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British names with a French(ish) feel! Help!

73 replies

UsedToBeASize10 · 04/06/2014 22:59

Hi there. I need some advice on baby names so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some great ideas! My naming style is somewhere between very old English/twee and French. Yes, it sounds bizarre. But to give you an example, names like Lucie/Alice/Esme are perfect examples. Sadly, I cannot use the name Esme (which is utterly depressing as it's my absolute favourite) but I am looking for an alternative with a similar sound/feel to it without it being too 'out there' IYKWIM. Lucie is also off the table. So far, I have (reluctantly) drawn up a short list:

Girls: Elsa (ruined by Frozen?), Alice, Eliza....think that's about it...
Boys: Theo, Alexander....um....

I would love to hear your suggestions! Thanks

OP posts:
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BananaramaLlama · 04/06/2014 23:01

Sophie? V popular but think it has the vibe you are after.
Emilie, maybe?

LauraChant · 04/06/2014 23:04

Charlotte, Louise, Aimee, Amelie

Boys are harder! Laurence/ Laurie?

baskingseals · 04/06/2014 23:04

Elise

Fabienne

Delphine

lifesavingnoodles · 04/06/2014 23:06

Mirelle said properly its lovely... but she used to call herself Mee-ray

KatieKaye · 04/06/2014 23:10

My French female relatives are
Polette
Georgette (said with the same sound as "je" in French, not as in George!)
Ninette
Martine
Marie-Louise
Martine
Severine (love this!)

I don't think the male names would work as well
(Pierre, Alain, Jacques)
David looks the same, but is pronounced differently, as is Vincent and Matthieu is pretty similar to the English
Jerome is rather nice but just different enough?

FranKatzenjammer · 04/06/2014 23:12

Elodie and Louis.

BethanFaye · 04/06/2014 23:14

How about:

Genevieve
Faye
Flora
Fleur
Violet
Pearl
Maeve
Evelina 'ever-leena'
Sofia
Nina
Nora

LadyWithLapdog · 04/06/2014 23:17

Sylvie
Dominique
Louis
Eloise
Catherine

Donki · 04/06/2014 23:17

Jean/John
André
Paul
Gerard(e)

BethanFaye · 04/06/2014 23:18

Boys : Luca, Henry, Fabien, Raffael, Reuben, Dominic, Nathaniel?

BiscuitMillionaire · 04/06/2014 23:20

Beatrice

MrsEricBana · 04/06/2014 23:23

My all time favourite, Celeste?
Also Sylvie, Beatrice, Amelie, Delphine.

showtunesgirl · 04/06/2014 23:25

Colette.

MrsEricBana · 04/06/2014 23:25

Claudette, Colette, Helene, Helena

MrsEricBana · 04/06/2014 23:26
Grin
aoife24 · 04/06/2014 23:27

Genevieve, Simone, Pascale?

LatinForTelly · 04/06/2014 23:30

Gaston.

Love Celeste too, but it is/was a name of a contraceptive wasn't it?

minmooch · 04/06/2014 23:38

Anais
Agnes (pronounced Ann-yay)
Liberte
Fifi
Brigitte
Clementine

Jean
Philippe
Louis
Andre

dontevenblink · 04/06/2014 23:46

Arianne?

Viatrix · 05/06/2014 00:34

Leonie
Elise
Adele
Clementine
Emilie
Madeleine
Eve
Caroline
Margot/Margo
Emmeline
Eugenie
Suzanne/Suzie
Gwendoline/Gwen
Julia
Sylvie
Louisa
Aurelie

Max
Leo
Jules
Raphael
Hugo
Gabriel
Lucas
Nicolas
Fabien
Elias
Lucien
Vincent
Anton
Gregory
Remy
Xavier

SizzlesSit · 05/06/2014 03:22

Celia
Celine
Clemence
Sandrine

CorusKate · 05/06/2014 03:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Guin1 · 05/06/2014 05:19

Odette
Yvonne
Charles
Victor

GreatAuntDinah · 05/06/2014 06:31

Depends if your kid is ever going to go to France, in which case 85% of the names listed will sound ridiculous, like calling a British baby Brenda or Gary.

Agnes is pronounced ann-yes not ann-yay and Liberté is not a name.

burgatroyd · 05/06/2014 06:47

Elsa is exploring in popularity. Not surprised if its in top five next year.

Severine is great but means severe, stern.

Personal fave is Sidonie.