Robert, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Millicent Claire
Millicent Eve
Millicent Josephine
Millicent Lorraine
Millicent Grace

As a Middle Name:
Eve Millicent
Lucy Millicent
Nora Millicent
Rachel Millicent

Name of the Day: Clementine

Today's featured name is Clementine. It originates as the French feminine form of the male name Clement, which is derived from the Late Latin name Clemens or Clementius, meaning "merciful," "gentle" or "mild."

If the "Oh my Darlin'" association is too strong for you, try pronouncing it as Cle-mahn-teen instead as the French do. Alternatively, try Clementina. This spelling originates with Italian, Late Roman, Portuguese and Spanish.  The Polish Klementyna is neat too if you have Polish roots!

Personally, I think Clementine would make a lovely middle name. (i.e.  Amelia Clementine or Ivy Clementine). It has the beautiful, French flair and is still rather unique!

Clementine was a darling on the charts in the 1920s-1950s. 1921 was Clementine's best year for number of births. There were 160 girls born which ranked the name at #567 at the time. It went up and down on the charts for a while and actually had a few years in the 70s and 80s where the name wasn't used at all, but it is on an upswing again. 221 girls were named Clementine in 2013 for a ranking of #1100.

Source

In France, though, the name Clementine is ranked just outside of the Top 100!  What do you think of this name?  Would you ever use it? Here are some sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelia, Josephine, Mabel, Scarlett, Tallulah
Brothers: Alastair, Benedict, Nathaniel, Sullivan, Theodore

Middle Name Ideas: 
Clementine Ivy
Clementine Eve
Clementine Louise
Clementine Estella

As a Middle Name:
Isla Clementine
Reese Clementine
Lily Clementine
Piper Clementine

Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below!

Name of the Day: Emmeline

Today's Name of the Day is my new favorite girl's name: Emmeline. As a big fan of Emma (but not of her popularity), Emmeline appeals to me in a big way! Unfortunately, I think many other baby-namers who feel the same way will help to make this name popular soon. It fits in with mega-popular Emma and Emily, as well as all the Madelines, Adelines and Carolines.  It's a wonder this name hasn't caught on already!

In the real world, actor Christian Bale has a daughter named Emmeline; a famous English suffragette was named Emmeline Pankhurst; and there is an American journalist known as Emmeline Wells. In the fictional world, Emmeline Vance was a character in Harry Potter.  There are a couple other examples, such as Brooke Shields' character in "The Blue Lagoon" (1980).

Emmeline is currently sitting just outside of the Top 1000 chart at #1078 in 2012. She has never broken onto the chart, but I think her time is coming soon!  She is ranked just slightly higher today than she was in 1904 (#1296). Emmeline massively lost popularity through the 1940's and 1950's before beginning to spike upward again in the 70's. Take a look at this dramatic chart!

Source

Emmeline is an Old French form of the Germanic name Amelina, which is a diminutive of other Germanic names that begin with "amal" which means "work". Having a little "hardworker" is adorable! The Normans introduced this name to England. It has always been around, but it has been very under-the-radar for years!

What do you think of this lovely name? Would you pronounce it Emme-line or Emme-leen? I go back and forth on that. There is a big debate about which is accurate but it may just come down to personal preference. I lean toward the -leen sound. Would you name your daughter Emmeline?

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Adelaide, Imogen, Genevieve, Magnolia, Violet
Brothers: Atticus, Elijah, Jasper, Oliver, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Emmeline Clara
Emmeline Scarlett
Emmeline Paige
Emmeline Vivienne

As a Middle Name:
Julia Emmeline
Sarah Emmeline
Lily Emmeline
Sophia Emmeline