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Baby names

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Saintly dilemma - mainly for girls

68 replies

Lulabell · 04/03/2010 10:56

Dh and I are trying to come up with names for the baby (not due til October, so we have a while), but are a bit stuck by our own criteria.

Dh is French and I'm English, so we'd ideally like names that are pronounceable for both sides of the family, and that can be used in both countries as we're not sure which one we'll be living in. On top of that, dh has stipulated that it has to be a Saint's name, and on the French calendar of Saints.

We'd always planned to use Béatrice or Héloïse, but they seem to be suggested all the time on here, which makes me think they're going to appear a lot in the near future. And slightly more of a problem is that people on here seem to associate Héloïse with the C**v word. So, we're thinking of saving those up for a couple of years, and trying a different name.

I absolutely love the name Aria, which would work except that there's no saint; the saint is Ariadne. Can I put Ariadne on a birth certificate, or is it just too ridiculous?
Also, I read Classics at university, so I think everyone will assume I've chosen a poncey Classical name.

Any other suggestions for unusual and attractive Saints please?

Thanks so much

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peasandbeans · 04/03/2010 17:19

oops, forgot to preview, and tried to use French accents to spell French names...

Lulabell · 04/03/2010 17:01

copyrighted even

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Lulabell · 04/03/2010 17:01

I particularly like that they're copywrited lol

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Lulabell · 04/03/2010 17:00

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, some of them are superb.

meilleursprenoms is a great site mathanxiety, but I hadn't spotted the calendar lists, thanks!

Can't here Celine without thinking Dion not sure about that lol

Thanks all

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TrillianAstra · 04/03/2010 16:57

at peasandbeans interesting spellings

peasandbeans · 04/03/2010 16:39

what about Claire?
it works well in both languages, is a great saint, and is surprisingly not very popular at the moment despite being a great name.

I also love C�©cile, Anna, H�©lo�¯se and B�©atrice.

follygirl · 04/03/2010 16:07

How about Celine? It is a popular name in France but not known over here.

I like Ariadne though!

mathanxiety · 04/03/2010 16:01

French saints for October. This website has a whole year of French saints' days. There are some gorgeous names here. Just from the first few days -- Ariel, Melodie, Muriel, Therese, Ruth, Sybille, Aure, Berenice, Orianne, Sarah, Camelia, Capucine, Chloe, Eglantine, Daphne, Fleur de Beaulieu...

October has a few heavy hitters of the Catholic Church on the English/Irish/ US calendar too -- Therese of the Child Jesus and Teresa of Avila, Our Lady of the Rosary, Guardian Angels, Margaret Mary...

said · 04/03/2010 14:22

There's a St Amarin - what about Amarine? I love Severine

Bonsoir · 04/03/2010 14:20

I'm English, my DP is French and we live in France.

Our DD is Flora.

My sister's half-French DD is Lucie.

Lulabell · 04/03/2010 14:17

I was surprised too balloonslayer, but I've seen it said on several name threads now Maybe it's without the H, but how would people know unless you went around with a badge?

Allie, spot on, and dh is very pro the extra celebration element I like Thérèse, especially with Tessa as a nickname.

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BalloonSlayer · 04/03/2010 13:53

Really? Heloise? Well I never. Thought it was right classy myself (adjusts burberry miniskirt).

AllieW · 04/03/2010 13:52

I think it's a nice idea to pick a Saint's name since in France they have their Saint's day as an extra sort of birthday celebration replete with presents, if I recall correctly.

Therese would be nice and there's a Saint Theresa which might be close enough for him?

Lulabell · 04/03/2010 13:46

Gabrielle and Dominique are both good thanks, it's fine to use the feminine forms of male saints.

Thanks so much everyone, this is giving me loads to work with.

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lateSeptember1964 · 04/03/2010 13:42

I love Dominique have met and worked with some lovely people with this name. Not sure if there is a St Dominique, but there are several St Dominic's.

stressed2007 · 04/03/2010 13:41

is there a gabriella?

Lulabell · 04/03/2010 13:39

Lol sunshine, I knew what you meant

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Lulabell · 04/03/2010 13:37

I meant chav, but didnt want to offend anyone. I hate it as a word.

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Sunshinemummy · 04/03/2010 13:37

Lord my typing is terrible - Ariadne Oliver.

Didn't notice Ines but it is one of my fave names - really beautiful.

Lulabell · 04/03/2010 13:36

Hi Zazie, thanks for those! I love Florence and Flora, but they're too similar to dh's name . I like Amandine and Ines a lot, I'll put those to him and see what he thinks.

Thanks

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Sunshinemummy · 04/03/2010 13:36

I think Ardiadne is quite lovely. There is an Agatha Christie heroine called Aridne Oliver too.

Of the names Zazie has posted I love Amandine and know someone who's daughter has this name.

BalloonSlayer · 04/03/2010 13:32

Lulabell, sorry to digress but what the hell's the "C**v word"

strue · 04/03/2010 13:26

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strue · 04/03/2010 13:25

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Zaziedanslemetro · 04/03/2010 13:22

Hi, I am in a similar situation where we need names that work in both languages(french DH).
Here are a few I've spotted in case you like any of them (all from French saints calendar):

Amandine
Charlotte
Marina
Juliette
Ingrid
Rosalie
Inès
Constance
Flora
Floren ce
Odile
Alice
Adèle