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Baby names

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

Original poster

Etienne....for a girl?

109 replies

Mammammio · 02/01/2015 20:04

Is this a massive no no? I know it's 'Stephen' in French, we are not french and live in the UK but we both love this name and prefer for a girl. Would you assume this was a boy if you heard it? She would go by Etti as a nickname and be called that the majority of the time but I think that the full version is lovely.

I know a little girl called Elliotte and another called Dylan and no one seems too fussed but wondered what people think?

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GerbilsAteMyCat · 02/01/2015 22:38

It would be like Stephene :) my DH says imagine if this was the other way around with French people saying 'oo la la, Stephen is really pretty, no one will notice, it sounds feminine...'.

GerbilsAteMyCat · 02/01/2015 22:36

How about Arietty?
Not Etienne, please.

thoth · 02/01/2015 22:29

If you like French names:
Odile
Odette
Ottiline
Ottilie
Elodie
Aurelie
Giselle (Gisele?)

Biscuitsneeded · 02/01/2015 22:27

Just checked and it is a real name. A Duchess of Burgundy, no less. Very classy!

thoth · 02/01/2015 22:26

Goodness, not Alouette!

Nor Etienne. Unless perhaps Etienne is like other French names (Dominique and Laurence come to mind) where you cannot tell whether the holder is m or f until one meets them.

Biscuitsneeded · 02/01/2015 22:25

I have a very good French friend and met his grandmother many times (she's dead now). Her name was Etiennette. I'm not sure if that was her official name, because they were from Alsace and during German occupation she had been called Stefanie, but Etiennette was the name she went by in later life. Would that work? Could definitely still be shortened to Etti.

BikeRunSki · 02/01/2015 22:17

Alouette, gentile Alouette

Chalalala · 02/01/2015 21:58

ICanTotallyDance, I must have completely lost touch with my own culture then, because to me all "Alouette" brings to mind is bird plucking.

(not being sarcastic btw, I haven't lived in France for a good few years now, so who knows what new trends I've missed)

Mumzy · 02/01/2015 21:49

This thread reminds me of a french exchange student I knew whose name was Etienne and who the dad of the host family insisted on calling Steve.

Sorry not relevant - as you were.

StampyShortnose · 02/01/2015 21:25

Etta is a lovely name and most definitely a girl's name!

BonnieWeeJeannieMcCall · 02/01/2015 21:19

I like the sound of Etienne. I know it's a boys' name, but if I met a female Etienne, I'd assume I was mistaken and that it's unisex, rather that thinking the parents had got it wrong.

ICanTotallyDance · 02/01/2015 21:09

Chalala OP has ruled out Alouette but it is a (girls') name, though you are correct, it does mean lark.

Chalalala · 02/01/2015 21:01

Alouette is even weirder, although in a different way - it's a type of bird, lark I believe? Not a name... May as well call your son Eagle or Pigeon.

stiffstink · 02/01/2015 20:55

Not sure if Alouette would be a great choice given the nursery rhyme. Its a lovely name meaning lark if my rubbish french is correct but the song is something like "Alouette I will pluck your head and your neck and your beak" so it doesn't have a great story for the poor Alouette!ak

Original poster
Mammammio · 02/01/2015 20:52

DH doesn't like alouette so that's out!

OP posts:
usefully · 02/01/2015 20:49

Alouette would prompt me to sing the children's nursery rhyme each time I heard it.

anotherdayanothersquabble · 02/01/2015 20:46

Michel is the male version of Michelle though Michelle for a girl is not (in my experience) commonly used in France. The female version of Étienne is Stephanie.

Original poster
Mammammio · 02/01/2015 20:46

Ooooh I like Alouette, never heard that and will run by DH.

I love Arlette but know someone who has used it so I can't. They aren't close friends though so Alouette could work.

Is it pronounced Al-ooo-et?

OP posts:
usefully · 02/01/2015 20:45

Would you ever want to go on holiday to France?

I don't think I could cope with everyone I met guffawing at my child's name, but if you have thicker skin than me, then choose whatever you want! Grin

ICanTotallyDance · 02/01/2015 20:44
  • a trend not teen, of course.
ICanTotallyDance · 02/01/2015 20:43

It sounds lovely and if you can ignore the connection, quite feminine.

However, I can't and I imagine there are a lot of other people who would be a bit confused by your name choice. I have an aunt whose name was misspelled only one letter to the masculine version (think Robyn-Robin) and she has had trouble with it all her life.

I know there is a bit of teen for making boys names unisex but personally, I don't really like it. I would never say anything to your face or judge the child but personally I would think it is a bit silly, or maybe that you didn't understand French culture/that it wasn't a girls name? Not if I was your friend of course, but maybe if I was a mother at the school gate etc.

Perhaps if you like the nickname Ettie/Etti, what do you think of these:

Harriet/Harriette
Annette
Henrietta
Esther
Etta
Juliet
Violet
Yvette

or for a French feel:

Antoinette
Alouette

velourvoyageur · 02/01/2015 20:41

Oh I suppose you could move to France, put an H in front of it so the French think it's a chic new girls name, Hetienne, but they'll all pronounce it the same way anyway.
Or! Hettiennent. turn it into a verb, pronounce it the same way.
Anyway. Yes Hetty is a different kettle of fish to Etienne.

Original poster
Mammammio · 02/01/2015 20:39

Possibly will have another child and would also consider It for a boy should we ever have one!

OP posts:
Original poster
Mammammio · 02/01/2015 20:39

Henrietta is also on our list but DD1 has a name which starts with H which puts me off...although again we would use the nickname Ettie.

OP posts:
LeoandBoosmum · 02/01/2015 20:38

Do you plan on having more children? I like it but I'd only give the name to a boy.