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Baby names

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

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Original poster

Need some help coming up with Anglo-French boys names

37 replies

fibrecruncher · 31/05/2013 12:55

Our first DS is due in August and we're looking for names that work easily in both languages. I'm English DP is French. So far our top contendors are:

James, Alexander / Alexandre, Benoit, Henri

With 2nd names:
Gregory, Frederic, Robert, Jeremy, Theodore, Oliver, Clement, William, Luc, Alfred, Ambroise, Arthur, Augustin

We currently live in England, but who knows where we'll end up. Initially I wasn't too keen on a super French name, maybe its the hormones, but I am warming to the idea. Also we've got a very long winded surname - both of ours together, starting with H then an A and lots of vowels inbetween. We're keen on full names so the kid can pick a chose a bit when they're older.

Any help is much appreciated :)

OP posts:

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Bonsoir · 11/06/2013 14:18

David
Joseph
Nathan
Victor

Bonsoir · 11/06/2013 14:16

Simon
Benjamin

Original poster

fibrecruncher · 11/06/2013 14:02

Bonsoir - I do like Charles and have suggested it to DP but he says its too royal. I explained that its so classic in the UK people do not automatically think Prince C, but he's not keen - I keep working on him though.

cuillereasoupe - thanks, Yes DP pointed out what the equivalent in French was - and he is Jewish so we'd be ok going with a Jewish name.

dufflefluffle - thanks, I do like Leo a lot and that certainly gives it a historical reference to meet my traditional requirements :)

OP posts:

dufflefluffle · 10/06/2013 17:48

sorry: and he lived in the 400's so just plain Leo is traditional

dufflefluffle · 10/06/2013 17:47

Saint Leo was just Leo - not a shortened version of Leotard or somesuch

cuillereasoupe · 10/06/2013 17:44

I have to say Elijah isn't French. Elie would be the equivalent. You might be widely presumed to be Jewish if you use it - not necessarily a problem but something to be aware of.

Bonsoir · 10/06/2013 16:43

Anglo-French names I like:

Charles
Thomas
Hugo
William
Benedict
Samuel

Original poster

fibrecruncher · 10/06/2013 16:33

Ha ha - Gerard is probably not top of the list :) I do quite like traditional names though such as Arthur and the like.

OP posts:

cuillereasoupe · 10/06/2013 15:50

Nooooo to Gerard, it's horrendously unfashionable, it sounds like a 65-year-old!

Original poster

fibrecruncher · 10/06/2013 15:39

changeling1234 - I really like the sound of Damien in friend - but you are right all I can think of is the Omen.

Hadn't thought of Gerard will see what DH thinks. :)

OP posts:

changeling1234 · 10/06/2013 15:28

Damien? (lovely in French, but does have those Omen connotations)

Gerard?

Original poster

fibrecruncher · 10/06/2013 15:22

FarmerNell - that;s pretty funny on Jam-ess. Victor is a no, close friend and sad story.

My mum suggested Elijah on the weekend and DP loves it, his new fave. I am ok with it too. Think we'll end up with a long list of possibles and it will all depend on the wavelength of the hormones of the day and what he looks like :)

OP posts:

BringBackBod · 06/06/2013 18:46

Jerome?

FarmerNell · 06/06/2013 17:44

Gabriel could be shortened to Gaby in French
I though of James for my DS until I overheard my MIL talking about Jam-ess Bond and thought, well if she can't pronounce it we've got no chance!
I like Aurelien, and Clement. I know a little Luca, but don't know how that would go down in UK?
Victor?
Davide? (although if you don't like Tony you might not like Dave!)

amandine07 · 06/06/2013 17:34

The Spanish version is Rafael- like the tennis player!- Raphael is the name used in France.

I also once met a Raphaella- beautiful name.

Original poster

fibrecruncher · 06/06/2013 10:13

oenophilia - really like Nicholas so I suggested it to DP - he didn't say much. He may not be keen as its the name of a chain of off licences in France :)

AllegraLilac - Aurelian is lovely - not heard that before. We have a friend Aurelie, didn't know there was a male equivilent, I like it. I do need to do a bit more work on getting familiar with French names.

poster NoRoomForMeInMyBed - I love Oliver but DP hates it for some reason and he has a closed friend Olivier so he's not keen.

Takver & amandine07, I wonder if we go into Spanish territory if the child might be very confused :) DP is French and Jewish. I'm from England but am Anglo-Indian a mix of English, Indian, Portuguese and a whole lot of other things. We were trying to keep the cultural references simple with the French/English combo :)

Thanks to all the OP's.

OP posts:

PixelAteMyFace · 05/06/2013 22:57

Matteo
Charles
Sebastien
Edouard
Vincent

LivingThings · 05/06/2013 22:31

Etienne - spelling probably not right but I love it and would happily have called DS this.

amandine07 · 05/06/2013 22:03

I love Raphael!

AllegraLilac · 04/06/2013 16:06

Aurelian!

NoRoomForMeInMyBed · 02/06/2013 21:41

Adrian
Justin
Olivier
Frederick

oenophilia · 02/06/2013 20:30

This is the reason we have a Nic(h)olas and a George. We had the added complication of wanting them to work in Greek as well!

Takver · 02/06/2013 20:22

Does Rafael/Raphael work in French? My favourite Spanish/English option . . . (but we had a girl!) And Rafe / Rafi are both cool nnames

pygmy · 02/06/2013 19:05

Hector?

Original poster

fibrecruncher · 02/06/2013 18:59

ItsallisnowaFeegle - yes Benoit is a strong contender and I really like Luc too but DP seems to have gone off it. Oh and Jeremy - I think is a no too - I just can't see myself as the mother of a Jeremy.

NomDeClavier - I'm ok with the name being pronounced differently in the different countries, DS might find it cool to have alter-egos :) Also Theodore - just makes me think Bill and Teds bogus journey (this one is from DP), I really love Arthur, Clement - can't think of any bearable diminutives and Augustin - a family name and fine if DS is born by due date at end of August, but not keen if we go overdue into September.

Matthias - not keen. Corentin - I love this it has a lovely sound will run it by DP - I wonder if its a bit close to quarantine. Xavier - DP's bro's name. Maurice - not so cool in English. Antoinin - might be Tony in English - I'm going to be a bit of a snob on this one :) Francois - too many close friends and relatives with this one and DP's mother is Francoise.

tethersend - I really love Remi, and suggested it to DP but for some reason he's not keen.

Biscuitsneeded - Like Gabriel - but hate Gabe, any other diminutives? Nephews called Louis. Not a fan of Lucien or Max.

Thanks for the help, much appreciated.

OP posts:

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