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Baby names

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

Original poster

Alizé/Alizée

83 replies

Brazie · 10/04/2024 09:14

Hi all, DHs mum is French, she moved to the UK as a child but has maintained strong links. To tribute this we are giving our children French names. We have a little boy named Louis Timothée Arthur and are now expecting a second baby.

We were set on Camille being our girls name of choice but are currently on holiday in France and have met someone called Alizé/Alizée pronounced Ah-Lee-say. I think I've fallen in love!!

Full name would be Alizé Camille Inès.

Should we stick with Camille or go for Alizé?

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AuxArmesCitoyens · 14/04/2024 20:49

Camille: fine, not v common for girls now, probably trendier for boys. Sylvie v middle aged, would imagine it to be in homage to a parent. Inès fine, possibly commonest among people with a Mediterranean/ North African background.

Roselilly36 · 14/04/2024 17:33

I love Elise, only ever met one, she was a lovely girl.

KirstenBlest · 14/04/2024 17:30

I might be tempted to butcher it to Alizae for the benefit of English speakers
Why? It's hideous.

USaYwHatNow · 14/04/2024 17:28

I'm afraid the first thing I thought of was

"The Moet and Alize keep me pissy, girls used to diss me, now they write letters cos they miss me...'

However this will only be a problem if they introduce themselves to a Biggie fan.

DaisyHaites · 14/04/2024 17:27

IsadoraQuagmire · 10/04/2024 10:32

I always think of Camille as a male name first because of Thérèse Racquin. Then I think of the Great Garbo film!
I think I prefer Alizé/Alizée it's fairly common in France though, if that makes a difference.

Same! It put me off the name and I can’t get past the sickly boy association.

I like Alizé(e).. I might be tempted to butcher it to Alizae for the benefit of English speakers, but if you want to stick to the (beautiful) French spelling, do 2 e’s to help reduce pronunciation errors.

LadyEloise1 · 14/04/2024 17:23

Kate Middleton's sister in law ( married to James Middleton) is Alizee.
How does one pronounce it ?

Mich8 · 14/04/2024 17:08

AuxArmesCitoyens · 14/04/2024 07:57

Yes, I am French, and it is a slightly chavvy French name.

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Interesting. What are your thoughts on the other names? Camille, Inès and Sylvie. (I really like them btw OP hence asking about them for myself!)

Moreteaandchocolate · 14/04/2024 12:20

Brazie · 14/04/2024 10:50

Thank you everyone, we are going to go with Camille Sylvie Inès, Sylvie is similar to MILs name so feels fitting.

Camille Sylvie Inès is lovely ☺️

theduchessofspork · 14/04/2024 12:18

AuxArmesCitoyens · 14/04/2024 07:57

Yes, I am French, and it is a slightly chavvy French name.

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But the OP isn’t in France, so it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t have any class ref in the UK

CreateYourOwnUsername · 14/04/2024 12:14

That's a lovely choice op. Very nice indeed

Original poster
Brazie · 14/04/2024 10:50

Thank you everyone, we are going to go with Camille Sylvie Inès, Sylvie is similar to MILs name so feels fitting.

OP posts:
AuxArmesCitoyens · 14/04/2024 08:57

what I mean is Camille and Alizée occupy different social spaces in France, which might matter to the OP and might not, but it's something maybe to be aware of. Louis and Camille is a lot more congruent as a pair of siblings than Louis (definitely on the posh side[ and Alizée (on the less posh side[.

AuxArmesCitoyens · 14/04/2024 07:57

theduchessofspork · 13/04/2024 21:26

It’s a lot French

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Yes, I am French, and it is a slightly chavvy French name.

LolliesInTheSun · 13/04/2024 21:49

Downmarket alcoholic drink of my youth.

ZiggyZowie · 13/04/2024 21:45

My daughter is named Elise. Pronounced
A - leez
after her French cousin.

However we do get people who pronounce it as an S instead of Z

I.e. A - lees. which is annoying.

theduchessofspork · 13/04/2024 21:26

AuxArmesCitoyens · 13/04/2024 21:01

Agree that Alizée is a wee bit chavvy.

It’s a lot French

AuxArmesCitoyens · 13/04/2024 21:01

Agree that Alizée is a wee bit chavvy.

SunnyFog · 11/04/2024 09:39

Alizée so pretty!
Will be okay even for supply teachers whereas Camille will be called camilla and cameel.

TheHorneSection · 11/04/2024 09:11

The only thing with Alizeé is as someone said, you’re probably going to get the hard z quite a lot - I’d pronounce it A-liz-ay without any guidance, which I think is wrong? But then loads of names need a little guidance in pronunciation at first

theduchessofspork · 11/04/2024 00:27

KnickerlessParsons · 10/04/2024 09:34

Alizé is an alcoholic drink.

So’s Stella 🤷‍♀️

theduchessofspork · 11/04/2024 00:25

FAR too many Amelie/Amelia/Emilia/Emilys.. all perfectly nice but quite dull

theduchessofspork · 11/04/2024 00:24

Much prefer Alize
Alizee will probably help with the pronunciation in the UK

Camilla works better in an English accent than Camille IMO

I love Ines also

KirstenBlest · 10/04/2024 20:27

Names like Alice, Amélie, Béatrice, Elodie, Jacqueline and even Catherine, Charlotte and Marie sound different in French.
If you need something that is recognisably French then it needs to sound the same.
Names like Anne and Louise work but they don't come across as French.

Original poster
Brazie · 10/04/2024 20:03

Mich8 · 10/04/2024 19:39

Op, have you considered names that’d be no problem here but are distinctly French like Beatrice and Amelie? Up to you whether to include accent or not.

We have, Amelie is increasingly popular, I know a few little Amelie's and I don't like Beatrice at all (I always think of either beetroot or beetles!).
It's definitely between Alizée and Camille (Alizée currently winning).

OP posts:
Mich8 · 10/04/2024 19:39

Op, have you considered names that’d be no problem here but are distinctly French like Beatrice and Amelie? Up to you whether to include accent or not.

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