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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Help me find a French girls' name

59 replies

thrillahkillah · 17/01/2012 22:03

I'm only a month or so pg but I foresee divorce looming over a possible girl's name.

We have a highly unusual surname that begins with O. It's from a v obscure area of France & the tradition is to use French names, particularly Occitan names.

So, the name must not begin with B (B.O.) or H (H.O.)... and should ideally be French. DH is one of those people who has a random association for every name under the sun, so has nixed about a million already. He also hates highly unusual names (because he has one... Occitan too... ) sigh

Here is our combined list so far.

FNs:
Anna
Annabel/le
Lucie
Rose
Stéphanie
Valérie

MNs:
Adela/Adèle
Helène
Jane
Marie

...ideas and opinions welcome. Combination suggestions (only with the MNs listed... we won't use a MN unless it's for a family member) also welcome.

Boys we're OK with I think. We are going with Vincent or Dominic, possibly Guy as a middle name.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
BlueNails · 18/01/2012 15:41

Vagine

Pronounced "Va-jin-ee" like Virginie

Itsboywonder · 18/01/2012 15:36

I like Lucie and Eloise.

I love Elodie and Fleur.

How nice to have so many pretty names to choose from, good luck!

33goingon64 · 18/01/2012 15:34

I love Manon - it's on our list for DC2. You have to swallow the second n so it's a soft sound, not a hard n. If you have ever seen the film Manon Des Sources you will see why the name appeals: feminine and feisty.

BlueChampagne · 18/01/2012 15:16

Celeste
Sylvie again
Carine

olefina · 18/01/2012 15:05

lovely names - Lucie and Anna are my faves with Adela/Adele as mn respectively

mimimomma · 18/01/2012 13:15

Yvonne
Valerie
Amelie
Sylvie

Bodeccia · 18/01/2012 11:47

I'm in the same position as you: DH is French and we need something that can cross over into both languages. We're having a girl too, so we really need to make a decision on this!

You names are lovely, and the ones suggested are also very sweet. I'm a teacher, so I get your DH's whole association thing too. I would say though, that your potential daughter is going to scrap any association with anyone you know with the same name. I've actually got names of some kids who are in my classes on my short list, not because they're lovely girls but because we like the names and they go well with our surname.

My only comment is to see what comes organically, you have plenty of time to see what sits with you both.

We went to see The Artist the other day, and DH thought that Bérénice would be a lovely name for wee buba. I'm not convinced as it would become Berry-nice in English!

Bonne chance!

marshmallowpies · 18/01/2012 11:24

Oh and I forgot to mention another two favourites:
Leonie
Sidonie

notso · 18/01/2012 11:06

My very favourite French name is Emmeline, in fact it is one of my favourite names ever, but sadly I can't convince DH.
From your list I love in order of preference Anna, Rose, Lucie, Annabel/le, Stephanie, Valerie (this is least favourite because I hate the nn Val and apologies but I don't know how to do the accent symbol)

Hope88 · 18/01/2012 11:03

Eloise

Eloise Rose

Eloise Adele

Eloise Helene

IndigoBell · 18/01/2012 10:59

Claudette

viagrafalls · 18/01/2012 10:56

Elodie eh -low-dee

PigletJohn · 18/01/2012 10:56

Charlotte?

marshmallowpies · 18/01/2012 10:52

I used to know a Maylis, and always thought it was a very pretty name. Not seen it spelled Maelys before.

Also like Mathilde, Elise, Melusine and Sandrine.

PercyFilth · 18/01/2012 10:50

I know what Occitan is, but the names in the OP seem to be conventional French names, so am not sure what names qualify.

BikeRunSki · 18/01/2012 09:16

Ottilie
Elodie
Celestine

LiviaAugusta · 18/01/2012 09:14

Genevieve
Delphine
Love the name Stephanie too.

Offspring · 18/01/2012 02:21

I like Anna and Helene best from your list.

Suggestions:
Janine
Seraphine
Delphine

shouldabeenwashedinajug · 17/01/2012 22:33

Eloise/Heloise?

pinkhousesarebest · 17/01/2012 22:32

Bertille
Capucine
Domitille
Garance

Valerie and Stephanie are a bit early forties round these parts. Ripe for a re-run I suppose.....

thrillahkillah · 17/01/2012 22:32

Thanks for the suggestions so far, please keep them coming.

Opinions of the names on our current list are also welcome.

Heatherhills en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occitan_language

OP posts:
Theas18 · 17/01/2012 22:29

I don't think you can go wrong with a beautifully classic and classy combination like Anna Marie .

Lovely in french, almost as pretty in english, and not common in the UK but not "wacky" either.

Heatherhills · 17/01/2012 22:28

What is Occitan?

Francoise
Sabine
Celine
Chantal
Josephine
Simone
Helene
Lucille
Camille
Christianne
Jeanne
Therese

tethersend · 17/01/2012 22:26

Sylvie

Greythorne · 17/01/2012 22:26

Apollime
Félicie
Inès
Sixtine
Hortense
Camille
Céleste
Fleur
Blanche
Manon
Anaïs
Mathilde
Juliette
Maelys
Amandine
Margot
Clémence
Maëlle
Agathe
Giselle
Solène
Eloïse
Salomé
Emeline
Méline
Aurélia