My friend Jacquie likes French-inspired names. She has a little boy named Oliver and a fun last name that begins with "La." She asked me to do some research on girls' names as they are mostly set on a boy's name. In my research I learned that one of the major characteristics of French names is that they are often hyphenated and if you are introduced to a Jean-Luc, call him Jean-Luc as Luc is not a middle name. There is a sibset in my playgroup named Anne-Sophie and Juliette and I just love those names. The hyphen is really growing on me, I've always liked names like Mary Kate (who doesn't live the Olsen twins?) and French names roll off the tongue so much easier than English names with all their hard vowels.
My French list, with their ranking according to 2007's Social Security baby names list.
Adele (n/a)
Adrienne (751)
Amelie (758)
Avril (n/a)
Belle (n/a)
Camille (306)
Claire (66)
Charlotte (102)
Collette (n/a)
Coralie (n/a)
Elise (225)
Eloise (n/a)
Elodie (n/a)
Emmaline (n/a)
Estelle (n/a)
Genevieve (344)
Helene (n/a)
Isabelle (79)
Jocelyn (50)
Josephine (224)
Mallory (247)
Margaux (Margo) (n/a)
Mirabelle (n/a)
Mirielle (n/a)
Natalie (17)
Noelle (504)
Penelope (412)
Renee (709)
Sophie (82)
Violette (n/a, but Violet is 231)
Vivienne (n/a, but Vivian is 210)
So it seems that French names are not popular right now. I'll have to keep that in mind, even though we aren't French, I am sure my in-laws would love it if we named a girl Marie-Elise, accent marks included. They still have trouble with Ciaran (Kieran in the English spelling) and Bennett (which is phonetic).
Good luck Jacquie! I hope my list gets your naming juices flowing. Hyphen! Hyphen! ;)
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2 comments:
one of my favorite names is Claire. I love it!
just found your blog and i'm thrilled. i'm needing help with the naming of our child, but don't know how to write you. i'm sure it is probably obvious, but that doesn't mean i can figure it out! please help...thanks!
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