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Baby names

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

Original poster

Boy names that work in French and English

60 replies

Beachbaby2017 · 18/07/2017 22:00

That's it, really, what names do you know that work in both languages? We're in a majority English-speaking environment but most people can hack a tiny bit of French, so it can be a bit on the French side but not impossibly so.

I don't really care about length. We'll hyphenate our last names, one is very English and one is very French.

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buttercup54321 · 19/07/2017 00:25

jack

BroomstickOfLove · 19/07/2017 00:19

Nico is lovely.

There was a Théo at the DC's school a while ago, and it worked fine in English.

I like Clovis in English, because of the fabulously glamorous Clovis Sangrail in the Saki short stories. And the boy next door to me when I was little was called Clovis and the grown-ups would joke because my middle name is that of the wife of the historical Clovis, so it makes me think of being a happy 5 year old.

ScrumDinger · 19/07/2017 00:14

Serge

Frecklesfrecklesfreckles4 · 19/07/2017 00:11

I like Nicolas.
Tom? (Though Thomas would be pronounced differently to Tomas)
or Max(ime)
Daniel?

Original poster
Beachbaby2017 · 19/07/2017 00:02

Broomstick, I have a friend named Clovis, it's doesn't seem uncool. But it's not that nice in English - that's solved by people shortening it.

Thanks for all of these ideas, and the links.

I like Theo a lot but it's getting popular isn't it? But then I think we'd say "Théo" even in English so that would help distinguish him even if there are several Theodores. I also like Samuel but only in French and for sure people here would say it in English.

What do you think of Nicolas? Nico for short, I think. But Nick would be okay too.

OP posts:
biscuitmillionaire · 18/07/2017 23:02

Jerome

BroomstickOfLove · 18/07/2017 22:58

Working better in both languages is better. I didn't think and gave DS a name that really doesn't work in French. I misread d of wish I'd called him Clovis which I suspect is very frumpy in France but is still least pronounceable by his great aunts and uncles.

BroomstickOfLove · 18/07/2017 22:54

Low (to rhyme with snow) eek.

AdaColeman · 18/07/2017 22:47

How could we forget Emmanuel?

How would you pronounce Loïc?

Cornishmumofone · 18/07/2017 22:46

Marc? Paul? Bruno?

BroomstickOfLove · 18/07/2017 22:25

Lucas
Felix
Thomas/Tom
Hugo
Gabriel
Loïc
Leo
Theo
Noah

Alexandra87 · 18/07/2017 22:23

Louis

Laquila · 18/07/2017 22:23

Anton, not Anyon!!

Laquila · 18/07/2017 22:22

Anyon is lovely, and genuinely works well in both. IMHO, names like Nathan don't really work in both purely because they're pronounced differently - they practically sound like different names!

Loic could work well, I think. Aymeric? I used to work with a very aristocratic Aymeric. Eric?

Original poster
Beachbaby2017 · 18/07/2017 22:20

Thanks, these are great and there are several new ideas here!

I like Gabriel, we hadn't thought of that at all.

theanti I think we want one that works in both for ourselves as much as anything, as opposed to wanting to please relatives. I have a name that works in both, it's convenient to not have it terribly mispronounced in either language. My DH on the other hand has a name that people in one language totally butcher. I think he's used to it and so would choose a super French name for our kid and just cope with how people end up saying it here, whereas I'm more inclined to choose one that really works in both.

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 18/07/2017 22:20

Beau

AdaColeman · 18/07/2017 22:19

Victor

MrsMoastyToasty · 18/07/2017 22:18

Matthew/Mathieu

AdaColeman · 18/07/2017 22:18

Hubert

Toffeelatteplease · 18/07/2017 22:17

Stephan

user1492528619 · 18/07/2017 22:17

George
Louis
Alex
Ben
Tommy
Felix
Lucas
Alex/ix

www.babynameguide.com/categoryfrench.asp?strCat=French

Yika · 18/07/2017 22:17

Adrian/ Adrien
Jonathan
Max

AdaColeman · 18/07/2017 22:16

Charles
George
Christian

Thestarslookverydifferent · 18/07/2017 22:14

Anton

xyzandabc · 18/07/2017 22:13

George
Phillip/e
Felix
John
Raphael
Alexander

Just a few suggestions here:

babynameguide.mobi/french-baby-names.asp?strGender=M&strAlpha=B&strCat=French&strOrder=Name

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