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Baby names

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Original poster

Can any French-English MNers help me name DD3?

106 replies

Zaziedanslemetro · 19/11/2013 19:36

We are a French/English family currently living in Germany, and have just found out I'm expecting a 3rd DD! We are having trouble finding another girl's name which "works" in both French and English, and is at least pronouncable for Germans.
DDs 1 and 2 are Esther and Madeleine, and we would like to continue with these sort of classic/traditional/not-massively-overused names.

We both really like Constance, but there is a dilemma re. our surname. It sounds like "No". Just that, one syllable. If you say "Constance No" out loud, does it sound silly in English? I think it's fine in French, and we are unlikely to go and live in England, but still... Would be interested to know what people think!

Also, I love Josephine, but French DH thinks it's a bit to "cutesy" with the -ine ending. Any other suggestions would be very welcome.
Thanks for any help!

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Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 18:23

Roxane

Felix90 · 21/11/2013 18:18

Me and OH are the least French people ever (although he does like to think he looks like a French man) but the only girl names we could agree on were French. We are now calling our baby girl Sylvie Beatrix. Some lovely names on this thread that are almost making me change my mind!

Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 18:14

Julia
Clara

Yika · 21/11/2013 18:10

I love Berenice! I didn't mention it because I thought it was too 'out there' but I'm obviously on the same wavelength as figaro readers (oh dear).

What about Lisa, lise, elisabeth?
Claire?
Catherine?
Nicole?
Alexandra?

Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 15:53

Emma(nuelle)
Heloise
Sarah

Original poster
Zaziedanslemetro · 21/11/2013 15:28

True! Nice literary references all round for us then : Esther (Racine), Madeleine (Proust -and Jacques Brel!) and Zazie (Raymond Queneau)...

Just doesn't quite fit the English/German/Classic criteria Grin

OP posts:
ProfondoRosso · 21/11/2013 15:23

I can't believe you've not mentioned Zazie, Zazie! Grin That's a great name!

Original poster
Zaziedanslemetro · 21/11/2013 15:21

Alix is my niece, so am ruling this out. Along with Alice, which is too similar for close cousins I think.

Marie I like, but not the English MarEE pronunciation.

Would love to know your choice NomDeClavier! Is it Cunégonde? or Zélie?

OP posts:
Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 15:18

My entirely hypothetical DD2 is called Violette Clementine.

Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 15:15

Yes, Joséphine is another OK -ine name.

You've got me guessing now!

Original poster
Zaziedanslemetro · 21/11/2013 15:14

OK, to be clear Apolline, Sixtine and Isaure are not going on the list!

Will have another look at saints names calendar (and possible Libé baby names, but will be too cool for me!)

Hmm, Clémentine quite pretty... Would have to be pronounced the French way, as opposed to ClemenTYNE though.

OP posts:
Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 15:13

Alix is nice but I wouldn't give my DC a unisex name. Marie is a bit dull - like Mary in English.

NomDeClavier · 21/11/2013 15:13

Ah it's not an -ine so there's some hope for me yet! I don't particularly like them either - they sound cute rather than elegant. I do make an exception for Josephine, which still sounds cute but more so in French than English, but that might be the soft J or the é sound. There's nothing you can do about Sixtine or Apolline to make them better in English.

mathanxiety · 21/11/2013 15:05

Alix and Marie are nice imo...

Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 15:01

I'm not keen on -ine names except for Clémentine (not sure why I can cope with that when my distaste for Sandrine, Sabine, Line, Martine, Laurine etc is so great).

NomDeClavier · 21/11/2013 14:53

You'd hate what we're going to call DD then bonsoir Wink Tisn't on the list and won't appear on any list any time soon and probably wouldn't appear in a historical fantasy novel but it's not sensible. Although our backup is Louise-xxxxx so that might pass!

I don't think Isaure is toooooo bad. Not a fan of Garamve personally but I guess it goes with Isaure which as they're twins is a consideration.

ProfondoRosso · 21/11/2013 14:14

Is that list from a survey of Figaro readers? You could see if Libé does one, might be a bit cooler! Wink
My name for my as yet hypothetical DD would be Lucienne – easily shortens to Lucie. But I love Severine, and am sad because it would never pass in Glasgow.
Have you had a look at the French name day calendar? www.behindthename.com/namedays/country/france

Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 12:19

Sixtine, Apolline, Isaure are all frightful!

Original poster
Zaziedanslemetro · 21/11/2013 11:28

"Figaro" top 20 Filles :

  1. Inès
  2. Charlotte
  3. Louise
  4. Philippine
  5. Alice
  6. Alix
  7. Bérénice
  8. Mathilde
  9. Clémence
10. Marie 11. Victoire 12. Victoria 13. Apolline 14. Isaure 15. Jeanne 16. Marguerite 17. Pia 18. Sixtine 19. Valentine 20. Pénélope

Not too pretentious!

OP posts:
ArabellaBeaumaris · 21/11/2013 11:15

Clemence is beautiful.

I didn't get the problem with Constance until you explained it, so I think you could use that. You have lots of beautiful names here though.

mrswarbouys · 21/11/2013 11:14

Emily ? Too English ?

Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 11:05

Really? I don't covet them at all - a bit "trying too hard" in my opinion. The real bourgeoisie who are totally at ease with themselves use proper European classic names, not the pretentious unique historical novel fantasy names.

Original poster
Zaziedanslemetro · 21/11/2013 11:00

Funny we have just heard from friends who've had a baby Isaure. I agree that this wouldn't be easy for my English family, and similarly Iseult.

Bonsoir -I know what you mean re. social connotations, although I secretly quite covert the Figaro top 20 names! (Not that I read the paper, mind).

Elise is another nice classic, and Céleste is lovely but combined with DD1 (Esther) it would be too Est + Est I think.

We did have Odile on the list for DD2, maybe I should reconsider. (But perhaps not very German)

OP posts:
Bonsoir · 21/11/2013 10:35

"Today's baby news brings us Isaure and Garance..."

Those names have very strong social connotations in French and don't work in English/internationally. There are an awful lot of those names - if you buy the Le Figaro guide (and there are other similar sorts) to prénoms you know which ones to avoid!

jkklpu · 20/11/2013 22:48

Odile
Margaux
Raphaelle