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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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Original poster
Brazie · 10/04/2024 13:21

Mich8 · 10/04/2024 13:12

Hi, congratulations! My DC have French names as they were born there, lived there and my DH is French.

I would always advise speaking to your MIL because she will tell you exactly how to pronounce it (if she’s fluent - I’m assuming she is?). For example, it’s not ‘say’ exactly but a softer ‘zay’ on the end of the name, I believe. My husband (and his family and friends) was also able to tell me when a name I thought would be old lady chic was actually potentially something that was dated in France but not necessarily in a desirable way - rather than an equivalent of something pretty like Martha. Or a name that was the equivalent of something very popular here in the 80s. (I won’t say the names he said as I would hate to cause offence to anyone with that name but it certainly put me off a few absolutely beautiful French names!)

For what it’s worth, I think it sounds a lovely name (and not as popular as the middle names which are used by English people here too) but I’d want to ask a French native a few Qs first.

MIL absolutely can't know any names before the baby is born, she has a big mouth and lots of opinions. Even if it was an otherwise lovely name and she just didn't like it she wouldn't be able to be impartial like that.
I'm not too worried if it's dated in France if I'm honest!
The drink doesn't bother me either, loads is alcoholic drinks have human names and we still use them (Jack, Daniel, Morgan to name a few!)
I think Alizée would be the better spelling though.

OP posts:
Mich8 · 10/04/2024 13:16

Devilsmommy · 10/04/2024 10:30

Thank god I'm not the only one who spotted that 😳

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This too OP. Another reason to speak to your other half’s family.

I also learned loads of a French slang from DH in our pursuit of the perfect French name. 🙈 You can’t find this stuff out on the internet generally.

Bigearringsbigsmile · 10/04/2024 13:15

Alizee is beautiful.

Mich8 · 10/04/2024 13:12

Hi, congratulations! My DC have French names as they were born there, lived there and my DH is French.

I would always advise speaking to your MIL because she will tell you exactly how to pronounce it (if she’s fluent - I’m assuming she is?). For example, it’s not ‘say’ exactly but a softer ‘zay’ on the end of the name, I believe. My husband (and his family and friends) was also able to tell me when a name I thought would be old lady chic was actually potentially something that was dated in France but not necessarily in a desirable way - rather than an equivalent of something pretty like Martha. Or a name that was the equivalent of something very popular here in the 80s. (I won’t say the names he said as I would hate to cause offence to anyone with that name but it certainly put me off a few absolutely beautiful French names!)

For what it’s worth, I think it sounds a lovely name (and not as popular as the middle names which are used by English people here too) but I’d want to ask a French native a few Qs first.

35965a · 10/04/2024 10:35

I’ve only ever come across it as Alizée, never with just one e. It’s very pretty. Camille is pretty too.

Callmeaneggimfried · 10/04/2024 10:33

I work with an Alizée, she's maybe mid-20s not sure if she has french heritage but she grew up in the uk. I love her name, it suits her extremely well, she's very effortlessly cool (she sometimes skateboards to work in her designer work wear!). I think the cross of classy and fun makes it a perfect name!

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.

Devilsmommy · 10/04/2024 10:30

KnickerlessParsons · 10/04/2024 09:34

Alizé is an alcoholic drink.

Thank god I'm not the only one who spotted that 😳

KirstenBlest · 10/04/2024 10:28

Alize will get said as Aleez and Alizee as Aleezy or Aleezay

The é will almost always be written as e

NoraLuka · 10/04/2024 10:05

Alizée/Alizé (it is the name of a tropical wind) is pretty but I wouldn’t have a name with an accent in the UK.

Camille is nice too - I think I know equal numbers of male/female Camilles but maybe the boys are younger. I don’t know enough of them to say that’s a definite trend though!

MerciToiAussi · 10/04/2024 10:02

I have an accent in my name which is NEVER correctly written out in the UK, not even by close relatives, lifelong friends or major organisations! And this despite my always writing it correctly 😖So for that reason I would argue for the double "ée" because when it is inevitably written "Alizee" without accent in 95% of her records and correspondance, it is still clear to everyone how to say it out loud, no need to explain. Beautiful name by the way, and Camille is also lovely. Congrats on your new arrival!
💐

Gemstonebeach · 10/04/2024 10:01

Embarrassingly I had no idea that Camille was pronounced differently in French and always thought a relation’s wife was calling herself a nn. I would pronounce Alizée correctly I think but prefer the extra e spelling.

maudelovesharold · 10/04/2024 09:53

Apparently, Camille is a unisex name in France, where it’s in the top 100 for both boys and girls!

I think in the UK, it would be almost exclusively used for girls, if there was no French heritage, which is obviously not the case for you, op, but you said it was your girl name choice, anyway.

I think Alizé/Alizée sounds fine, but will be a spelling nightmare in the UK! You could have it as a second name?

Original poster
Brazie · 10/04/2024 09:50

@PlasticOno

That's the confusion, it seems Alizé is ok for men and women and Alizée is women only!

Camille would be pronounced the French way with an expectation that it may be frequently mispronounced!

OP posts:
Snoopsnoggysnog · 10/04/2024 09:50

I really like Alizé. It’s the name of Princess Kate’s brother’s wife I think - James Middleton’s wife

LenaLamont · 10/04/2024 09:50

Thinking about, I guess it’s unisex. Pissarro and Saint-Saens, but also Paglia.

I just knew male Camilles personally so it skewed my perception.

PlasticOno · 10/04/2024 09:49

Brazie · 10/04/2024 09:32

For those saying yes to Alizé/Alizée which spelling do you prefer? I like the look of Alizé more but wonder if Alizée is better for pronunciation/confusion with Alice?

Well, if you’re naming a girl, presumably you’d give her the feminine version of the name, assuming both exist (have never come across a male Alizé myself)…?

I prefer Camille, personally, but are you going to pronounce it the French or English way?

LenaLamont · 10/04/2024 09:44

Brazie · 10/04/2024 09:35

Not at all?? Lots of females named Camille. I wouldn't even think of it as a boys name.

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I knew two Camille and both were lads. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Doveyouknow · 10/04/2024 09:44

Love Camille - it's a unisex name in France but I think in the UK it's seen as a more feminine name. I think it's a good compromise to a nod to their gran's french heritage without some of the complications of alizée (including the correct spelling and finding the accent on a keyboard!).

CreateYourOwnUsername · 10/04/2024 09:36

I prefer Camille

Moreteaandchocolate · 10/04/2024 09:36

I like it - as long as you don’t mind some spelling / pronunciation issues. I prefer the sound of Alizé to Camille, although Camille might be an easier name to live with as it’s more familiar in the UK.

TallulahBetty · 10/04/2024 09:35

There is a female French singer called Alizee, I believe that is the correct spelling? Can't do the accent on this laptop

Original poster
Brazie · 10/04/2024 09:35

LenaLamont · 10/04/2024 09:34

Camille is a boys name, isn’t it, OP?

Not at all?? Lots of females named Camille. I wouldn't even think of it as a boys name.

OP posts:
LenaLamont · 10/04/2024 09:34

Camille is a boys name, isn’t it, OP?

Original poster
Brazie · 10/04/2024 09:34

KnickerlessParsons · 10/04/2024 09:32

Surely it's Alizée for a girl?

My research shows a French tennis player (female) is Alizé and the one we have met is Alizé too quite confusing as I would have thought the same!

OP posts: