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Original poster

Baby girl names to suit different British and French naming styles

87 replies

Indiff · 17/09/2026 13:03

Hi all, so my husband and I are expecting our first child together, we both have children from our first marriages and my husband is French.

We have very very different naming styles.

My children are Pippa Jane and Leo Mark, family names for middle names. His children each have 3 middle names! And quite formal to me anyway first names, their names are Arthur Louis Marc Gaspard and Estelle Inès Pascale Aliénor.

We are expecting a little girl

My husband loves

Blanche, Victoire, Apolline and Eugénie
I think these are all far too heavy and I don’t like them.

I love Clara, Phoebe, Alice, Juliette, he doesn’t like any of these!

Can anyone help us find a name we both like?

OP posts:
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sashh · 18/09/2026 06:49

Indiff · 17/09/2026 14:41

We currently live in the uk but his children are still in France and we are there in most school holidays, and almost every month. It’s unlikely we will move to France before my children leave school.

Show quote history

What about Catherine? It's timeless and works in both languages.

Elizabeth

Violette, famous British women who was sent to France as a spy / resistance worker in WWII.

Valentina, the name of the first woman in space, although it's a Russian name it isn't only Russian. It also has lots of potential for diminutives eg Tina and Val.

aperolspritzbasicbitch · 18/09/2026 06:33

Vivianne/Vianne?

PurpleBrocadePeacock · 18/09/2026 06:30

I honestly think you both need to come up with 10 more names each to and see if any do it for you, then come up with a combination from both lists that work. You might have to compromise with 2 or 3 middle names but try to get your choices in.

Then be prepared to end up with something like:

Apolline Alice Maëlle (known as Polly)

Julianne Victoire Louise

Clara Eugénie Elise

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 18/09/2026 05:58

The Anglo- French girls I know are:
Anna
Stella
Alice
Zoe
Gabriella
Sophie
Isabelle
Sara
Amelie
Alexandra

Anything there?

Some live in the UK, some in France, some have moved between the 2.

Chamallo · 18/09/2026 03:11

Ugh, facing a similar issue with our second. You’d think there’d be more common ground with UK and French names but fashion cycles seem to be totally at odds.

What about more Latin/Romance sounding names? Slightly longer and more formal sounding than the French ones, but less frilly and easier to pronounce in English. Some names I like…
Valentina, Gabriela, Rafaela, Vita, Vivienne, Marina (Le Pen has ruined this one for us :( ), Margarita (could be nn Daisy), Sabrina, Lucia, Bianca, Alicia, Noemie, Oceane (I know this doesn’t really work in English but I love it), Francesca.

We went with Melody for our first and both sides of the family love that.

LivingTheDreamish · 18/09/2026 02:28

I do see the problem. Could you go for Apolline if she's known as Polly?

Roseau24 · 17/09/2026 23:18

It needs to work in both languages and Phoebe doesn't work in French.
Some suggestions are very dated (I can't imagine anyone calling their child Suzette) and posters may not realise that names like Camille and Sasha are also boy's names in France.
Alice (one of your suggestions) is a classic name in France. Juliette is very common.

Mandarinaduck · 17/09/2026 23:10

I like both your children's names and his.

Sibylle
Noélie
Céline
Célia
Elsa
Louise
Astrid
Marine

Anon501178 · 17/09/2026 23:07

Aww wow, I have a Pippa AND a Leo too!

Amelie is a beautiful name....French origins but also very popular in Britain

ElefantAndCastle · 17/09/2026 23:02

I would go for Adèle.

NicNakNicola · 17/09/2026 23:00

Charlotte? Got a French side to it but also a lovely English name.

Giraffehaver · 17/09/2026 22:48

Simone

Monkeymummah · 17/09/2026 22:30

I love Josephine

Mumofgirls2017 · 17/09/2026 22:27

Eloise
elodie
romy
anna
daphne
mathilde
margot
beatrice
genevieve
amelie
coralie
ottilie
louisa
zoe
martha

Madamecholetsbonnet · 17/09/2026 16:29

I like Zelie too.

Marianne?

CatVester · 17/09/2026 16:25

It's difficult to think of names that fit your DH's vibe that aren't complicated or fancy-sounding. Otherwise I'd have suggested Quitterie, Capucine, Maylis, Laureline. Maybe Lilas?

Equally, it's difficult to think of names that fit your vibe that aren't going to sound plain or excessively popular to your DH.

I actually really like both your lists of names! Good luck.

Original poster
Indiff · 17/09/2026 15:58

CatVester · 17/09/2026 15:01

How far away is that? Will your youngest child be educated in the French system to facilitate a move?

I'm only asking because your husband's list sounds like a list of French children and yours sounds like a list of English children. If your youngest will be educated in the French system it might be easier for them to sound like they are French.

Also, your husband's names lean a bit posh for France and that does tend to mean quite fancy sounding names for English ears. Margot, Louisa, Alix, Geneviève and Zélie are my suggestions.

Show quote history

My children are 12 and 14 so likely in the next 6-8 years. We are still discussing education as to if we will use the French curriculum schools or more general international schools in both countries.

I do often think his children’s names lean quite posh to me!

I quite like Zélie, I’ll see what DH thinks!

OP posts:
sarahxapple · 17/09/2026 15:18

Suggestions

Charlotte
Amelie
Nicole
Celeste

CatVester · 17/09/2026 15:01

Indiff · 17/09/2026 14:41

We currently live in the uk but his children are still in France and we are there in most school holidays, and almost every month. It’s unlikely we will move to France before my children leave school.

Show quote history

How far away is that? Will your youngest child be educated in the French system to facilitate a move?

I'm only asking because your husband's list sounds like a list of French children and yours sounds like a list of English children. If your youngest will be educated in the French system it might be easier for them to sound like they are French.

Also, your husband's names lean a bit posh for France and that does tend to mean quite fancy sounding names for English ears. Margot, Louisa, Alix, Geneviève and Zélie are my suggestions.

WhiteFramesandPlanes · 17/09/2026 14:49

Helena
Selena
Giselle
Nicole

GoodGirlFaith · 17/09/2026 14:47

Giselle.

101Alsatians · 17/09/2026 14:44

Claude
Violet
Sasha
Imogene

Original poster
Indiff · 17/09/2026 14:41

CatVester · 17/09/2026 14:33

Are you planning to live in France or in the UK?

We currently live in the uk but his children are still in France and we are there in most school holidays, and almost every month. It’s unlikely we will move to France before my children leave school.

OP posts:
CatVester · 17/09/2026 14:33

Are you planning to live in France or in the UK?

beeble347 · 17/09/2026 14:30

Daphne
Romy
Céline
Claire
Eloise
Sylvie