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Baby names

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

Original poster

Poncy French spellings when a perfectly good English one is available

33 replies

CaresMildly · 31/07/2009 14:19

Oh yes, I did it myself!

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MrsMattie · 01/08/2009 20:19

I don't really understand Isabelle / Annabelle. Seems unnecessary to me.

I do love traditional French names, though.

cthea · 01/08/2009 20:02

Thanks, Pastures, I didn't know it and I've kept it open on the computer now for DH to read. Or maybe I'll try it on Sylvia tomorrow morning.

mrswoolf · 01/08/2009 00:09

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simplesusan · 31/07/2009 23:47

Steaknife, I think Isobel is the spanish version of Elizabeth.

pasturesnew · 31/07/2009 20:29

Cthea do you know the nice poem "Who is Sylvia?" www.poemtree.com/poems/WhoIsSylvia.htm I learned the Schubert setting at one point, it's a classic.

steaknife · 31/07/2009 19:19

I think the spelling sometimes makes a difference to how the name is said,

Isabelle / Isobel
Genevieve / Jenifer
Margaret / Margaritte

We went with Isabelle - it was the only name DH suggested and we were on the way to the hospital so he caught me off guard a bit.
Not sure I would have gone for Isobel though.
I always think of it as the Spanish spelling as that is where we were living and for the Spanish queen.

Isn't is a version of Elizabeth?

allaboutme · 31/07/2009 19:18

We just read the Tiger who came to tea as well and its 'Sophie' in my book!
Perhaps they changed it for the more recent editions!

Babbity · 31/07/2009 19:15

I think at the moment the more Italian/Spanish influence is more prevalent ie Anna over Ann(e), Isabella over Isobel(le), Sophia over Sophy/ie, Clara over Clare/Claire, Francesca over Frances etc. I think this is a very "noughties" trend.

cthea · 31/07/2009 19:09

Frederica is lovely and I had it on shortlist for first DC. In fact I think it was Federica.

I have a Sylvia but would have really, really preferred the French version of Sylvie or Silvia otherwise as I think the Y makes it poncy, a bit like Jayne/Jane.

LongtimeinBrussels · 31/07/2009 19:04

I agree with pasturesnew - imo the correct spelling of any name in any language is preferable to a made-up spelling. We had to be careful with our dcs names anyway as we live in Belgium and the dcs went/go to French-speaking schools.

(PS There's a Sophy in Persuasion too.)

mrswoolf · 31/07/2009 18:43

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BonsoirAnna · 31/07/2009 17:57

Frederica is a fabulous name!

maggievirgo · 31/07/2009 17:55

I hear you. I like Juliet, Annabel and Vivien, but I would really dislike Juliette, Annabelle and Vivienne.

Also, I like Susan, but dislike Suzanne.

I don't dislike all French names though. But French doesn't automatically make a name better. Sometimes I prefer the simplicity of the English version.

Kotek · 31/07/2009 17:47

I think it's nice. A slightly different example but I went to school with a Genevieve (only one) and all the Jennifers (there were a few) were so jealous and wished they had the exotic variation on their name.

pasturesnew · 31/07/2009 14:59

There is this one www.mumsnet.com/Talk?topicid=adult_fiction&threadid=658408-Georgette-Heyer and there was another one trying to write in the style, it might actually be later on in the same thread?

Original poster
CaresMildly · 31/07/2009 14:53

My sister is mooting Frederica if she has another baby and I really hope she does.

Lovely name - although I'd have to go for Frederique to be in keeping with my ponciness!!

PS Is there a Georgette Heyer thread anywhere on MN? I've had a quick look in the book section and can't see it if there is.

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pasturesnew · 31/07/2009 14:50

LOL Frederica is the best heroine then Venetia IMO then Leonie and poss. Arabella then Hero. All interesting names to choose from!

KingRolo · 31/07/2009 14:46

I taught a Cherylle, presumably a fancy version of Cheryl, a few years ago.

Original poster
CaresMildly · 31/07/2009 14:43

She certainly is pasturesnew, although have to say I wanted to call my daughter Venetia (also a GH heroine and my favourite!). Sadly DH vetoed it.

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pasturesnew · 31/07/2009 14:39

There is a Georgette Heyer called "The Grand Sophy", she is a pretty good heroine.

pasturesnew · 31/07/2009 14:38

nah I think there is a diff between giving a proper name whatever language and a made-up one like "Tonee"!

Original poster
CaresMildly · 31/07/2009 14:37

I didn't know that about Sophie/y but strangely have just been reading The Tiger That Came To Tea where there is a Sophy. And actually thought that Sophy looked more unusual (and nicer) than Sophie. Strange how it goes!

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Original poster
CaresMildly · 31/07/2009 14:35

Yes, I like French ones as they seem a bit more interesting than the English version.

But then I started thinking about the (lovely) name Alicia (pronounced A-liss-ee-ya in my mind) which has ended up with people called Aleesha and wondered if giving a child a French name (without any real French connections) was all part of the same continuum.

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GetOrfMoiLand · 31/07/2009 14:33

Sophie is the French version of the (English version) Sophy. But Sophie is far more common than Sophy.

I think genuine variants of names are accepted, however random frenchified names (with accents) are odd. When I worked in a school there was a girl called Tonee (with an acute accent above the first e). That was a bit odd.

pasturesnew · 31/07/2009 14:33

See Amy is a good example as surely that must have started off as "Aimee" and only become fixed as "Amy" when Caxton's printing press came along

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