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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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Original poster
everynamewastaken · 08/01/2023 17:51

groovergirl · 08/01/2023 02:07

Thanks OP, you've certainly laid down the challenge to us nomenclature buffs! We like that.

For Norman French, the name that jumps up is Alison, an 11th century Norman nickname for Alice now owned by the Scots. In the Canterbury Tales of 1387 Alison is the charismatic star of the Wife of Bath^s Tale.

Lots of French names work well in English: Antoinette, Marie, Claire, Bernadette, Berenice , Francine, Geraldine, Jeanette, Odile, Valerie, Seraphine, Delphine, Julie, Amandine, Angelique.

For Viking inspiration:
Fritha
Sigrid
Frida
Astrid
Annika
Freya
Inga
Bryndis

I suggest you look at www.nordicnames.de for a comprehensive list.

All the best to you and your darling baby girl!

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.

OP posts:
CaptBuckyOHare · 08/01/2023 11:32

Alma instead of Alba?

Some names that would work in French & English:
Valentine
Héloïse
Léa
Odette
Jeanne
Mirabelle
Mathilde (? Possibly some pronunciation issues in the UK)
Romy
Ariane

Some names that would work in Polish & English:
Hanna
Antonina
Róża
Luiza
Klaudia
Marta

KendrickLamaze · 08/01/2023 11:23

Amelie
Anazarde
Aimée
Aurelie
Sylvie
Emilie
Adele

melchim · 08/01/2023 11:10

Isabelle

Upsettyspaghetti · 08/01/2023 08:50

I really like Manon. Clemence also lovely

Blabla81 · 08/01/2023 08:46

MN not MM

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.

justcouldntthinkofausername · 08/01/2023 08:33

Don't know many so saying what springs quickly to mind

Annie
Fleur
Celine / Celina

I also have worked closely with 2 lovely polish girls. 1 was Marta and the other Aga I believe her full name is Agneiska but I kind of like the simplicity of Aga

ToBeOrNotToBee · 08/01/2023 08:31

Lysette
Emmeline
Lisa
Marie

Xiaoxiong · 08/01/2023 08:27

Daughters of French friends include Delphine, Thaïs, Anouk, Nolwen and Perrine.

Martialisthebestpup · 08/01/2023 08:26

Soleil means ´sun’ not ´moon’.

Judgyjudgy · 08/01/2023 08:22

I've always loved Soleil (moon in french), someone at school had this name and it always seemed so unusual and exotic

WashableVelvet · 08/01/2023 08:16

Maëlys? Clémence, Clémentine or other similar -ine names which are quite popular there but less common here, Elise, Eloïse etc. Aliénor for even more history. I love Alina and Alix.

MyBuggyIsOutToGetMe · 08/01/2023 08:11

How about Eleanor? That’s a name with links to both countries in a historical sense.

Serp · 08/01/2023 08:06

Oh and also has links to Roman history

Serp · 08/01/2023 08:05

My DD is called Romilly, which is of French origin I believe.

PritiPatelsMaker · 08/01/2023 07:59

Could he do more recent history and have Emmeline? It would work in both languages.

groovergirl · 08/01/2023 02:07

Thanks OP, you've certainly laid down the challenge to us nomenclature buffs! We like that.

For Norman French, the name that jumps up is Alison, an 11th century Norman nickname for Alice now owned by the Scots. In the Canterbury Tales of 1387 Alison is the charismatic star of the Wife of Bath^s Tale.

Lots of French names work well in English: Antoinette, Marie, Claire, Bernadette, Berenice , Francine, Geraldine, Jeanette, Odile, Valerie, Seraphine, Delphine, Julie, Amandine, Angelique.

For Viking inspiration:
Fritha
Sigrid
Frida
Astrid
Annika
Freya
Inga
Bryndis

I suggest you look at www.nordicnames.de for a comprehensive list.

All the best to you and your darling baby girl!