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Baby names

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

Original poster

Baby Girl Fabienne

34 replies

Owlshaped · 27/04/2012 13:42

I am a raging Francophile, so for us, names were always expected to draw from the French. However, we have not wanted to plague her with typical English mis-pronounciation, raised eyebrows yada yada. So we have been skirting round Amelie, Mathilda, Madeleine etc (all of which we love) but Fabienne has just really struck a chord with me recently and I wanted some honest opinions on the name really ... So fire away! :)

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TwoTearsInABucket · 30/04/2012 05:29

I am a Fabienne and born and brought up in england with a European dad.
Expect anyone English not to be able to pronounce it if they read it.
They will say the boys name Fabian.
It's fucking infuriating even when you correct them they don't get it right most of the time. I say Fah-bee-enne. The French pronounce it Fab-yen.

I also absolutely hate being called Fabby, it nauseating. I prefer Fab. But really whatever your daughter prefers should be used.

I love my name Grin

vvviola · 30/04/2012 05:27

I like it.

We were looking for a francophone name for DD2 (as well as one from a strong historical figure - we aren't picky Wink). We ended up with Celine (the historical connection is a little tenuous - it's a middle name). Uncommon enough and not too hard to pronounce. Although our Belgian babysitter told us it is a terribly old-fashioned and uncool in francophone countries Grin

mathanxiety · 30/04/2012 05:25

What a lovely name, and most unusual.

ben5 · 30/04/2012 05:15

my French exchange girl was called Fabienne. She was very kind to me when I went to France( 20 odd years ago!!) so I like the name

SodoffBaldrick · 30/04/2012 03:21

Makes me think of Pulp Fiction!

I still think it's a lovely name, even though she was a bit of a wet character. Wink

CheerfulYank · 30/04/2012 02:41

It's pretty. I wasn't keen at first but have been repeating it to myself for a few minutes and like it now. :)

YellowBalloon · 30/04/2012 02:31

I like Fabienne, very nice indeed. DD2 was born this month in a French speaking country so i wanted to give her a French middle name. We picked Vivienne. On the list also was Noelle, Francine, Claudine, Zoe.

thegreylady · 29/04/2012 21:53

I have three cousins with French names one is Dominique another is Marie-Claire and the third is Eloise.
Fabienne is very pretty.

FrauGrau · 29/04/2012 21:15

I love the name. As I understand it, in French there is no particular emphasis on any syllable - they are all balanced, therefore Fab-i-enne rather than FAB -ienne or Fabi -ENNE. she will be called Fabby anyway (and that's got to be cute!)

Fraktal · 29/04/2012 18:07

Wonderful! I love it but DH would never agree.

HandMadeTail · 29/04/2012 16:23

Dd2 has a friend called Fabienne. She's called Fabbi, or Fabsimet, on special occasions.

Original poster
Owlshaped · 29/04/2012 16:19

Thanks for all the contributions, i wasn't expecting so many lovely comments about the name and its definitely the last contender now. (We're not going to name her till we see her and know for sure!!) But I'm really confident about this one. Thanks all :)

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freerangeeggs · 27/04/2012 22:38

Love!

Psammead · 27/04/2012 21:35

I knew a lovely little girl named Fabienne. Nothing but good associations. Nice name!

ChocolateIsAFoodGroup · 27/04/2012 21:20

Very good friend called Fabienne - strong, beautiful name; strong, beautiful woman.

Also very good friend called Sabine, proud and romantic name (to my ears), lovely, awesome, heart-warming friend.

Go for it with either one, I say Wink!

DogEared · 27/04/2012 20:50

Beautiful name!
Also love Sabine.

BlackSwan · 27/04/2012 20:45

Like Fabienne. Not Isaline though, too similar to petroleum jelly.

SwedishEdith · 27/04/2012 19:53

Oh, Fabienne is fabulous. I love French names and this is one of the best. Do it, do it, do it Smile

onlyaname · 27/04/2012 19:51

Fabienne is lovely. I know of a two year old Fabienne. Tho' it is clearly very unusual in the UK. I like Isaline...

UnnamedFemaleProtagonist · 27/04/2012 16:31

I know a Fabienne, she is dutch/far eastern. She pronounces it Fab-ee-enna.

HokeyCokeyPigInaPokey · 27/04/2012 16:28

owlshaped i like it that way, Fah-been-YEHN

oikopolis · 27/04/2012 16:23

i like Fabienne very much. strong and feminine, not frilly.

i will say that some might think you've given her a boy's name, since Fabian is fairly well known in English and we are much less keen on feminizing male names in this culture iyswim.

that wouldn't be enough to stop me, but to some it might be offputting. i know my DH would balk for example.

about pronounciation, as i understand it, French prns are less rhythmic that English prns. i.e. i think it's fab-i-enne, not FAB-ienne or fab-I-enne or fab-i-ENNE iyswim. there's basically an equal stress on each syllable.

Original poster
Owlshaped · 27/04/2012 15:48

See I would have gone with Fah-bee-YEHN. I think the emphasis needs to be on the Enne. Middle name is likely to be Elizabeth, (well it is Jubilee year) so nickname would be based around Betsy!
I do love that it means bean grower though (ever since we found out we were expecting, and before we knew the sex, we always referred to the bean haha!)

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BBQJuly · 27/04/2012 15:32

Is it Fabby-enn or Fay-bee-enn?

MarySA · 27/04/2012 15:30

I'm not very keen on Fabienne. But I like Vivienne. And Celine.