Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
RiverTam · 03/01/2015 17:21

isn't Arrietty the name of one of the Borrowers?

Original poster
Mammammio · 03/01/2015 19:25

Yes Arriettty is from the Borrowers.

I don't like Etta as much as Ettie but thanks for the suggestions.

I wouldn't use Stephen for a girl no, mainly as I don't like the name. However I would use George, Frankie and Freddie and Tbh I think all of those would be assumed male on paper.

Anyway it's personal choice but I was hoping to find alternatives that won't provoke so much confusion / eye-brow raising so thanks to those that have posted some, much appreciated.

OP posts:
Original poster
Mammammio · 03/01/2015 19:31

Sorry Arrietty (miss type with 3 T's!) I do like this name but it does sound slightly like Amaretti so need to work out if I can deal with that connection! Although I do quite like the drink and biscuits!

OP posts:
BikeRunSki · 03/01/2015 21:41

You know Arietty is a made up name don't you.

Harriet is nice though.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 03/01/2015 21:41

I don't like it but it's a pretty name.

Original poster
Mammammio · 03/01/2015 22:15

Yes I know it's made up, I think many names are made up and have only come to us through literature so I can't see much difference there...for example Shakespeare made up Miranda, Jessica and Olivia...it's a more recent made up name used in the 50s for the Borrower's I believe.

OP posts:
Alisvolatpropiis · 03/01/2015 22:43

Don't be absurd op, Shakespeare did not make Miranda, Jessica or Olivia.

JM Barry did however invent the name Wendy.

BikeRunSki · 03/01/2015 22:48

But Wendy has fallen into common-ish use, and has been adopted as a diminutive of Gwendoline. Arietty hasn't, but I guess someone needs to get it out there.

Bonnefoi · 03/01/2015 22:49

What about Etain? It is an Irish girls name. You could still use Etti as a pet name.

I think Ettiene is a popular French boys names and it will come across a bit unfortunately. Some one is bound to comment.

Yika · 03/01/2015 22:57

Why not just call her Etti? It's cute!

I know an Etty, not short for anything, and an Eti short for Esther.

DancingDinosaur · 03/01/2015 23:06

Don't be absurd op, Shakespeare did not make Miranda, Jessica or Olivia.

A quick google appears to show that he did invent these names.

Original poster
Mammammio · 03/01/2015 23:09

Yes I actually studied a degree in English literature, I'm not absurd.

He's believed to have invented many names we use frequently today (one of which my DD1 goes by) but it's tricky to be sure obviously...there's no mention of many of his character's names in previous literature before his time. Because it's 400 years ago people assume they've been around forever but actually they haven't.

OP posts:
TheQuibbler · 03/01/2015 23:14

Some male French names sound oddly female to Anglo ears. My (French) husband's best friend is called Fifi - which is the normal shortening for Philippe. I think Lulu is short for Louis.

Etienne, though is so very male. But James has been used as a female name and I think it sounds grand.

Some nice and close alternatives. I think, on balance, I would use one of those.

Deerhound · 03/01/2015 23:35

Ethlyn
Ethelyn /Etheline
Etta
Ethena (this means strong in Hebrew, apparently, which I particularly like)

florascotia · 04/01/2015 11:36

I rather like Arietty. The character in the book would be a good role model - she's brave and adventurous and spirited. As others have said, several invented names from literature have passed into wider use. Presumably, Arrietty is a 'borrowed'/adapted/recycled version of Harriet, which is another good name that could give nn Etty.

GreatAuntDinah · 04/01/2015 21:27

How about Andouillette? Wink

Funnily enough Stéphane can be a girl's name in France. But there are the names Etienna and Etiennette if you're really keen on the idea.

GreatAuntDinah · 04/01/2015 21:30

And thoth Laurence is always a girl's name in French.

SurlyCue · 04/01/2015 21:32

I think Ettienne is lovely for a girl and the cynic in me thinks having a male name might be beneficial depending on what career she goes for.

ICanTotallyDance · 04/01/2015 21:42

Chalala

Well, when I said it's a French girls' name I meant... it's French... and it had been used as a girls' name. Whether it's actually used as a girls' name in France is another matter entirely! So you may not have lost touch as much as you think. The only Alouette I ever met was American.

GreatAuntDinah · 04/01/2015 21:51

I've never heard Alouette as a name, it would definitely be weird.

PitchWrapped · 04/01/2015 21:54

I'd assume the parents were a bit thick...all our french books at school had the name Etienne so most people should know its a boys name. I like Ethlyn

WordOfTheDay · 04/01/2015 23:59

Etienne is 100% a bloke's name. It is NOT unisex in any way. It is NOT used as a tom-boyish name for a girl. Using this name for a girl would be an awful, humiliating blunder. It's like calling a girl Edward, Richard, Derek, Brian, William. It would just demonstrate that the parents had no idea what they were doing and had been too stupid as to look into the name.

It's not just a matter of a couple of raised eyebrows when the girl is on holidays in France. Every French speaker, and many, many others, she encounters in the UK and anywhere she goes in the world will think "oh.my.god, this poor girl, her parents obviously had no idea when they named her what they were naming her; she/they must have regretted it inumberabke times ever since".

It is on a par with the worst name blunder I ever came across. A very, young French woman in France, who I met, who named her son Wendy because she thought it was a great sounding English name. After years of embarassment, the poor lad now calls himself Vendy.

Re. the connection with football, St. Étienne is the main football team in Lyons. It has a massive following.

Luckily, there are many, many names that can yield the nickname, Etty. I'm sure you'll have no trouble at all finding one that you love that isn't a (100%) male name.

GreatAuntDinah · 05/01/2015 06:22

Uh, St Etienne is the main football team in, um, St Etienne...

ZenNudist · 05/01/2015 08:25

I'd judge sorry. It's a boys name.

WordOfTheDay · 05/01/2015 22:34

Thanks Aunt Dinah. You're right: Saint-Étienne FC is based in Saint-Étienne. It's very close to Lyons (39 miles), whence the association in my head....

Swipe left for the next trending thread