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Baby names

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

Original poster

Anglo-French name for DD

82 replies

Cinnamus · 25/10/2018 20:29

DD2 due in January. Husband's French and I'm English. We live in France and are unlikely to move to the UK. Surname is unusual (middle eastern origin). Struggling to find a name that we both like.
Our short list is:
Héloïse
Héléna
Alyssa
Alexandra
Élise

Not convinced by any of them! Looking for inspiration Smile

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LaDaronne · 26/10/2018 10:12

Some outmoded names are back in. Not all by all means. And OP doesn't live in the UK anyway, so the point is moot.

LaDaronne · 26/10/2018 10:07

That's true, but given the OP's list there's no reason to believe she will love Ghislaine and Mireille. The point is more if you're not familiar with current trends in French girl's names there's not a lot of point in weighing in whatever your French penpal from 1992's mum was called.

TatianaLarina · 26/10/2018 09:45

While I was the first to flag the fact that certain suggestions are middle-aged, it’s not really that important.

If you love a name the fact that it’s currently associated with a particular generation is not particularly relevant.

When I was growing up all the Olivias I knew were upper middle class women of my mother’s generation. Look where it is now.

There’s no rule that says you have to choose a name that’s currently fashionable. And if you do it will date horribly.

Twisique · 26/10/2018 09:43

Outmoded names are back in mode in the UK.

LaDaronne · 26/10/2018 08:43

Fae is not a name. Harriette is not a name. 85% of the suggestions above (Renée, Sylvie, Corinne etc) are ridiculously outmoded. Honestly if you want a French name look on French baby name websites / books, there are loads out there. Or do a search on here, it comes up quite often as a question.

Mumtobe193 · 26/10/2018 01:47

Elodie?

moredoll · 26/10/2018 01:08

Sylvie
Ines
Anna
Louise

Twisique · 25/10/2018 22:45

Juliana

Everyincheverydrop · 25/10/2018 22:23

I love Elise.
What about

Juliette
Zoe
Lucie

DeltaG · 25/10/2018 22:18

Lolz at Ghislaine!!! That's my MIL's name!

I'm British & DH is French, we live in Switzerland. We've got boys but I always liked either Margot or Lilou for a girl. Or what about Leïla? To go with a ME surname?

DC2018 · 25/10/2018 22:07

I love Alexandra from your list.
Also love Genevieve, Claudia, Renée and Eleonore

BikeRunSki · 25/10/2018 22:07

Sylvie
Josephine

BikeRunSki · 25/10/2018 22:06

Anna
Alice
Stella
Rose
Zoe
Violette
Juliette

MrsEricBana · 25/10/2018 22:03

Agnes, Sylvie, Camille

NotBeforeCoffee · 25/10/2018 22:02

Harriette?

Elouise? Elle for short is lovely

MumUnderTheMoon · 25/10/2018 21:58

I like marielle or mariella also I believe that Fae is french and means from the faeries which is pretty it also means trust and confidence.

SingingSands · 25/10/2018 21:54

I work with a French girl called Lavinia, she's lovely and the way she pronounces her name is so elegant.

DreamsofJacaranda · 25/10/2018 21:53

If you are planning to give birth to a late middle-aged woman, a lot of the suggestions upthread will be lovely!

I know several Nicole, Colette, a Genevieve and a Mireille (I agree that it’s a pretty name) and they are all in their sixties/seventies.

I’m not sure that the trend for “old lady” names has hit France to the same extent as the U.K.

LaDaronne · 25/10/2018 21:43

Sorry but arf at baby Ghislaine or Mireille. Both are ridiculously old-fashioned. OP we're in the same situation but chose a UK name. Loads of nice names that work across the two cultures. How about Nina or Noémie?

TatianaLarina · 25/10/2018 21:41

Apolline is fab. Mireille is lovely and Mirabeau - they are slightly middle-aged French women though along with Celine.

DreamsofJacaranda · 25/10/2018 21:40

I like all the names on your shortlist

How about Gabrielle or Valentine?

MoorMummy · 25/10/2018 21:36

I used to work with a Mireille ( not sure if that’s the right spelling) I think it’s a beautiful name?

Wendygoesfar · 25/10/2018 21:34

Claudie
Mathilde
Celeste
Rosalie

Firstbornunicorn · 25/10/2018 21:34

Camille?

pashmina696 · 25/10/2018 21:32

Sophie works for both

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