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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?

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RowsOfFlowers · 20/09/2026 14:16

Seraphine is lovely!

mathanxiety · 20/09/2026 16:38

I agree with PPs that your names are quite British and a bit on the twee side. I like your DH's name vibe more.

Suggestions:
Catherine
Cecelia
Heloise
Sybille
Laetitia
Tatiana
Esmee
Olivia
Antonia
Lucille
Sidonie
Emeline
Helene
Penelope
Athena
Lydia
Ariane
Astrid
Emilie
Thalia
Rosalie
Emma
Agathe
Alma
Mathilde
Celestine
Anouk
Cloe
Cleo
Morgane
Anastasia
Valentina
Raphaelle
Clementine
Charlotte
Romane
Clarissa
Philomene
Bertille
Apolline
Anna

Your H can fill in accents as needed.

mathanxiety · 20/09/2026 16:41

*Clarisse

mumumental · 20/09/2026 21:29

How about Laurent?

Roseau24 · 20/09/2026 21:35

mumumental · 20/09/2026 21:29

How about Laurent?

That is a boy's name!

ladygindiva · 20/09/2026 21:52

Genevieve
Amelie
Helena
Margot

MabelAnderson · 20/09/2026 22:03

Marianne, Matilde, Monique, Maude .
Sylvie, Sophie, Celeste
Adelle, Josephine, Pauline, Louise, Yvette.

mumumental · 21/09/2026 09:15

Roseau24 · 20/09/2026 21:35

That is a boy's name!

Show quote history

Ah yes. Perhaps I meant Laurence. I once lived with a woman with that name.

dreamingofgoodhair · 21/09/2026 09:17

I like Josephine and Eleanor.

Gonnaeatalotofpeaches · 21/09/2026 13:02

Here is a list I like from my three year olds Maternelle class, Alba, Alma, Elina, Lucie.
Maybe Marie or Louise would be good classic names that aren’t too frilly.
Although every other girl in my children’s maternelle are Louise or Alba.

Calliopespa · 21/09/2026 19:30

Roseau24 · 20/09/2026 21:35

That is a boy's name!

Show quote history

Laurence

cityliving99 · 21/09/2026 19:37

Eleanore
Delphine
Anna

ThatGoldScroller · 21/09/2026 19:47

Marianne

luckylavender · 21/09/2026 19:56

Agnès
Agathe
Eloise
Manon
Marine
isabelle
Veronique
Noemie
Sophie
Alice
Céline
Emmanuelle

Calliopespa · 21/09/2026 20:07

Word of warning re use of Victorine in the UK. My dc had one in their nursery class and the children all thought she was called Nectarine.

CatVester · 21/09/2026 20:16

I love Nectarine. That is v funny.

Marine is a very bad idea.

Also, I think people are just suggesting names that sound a bit like the English equivalents without considering how they might actually be perceived in France. Some of these names aren't far off Doris or Tracey.

GustyGertie · 21/09/2026 20:19

Yes nectarine is fun 🍊 Or clementine perhaps.

Seriously though how about Maelys.

SwedishEdith · 21/09/2026 20:40

Apolline is gorgeous.

I love French girls named so would be completely leaning in to his suggestions so probably not much help. But French pronunciation really changes how some sound.

Delphine (Delphy is a great nickname)
Séraphine
Sabine
Fabienne (I suspect this is old fashioned in France but sounds great)
Solange
Ségolène
Séverine

Love Nectarine though 😄

Calliopespa · 21/09/2026 20:50

SwedishEdith · 21/09/2026 20:40

Apolline is gorgeous.

I love French girls named so would be completely leaning in to his suggestions so probably not much help. But French pronunciation really changes how some sound.

Delphine (Delphy is a great nickname)
Séraphine
Sabine
Fabienne (I suspect this is old fashioned in France but sounds great)
Solange
Ségolène
Séverine

Love Nectarine though 😄

I love both Apolline and Seraphine.

The latter is more elegant in French than the English Seraphina I think.

dcadmamagain · 21/09/2026 20:53

Danielle

dcadmamagain · 21/09/2026 20:53

Elise

Frannieisnthappy · 21/09/2026 22:35

A little girl in my child's class has French parents and is called Mabel pronounced Ma-Belle

minipoodlemum · 21/09/2026 22:59

I know a few little French girls, so adding their names to the mix:

Jade
Ambre
Célestine
Léontine
Laure

Newabodemode · 21/09/2026 23:36

Anna was the choice of an Anglo-French couple I know. Laura was their second choice.
I like Clara and think it works here.
I really like Amandine and Elodie too.
What about Isabelle? (nn Isa?)
Or Nadia?

Newabodemode · 21/09/2026 23:36

I also like Elise and Estelle.

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