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Baby names

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

Original poster

Boy's name - work in French and English

87 replies

LeBFG · 19/10/2012 17:45

My mum can't pronounce anything vaguely French but we live in France. So, we're looking for boys names that work in both languages and are pronounced vaguely the same for ease of switching.

Problem is, last time round, we struggled like hell and finally settled on Leon just after DS's birth - very last minute. Found out a few weeks ago we're expecting another boy. A girl's name would be soooo much easier Hmm....

Any help appreciated.

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cuillereasoupe · 22/10/2012 07:15

William is used in France with more or less the same pronunciation. I think you need to take into account the differences in fashion on both sides of the Channel too - George is popular in the UK but no-one in France under the age of 70 is called Georges, for example.

thewhistler · 21/10/2012 21:47

Edmund/Edmond
Giles/Gilles
Christopher/Christophe
Victor
Oliver/ Olivier. Not too hard. Your mother would be able to do olivier because of the actor Laurence olivier.
Albert

I like Max, and Maximilian is another

tittytittyhanghang · 21/10/2012 21:29

switched off after reading ufo religion. Pffft, for the crazies only!

tittytittyhanghang · 21/10/2012 21:28

oooh, dp shares the same name as a cult, interesting. He was named after some character off of a Genius Album

cuillereasoupe · 21/10/2012 17:15

My thoughts would be Pierre (I can't believe anyone would find that hard to pronounce!), Félix, maybe Marc (though that's kind of a 40-year-old's name), Lucien, Paul, Emile, Yann.

Original poster
LeBFG · 21/10/2012 15:32

Just googled Raelian cult. Yes, all associated names to be vetoed too - thanks for the tip Wink. Oh my word, what a bunch of weirdos!

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cuillereasoupe · 21/10/2012 15:27

You can't call a French kid Beau - what if he wasn't?! And I'm afraid Rael wouldn't go down very well either because of the Raelian cult.

Original poster
LeBFG · 21/10/2012 09:24

Sebastian has been suggested a few times. My main problem is what would be the nn? I dislike Seb.

Some family have suggested Theo so this will go onto the shortlist I think.

Yes Jux it is about finding a sensible middle road and compromising. It is our little storm in a tea cup...but it is terribly paralysing. Last time, I gave birth 7 weeks early, we had no name prepared so DS's paperwork were all humorously "BOY BFG" and we had to make a quick bedside decision because of the three day registration rule in France - a decision made under v stressful conditions I might add. This time I want to be prepared well in advance!

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othersideofchannel · 20/10/2012 21:45

Our English friends in France have a Quentin and Sebastian which are both lovely imo.

caz05 · 20/10/2012 20:50

Louis and Beau both French I believe and both great boys names.

BananaPhone · 20/10/2012 20:45

Theo

BikeRunSki · 20/10/2012 20:44

Darius

Jux · 20/10/2012 15:36

A long time ago I had a friend whose wife was Persian. They used a Persian name for pfb and the Englishers just had to do their best; second child had English name and third back to Persian. They didn't worry at all about making it easy in whichever language and the kids all wound up with shortened names anyway; in one language the names were pronounced in one way and in the other language they were pronounced another way, with different people managing more or less close to the correct pronunciation.

I don't understand why you're worrying, to be honest. What if you were to end up living in Germany, for instance? All your names would be pronounced differently.

I think this is a bit of a storm in a teacup, and I think you're having enough trouble finding names acceptable to both of you with wondering about how sundry others will manage.

Tinymrscollings · 20/10/2012 14:58

I know a French/english couple with a Tristan, which I think is lovely. I wanted ds to be an Etienne but was vetoed because nous habitons a à Middlesex not à Paris, sadly.

7to25 · 20/10/2012 14:49

I was thinking of Patrick, my son tells me the name Eamon is well tolerated by the French.

youarewinning · 20/10/2012 14:39

Ah feel your pain OP!

DS was born in Spain (Tenerife) and has British and Canarian relatives.

We named him Tomás (tom-a-s) He gets is pronounced as Thomas by UK rele's.
I also dicovered that this is the Welsh spelling without an accent and also has a French friend called the same, spelt the same and pronounce Tom-A in French.

So I would go with Tomas/Tomás/Thomas Grin

tittytittyhanghang · 20/10/2012 14:34

What about Rael? Is what my dp is called :) Prounounced Rail. Better than Raoul and Raoul always puts me in mind on the irn bru ads :)

Iggly · 20/10/2012 11:54

Someone will always have the same name as you unless it's something ridiculous like clinique

I was a bit like that at first (my name is unusual) but figured that the person maketh the name, the name does not maketh the person Grin

And ended up giving both DCs names from the top ten. Incidentally we don't know any other babies with their names.

Original poster
LeBFG · 20/10/2012 10:53

Gosh, I find Raoul difficult to pronouce! DH struggles to say the 'dre' which is why we don't really want Alexandre and the ilk. So complicated...

Totally agree with Kenneth about the kittens. And you are so right Mad. Good job we have a few months left to decide!

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MadAboutTrifle · 20/10/2012 10:32

I don't live in France, but next door (Belgium) so trends are probably completely different. Plus it's a long time since I had my 2 DS. Both times, it took us ages to find names that were acceptable in English, French and Persian (my DH's background). We had to change DS2's name after he was born as it meant something unpleasant in Persian, so instead of relaxing and enjoying my newborn, I spent days frantically thumbing through name books !

In the end you just have to choose what you like and what goes with your surname and people will get used to the pronunciation.

These are the names that were on my short list : Nathan, Ethan, Callum, Kiran/Keiran, Kian, Ryan, Zac (can't go wrong with that !), some names of DS' friends are : Noah, Gaetan, Alexandre, Sebastien, Raphael, Luca, Maxime.

Good luck !

KennethParcell · 20/10/2012 10:26

Leon and Louis would sound like kittens not brothers anyway!

Lance reminds me of a lancet. What about Raoul

love that name!

Original poster
LeBFG · 20/10/2012 08:47

I've been working on DH about this - he likes name to be unique. We both have names that no one else we've met has. So, very good point Iggy, something has to give I feel.

Max is only a second cousin so I want to put Maxime on the short list. Dominic is an uncle so same reasoning. Louis and George are close cousins though, so I will veto these.

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Iggly · 20/10/2012 08:20

Why can't you use names of a family member? I did, although was a relative I don't see often. She was honoured!

Original poster
LeBFG · 20/10/2012 08:15

Another strand of possibilities: English names the French know and recognise.

For example, DH has just suggested Lance (well known cyclist connection). Everyone'll recognise and be able to spell this name! Such a good idea. Not sure if DS2 will be lynched for this name though!!! Any other suggestions along this line would also be very gratefully received.

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Original poster
LeBFG · 20/10/2012 07:23

THanks so much for the suggestions. I'm more of a morning poster so I haven't been back to comment until now.

A few things. I love George, Max, Louis and Dominic but have been vetoed (completely unreasonable family members with same name Grin).

Some we just don't like: David, Gregory, Chris, Eric, Henri, Frederick

We have in fact discussed nearly all these names last time round and ended up thinking that some sort of compromise was neccessary. Almosts, rather than exactly the sames, would be acceptable. But it's coming to terms with it. DH's family would really struggle with something like Thierry for example.

Some that stand out for me: Etienne, Samuel (DH doesn't like biblical names though Angry, Pascal, Andre, Hugo, Xavier.

DH is the real problem. I suppose we both like Jake more than the other suggestions. But with an odd surname, we don't want to curse DS2 with a difficult first name to boot.

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