Girls names that work in Dutch, English (and maybe French)

[SomethingSuitablyWitty]

I'm based in Belgium and will be expecting DD2 in March! We are a bilingual family, speaking English and Dutch (Flemish). Where we live is largely French speaking. So, I'm looking for ideas!

Basically, DD1 has a very simple little Irish name spelled as it is pronounced and said more or less the same in the three languages (similar to "Sara"). I'm looking for another name, possibly with an Irish connection, which would also travel well and work in Dutch.

I like some Dutch names, like Marta or Freya for example, but think they are a bit too close to DD1's name. French names are also popular here: like Sophie or Léonie and I'd be open to something like that too. But nothing has really struck me yet and I'd like to start getting some ideas together!

Any inspiration?! Thanks a lot!

I've heard of Fauke, but even I am surprised at Fokje!

I think names like Aoife and Clodagh would be very difficult for most flemish people, unless they have heard of them before, which they probably haven't.

only problem with Amalia is that just as we were about to use it the dutch crown prince called his daughter amalia

dutch is a very phontic language, so i do think it would be hard to have a name that is totally non phonetic, but that is just me. In this context I would go for the phontic spelling - Eva/Evie

My father is dutch and I was born over there and lived there til I was 5. My mother is Irish. My father chose my name; Deirdre and apart from it being a pain to register me there were never any problems with pronounciation. My oma used to shorten it to Diertje

Diertje

LadyMargolotta I had a Fokje email me at work and I was rather stunned, had to ask a colleague if it was a real name. That's when she told me what it was short for

we decided to avoid all names with g or th. I love the name Abigail, but in dutch it is a very little used (as in weird, not as in how unusual) unknown biblical name, spelt the same but pronounced totally differently

Have friends with a daughter Eline, pronounced Elina, I thought that was lovely, and a Wanda (though it always makes me go 'fish called...')

Gabrielle is nice, has a hard g in dutch, but could use either.

My ds has a name which is pronounced differently in dutch and english, and he just accepted that his name was pronounced one way in englich and the other in dutch was never an issue
My dd1 has a longer name which is quite dutch and english folk took a while to get it. She has a short nn which is very familiar in english, she tends to use the longer version in dutch and the nn in english. She had a variation in Russian too, and she just accepted that her name had its own versions in different languages
dd2s name works the same in pretty much every language, although it can be spelt differently it doesn't have to be and the pronounciation slides a little from one language to the other

Irish is phonetic though, isn't it, it's just phonetic according to different rules of pronunciation? (It's that time of day I start to make really balls-aching points, sorry)

It is phonetic but different phonics from French and English. An English person would struggle with what deidre's oma used to do yo her name for instance

Oh yes, definitely phonetic, but doesn't stop people being gobsmacked by names like, say, Siobhan.

I'm liking Eline too.

Diertje is very cute. Not so cute is the shortening of a "Patrick" I know to Prickske.

What about Monica? Don?t know if it?s in the slightest bit Irish, but we have a lovely dutch friend called Monica and I?ve always quite liked it.

Just trying to think of DS's classmates and friends. My midwife was called Veronique which I love (but I have DSs plus my surname begins with D and DH will not countenance VD as initials). Suzanne, Romee, Trinity, Eva. There you go. I like Romee. Hmmmm none of them Irish though.

My middle name was supposed to be Siobhán.... Unfortunately my father had gotten so pissed off with the registry process by then he didn't fancy explaining the fada so decided one name was enough. One of my friends in school was also from an Irish family though and was Siobhán and it didn't seem to cause many issues.

Stella

This is my DN's name, which needed to work (and does) in English, French and Italian.

Emma
Emer

Elise isn't pronounced Elisa- it's really difficult to give you an idea in typing- but there's a difference and it's not so subtle. It's more like Elise-uh or rather Ay-lis-er with an emphasis on the E. But the 'ay' sound isn't as open as it would be in English.

I think Saskia and Astrid are the nicest mentioned so far, IMHO.

What about Alienor, Marieke, Elisabet, Maggie (Griet, Greet) from Margreethe....

Diertje- as in little animal? sorry, I'm having trouble picturing anything else!

Oh, carrying on reading upthread....I see that wasn't a suggestion!
as you were

Nothing with an R in it as it won't work.

Minouche is my favourite.

Amelie also.

I knew a Dutch Marielle, works in all 3 languages.

What about Cliona?

I don't think Minouche would work on the French side of it....it's one of my (French) grandmother's pet names! pretty common too. "ma p'tite minouche, minouchette"- not the coolest name once you hit 14. To me it sounds like a baby name or a cat's name.

Amelie and Amarens are lovely.

How about Nadia
I'm Dutch/Irish and it is also a French Name

Nothing with a "th" sound either! My Dutch relatives have particular problems with the name Heather - prnoucing it either Hedder or Heffer!! :o

Interesting about Minouche quirrel.

Molly / Polly?

Definitely keep it simple to pronounce. That's the key here I think. Lol at Heffer!