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

[UsedToBeASize10]

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!

Danielle
Aurelie (with an accent on the e)
Aude
Aurore

Half the babies in our village (UK!) are called Amelie. Not keen myself as I couldn't stand the film or the actress in it but the name is pretty.

Amy written Aimee or pronounced Ay-may is pretty.

I love Sylvie - getting a comeback in UK these days.
Also love Claude - it looks so stylish - the name equivalent of an Audrey Hepburn elfin haircut!

Estelle?

None of the babies at my crèche have typical French names (I do live in an area with a big immigrant population though). Kids at crèche are called Stacey, Enzo, Diago, Nathan, Ethan, names like that.

I'll put forward Justine and Clémence, both names of small girls I know.

Top 50 French boys and girls names:

Boys Rank

Rank Name

1. Nathan +1

2. Lucas -1

3. Enzo 0

4. Léo +6

5. Louis -1

6. Hugo +2

7. Gabriel 0

8. Ethan +5

9. Mathis -4

10. Jules -4

11. Raphaël -2

12. Arthur +3

13. Tom -1

14. Théo -3

15. Noah -1

16. Timeo +10

17. Matheo -1

18. Clément +2

19. Maxime 0

20. Yanis -2

21. Maël +3

22. Adam -1

23. Thomas -6

24. Evan +1

25. Paul -3

26. Nolan +3

27. Axel +1

28. Antoine -5

29. Alexandre -2

30. Noé +2

31. Noa +3

32. Sacha +5

33. Baptiste -3

34. Maxence -1

35. Mohamed +1

36. Gabin +3

37. Alexis -6

38. Rayan 0

39. Quentin -4

40. Valentin 0

41. Mathys +3

42. Victor +3

43. Samuel +5

44. Esteban -2

45. Kylian -4

46. Martin +1

47. Romain -4

48. Simon +1

49. Matteo -3

50. Aaron +6

51. Emma 0

52. Léa +1

53. Chloé +1

54. Manon +1

55. Inès +1

56. Lola +4

57. Jade -5

58. Camille -1

59. Sarah -1

60. Louise +3

61. Zoé -2

62. Lilou 0

63. Lena +3

64. Maëlys 0

65. Clara -4

66. Eva -1

67. Lina +2

68. Anaïs -1

69. Louna +2

70. Romane -2

71. Juliette +1

72. Lucie -2

73. Ambre +6

74. Alice +10

75. Lou +5

76. Lisa -1

77. Clémence -3

78. Jeanne -1

79. Louane +3

80. Mathilde -4

81. Océane -8

82. Charlotte -1

83. Marie -5

84. Noémie -1

85. Celia 0

86. Anna +4

87. Nina +2

88. Pauline -3

89. Lana +13

90. Laura -3

91. Lily +4

92. Léonie +6

93. Alicia -2

94. Julie -6

95. Julia +6

96. Rose -4

97. Margaux +9

98. Élise -4

99. Melina +9

100. Luna -7

Some of the names in DS1's class at school (Belgium - French speaking) are:

Girls - Lea, Nessa, Marie, Ema, Anais,

Boys - Maxime, Julien, Alexandre, Victor

I also like Elodie or Aurelie (both names of my work colleagues...) for a girl.

Some of the more unusual names of young children that I've come across recently in France (not so sure about spelling):

Girls: Alwena, Amalia, Lison, Lise, Faustine, Abelie, Evane, Clementine, Naëlle

Boys: Augustin, Malo, Lino, Ninoë, Ilyes, Loris

Gabrielle?

Cecily
Cecile

Margot

Anais
Anouk

Audre

Elise

Emilia

Rosalie

Aimee

Raphal is a brilliant name and wouldn't sound old fashioned in French.

I work with an Emeline (who goes by Mimie) and a Malle.

Some lovely names on this thread. My favourite is Anouk. And I can add Marjolaine to the list, which I think is absolutely beautiful.

For boys, I like Claude and Thierry.

rhubarb - I have never met anyone else who has even heard of Marjolaine, let alone knows how to say it. I would have used it for dd1, but couldn't believe English people would be able to say it, and they would want to shorten it, and I couldn't find and short version I liked.

(ours is a duthc marjoleine, and you say the last e as well)

my twin boy cousins have a french mother and are called marcelle and gustav.. maybe too French?

Sylvie will always remind me of St Etienne. And I have known a few Etiennes in the last few years too.

Romilly

I clicked on here to say Alice, but see it was in your OP.

Choose Alice! It's so beautiful!

I'm not remotely French but my DD is Elodie. My girls list for this current one (37+1) is Camille (front runner), Delphine, Celine, Claudine, Sabine, Meredith & Vivienne. As for boys.... colour me stumped! The lists in this thread will be pored over this afternoon though

Has nobody given Michelle? For a girl that's British enough not to have people asking if you are French.

Michel for a boy over here might not work so well unless you really are French.

What about Annabel, Eloise, Elise, Alix, Constance, Louise...

Louis? For a girl, Juliette or Chloe?

Elsie
Eleri
Elodie

Milo
Rafael
Gabriel

Georgette
Miriam
Claudine
Sylvie

Camille or Miriam are so gorgeous. Wished I'd thought of them myseld