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Baby names

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

Original poster

French / English Baby Name Ideas?

43 replies

everynamewastaken · 08/01/2023 01:22

Hi All!

I have been reading lots of these threads for inspiration so I thought I would make my own because we're really struggling.

My husband is French from Normandy so we're trying to find a name which will be nice in both English and French accents and equally will be a nice name in both countries if we ever move. We're having a baby girl and they'll have a french three syllable surname starting with G. We're both quite fussy which is making it difficult 😅

My husband really wants something historically significant because he is a history buff. He thinks it would be nice to have a Viking or Norman name because it links British and French history. He's also really interested in Ancient Greek / Roman history and I think a Breton name could also work for the tied heritage tick.

For me, I just want a nice name that's that not too popular. Some of my favourite French names have been ruled out because he has cousins with the name (Margot, Aurelia, Camille for example). All the names I used to love have gotten so popular now so I've ruled them out (e.g. Ava, Alba, Olivia, Sophia).

So yeah...any suggestions for a stuck couple would be welcomed! Oh and my surname is Polish and as the baby won't have my last name I think it would be really nice to have a Polish middle name if anyone has suggestions for this too!

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Changedname81 · 16/01/2023 17:00

Anouk Magdalena ?

Spanielsarepainless · 15/01/2023 14:27

Charlotte Yuliia

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 15/01/2023 14:02

Stella

Theoldwoman · 15/01/2023 13:34

Francine
Martine
Claudia
Nicole

itssquidstella · 15/01/2023 13:22

Delphine

modgepodge · 15/01/2023 13:15

Elodie? Amelie? Amelie is quite common in England I suppose but elodie isn’t. I’ve taught a Mathilde who was French - it was pronounced like Matilda but without the a at the end so not difficult! Claire? Celine?

tulipsunday · 15/01/2023 13:14

Vivienne?

Yika · 15/01/2023 13:10

Sigrid
Sidonie
Sibylle
Tiphaine / Tiffany
Philippa, Philippine
Leontine
Justine
Edwige
Annick
Berenice

Lacienay · 15/01/2023 12:50

Breton:
Alara
Elena
Enora
Gwenn
Inez
Lena
Morwenna
Rozenn (Rosie)
Yuna

Polish Middle names suitable in French and English

Gabriela
Hanna
Luisa
Marta
Adela
Agata
Aleksandra
Alina
Aneta
Danuta
Ela
Estera

ZoyaTheDestroyer · 09/01/2023 22:54

everynamewastaken · 08/01/2023 17:51

I'm glad it's a good challenge! It's certainly been giving us lots to debate. We're finding our taste in names is quite different (he suggested Ragnar or the female version...i can't remember the spelling which I think is awful!) and unfortunately we both agreed on Nora (as a viking name) but my husband discovered a relative has just called her daughter that so we are back to square one! There's definitely a few to add to the list though! Thank you - and thanks for the link! That's really helpful.

Show quote history

Thora? It would have been my DC2’s name but he was a boy!

AnnaBegins · 09/01/2023 21:25

Seren or Nolwenn?

ElizaSkye · 09/01/2023 21:11

Iris

reesewithoutaspoon · 08/01/2023 19:28

What about Enora, that's a Breton name

Fleur405 · 08/01/2023 19:21

Sorry not the 1100s. I don’t know why I said that. She was before William the Conqueror obviously!

Fleur405 · 08/01/2023 19:21

What about Emma after Emma of Normandy who was queen of England in the 1100s and I think a direct descendant of Rollo?

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 08/01/2023 19:16

and as for the Polish middle name, I've always thought Kasia is lovely.

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 08/01/2023 19:12

Azélie/Zélie

I think it's lovely but not sure if it's considered very old fashioned or not

Jadviga · 08/01/2023 19:05

Oops and forgot Aliénor. Though some people are put off because it starts with Alien (different pronounciation though). Personally I've always liked it.

I'd steer clear of names like Geneviève or Bernadette (or any name in -ette really) that are very "old people names" in France.

bigbadchick · 08/01/2023 19:04

What about Romy? It works in both languages and is much more popular in France than it currently is here. Such a pretty feminine name.

Jadviga · 08/01/2023 19:00

Hey OP, I'm French so let's see if I can help !

I do like Thora as suggested above, now here are a few ideas :

  • Freya - overused in the UK but uncommon in France
  • Astrid
  • Alina
  • Artémis
  • Anastasia
  • Alina
  • Sasha
  • Axelle
  • Octavia
  • Antonia
  • Antonine
  • Artoria (féminine version of Artorius, another name for King Arthur)
  • Roxane
  • Raphaëlle
  • Iris
  • Athenais
  • Alix
  • Aloysia
IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 08/01/2023 18:23

Stella
Alice
Zoe
Anna
Sara
Claire
Rose

midsomermurderess · 08/01/2023 18:08

Thora. I can't imagine that is overused. I also like the Scandinavian Solveig.

Original poster
everynamewastaken · 08/01/2023 18:00

Thanks for all the suggestions so far! I'm glad I posted. Quite a few we haven't considered that we can now mull over 😊

OP posts:
Original poster
everynamewastaken · 08/01/2023 17:58

Upsettyspaghetti · 08/01/2023 08:50

I really like Manon. Clemence also lovely

I love this too but it is the name of my sister-in-law :-( So I couldn't add it to the list.

OP posts:
Original poster
everynamewastaken · 08/01/2023 17:56

Blabla81 · 08/01/2023 08:45

My 2 girls are Ellise and Amber - I wanted French, 2 syllable names, beginning with vowels but have slightly altered spellings (I had a lot of flack on MM a couple of years ago for the spelling of Ellise - apparently it’s a sign that I’m lower class 😁). I know the usual spellings are Elise or Elyse and possibly Ambyr, I can’t quite remember.

It's a lovely spelling. And there are so many spellings of Ellise / Elise/ Eirlys, I would expect to ask how it was spelt anyway :-)

OP posts: