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Baby names

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

Original poster

Claire or similar... French names for girls

109 replies

shubiedoo · 19/09/2008 17:29

I like the name Claire but am wondering if it's too popular. Any other ideas?

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ChacunaSonGout · 19/09/2008 21:25

Dominique

Anna do you have CAT?

Louplet · 19/09/2008 21:25

I like

Aurelie
Aurelien
Delphine
Gabrielle
Laure
Oriele
Sophie

I also work with a Benedicte which is quite unusual.

zebedee1 · 19/09/2008 21:24

How about these names, I really like:
Odette, Odile
Claudette, Claudine
Ines
Camille (we have a Camille at nursery, Mimi for short, gorgeous)
Otillie

Belen(d) and Fl(eur)ange are just terrible!

Anna8888 · 19/09/2008 21:20

What was it chacun?

ChacunaSonGout · 19/09/2008 21:19

i recently named ds a french name but got so sick of mispronounciation that i have changed it round to give his middle name first

( he was born on Bastille day !)

JiminyCricket · 19/09/2008 21:19

I know a Marie-Claire from france. I suppose it is a magazine tho.

Anna8888 · 19/09/2008 21:18

Nat(h)alie and Isabelle are the names of the mid-1960s. A bit dated now. Nicole also dated.

peacelily · 19/09/2008 21:17

Just list a few! I like Anouk, Elouise, Elodie and Isabelle.

Really don't like Christelle though

kalo12 · 19/09/2008 21:16

nicole

expatinscotland · 19/09/2008 21:15

My old boss's dad is Quebecois and she is called Nathalie.

I always thought that was pretty and doesn't date.

Anna8888 · 19/09/2008 21:15

Oh crikey . Can't you just tell me the names you are considering and I'll tell you how they sound?

peacelily · 19/09/2008 21:14

What are the classic ones Anna? I'm v interested in a French girls name IF I get pg and have a girl (trying soon).

Love France and French culture spent much of my childhood there and have worked in France, still go every year hence wanting a French name. I think it's important to know which ones are in vogue/classic e.g. I went right of Sylvie when I realised how old womany it was (French equiv of Ethel).

Personally like Beatrice and Marthe.

please advise

Original poster
shubiedoo · 19/09/2008 21:13

And in Quebec (we're in Canada) Claire is in the top 20 baby names!

OP posts:
FrockHorror · 19/09/2008 21:10

I would definately go with Clare...

Anna8888 · 19/09/2008 21:10

The headmistress of my daughter's school is called Marie-Hortense. Horrible name but absolutely lovely woman.

Original poster
shubiedoo · 19/09/2008 21:09

Hmm, without revealing our surname it's difficult to explain why Amelie or Fleur or Sandrine are just not going to work!
But I adore French names and I love reading all the possibilities...

OP posts:
ChacunaSonGout · 19/09/2008 21:06

Hortense

Anna8888 · 19/09/2008 21:03

Yes, but we live in a globalised world and your DD might end up in France or in a French-savvy environment. If you want to give her a French name, let it at least be a classic one or one of her generation rather than an outmoded one

Original poster
shubiedoo · 19/09/2008 21:00

Interesting. We don't live in France so it's not like we have to keep up with the trends there!
There's "dated" vs. "classic"...
I think, too, with the Catholic thing in Ireland, the French-ish names are old because they were popular saints' names.

OP posts:
Anna8888 · 19/09/2008 20:56

Just be aware that being called Claire Yvonne - or Claire Colette - is a bit like being called Jane Pauline in English ie very dated...

Original poster
shubiedoo · 19/09/2008 20:54

I thought of Claire Colette but the sounds are too choppy.

OP posts:
clayre · 19/09/2008 20:52

i like claire

my dd is Aimee which is french for to be loved

tortoiseshell · 19/09/2008 20:52

I don't like Yvonne as a middle name with Claire - it makes the Claire run into it - Clar-ey-vonne. Something like Simone would work better...

Claire Simone

or what about Victoire - Claire Victoire would be glorious!

Original poster
shubiedoo · 19/09/2008 20:51

Some French names that are also Irish:
Bernadette (no!)
Colette
Marie-Therese
Catherine/Kathleen

OP posts:
Original poster
shubiedoo · 19/09/2008 20:50

Wow, lots of ideas, thanks everyone!
To complicate things, our surname is Irish so it can't be TOO French ifywim.
I like Madeleine too but there are so many round here.
But it seems Claire is not that common so I may go for it after all...
Claire with Yvonne for a middle name.

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