crazy for falling for name Brigitte?

[numum]

I think I go for how names look or something but I really like the way Brigitte the name looks. Well three years ago I saw a French woman reading the news on French TV and her name was Brigitte, she was lovely, in her mid thirties and I thought, that is what I will name my next daughter (older sister is Audrey) in our bilingual French-English Canadian family. so for three years I held onto Brigitte as a name and conceived a girl and was so thrilled to have a name ready! Then I asked the French people in France and they HATE it! too old, too Brigitte Bardot, only popular in the 1950 (top 5 in France) and then not since then, everyone has an old aunt with that name whom they dislike it seems! We may move to France one day and will certainly travel there. And I also thought the name was bilingual but turns out it seems only some people think Brigitte can legitimitely pronounced in English at all "bri-jit", otherwise it is the French Bri-zheet (soft j sound) or the German Brigitta sound. I can't force anglo's in our bilingual city to say it in French and as an anglo I don't know if I am prepared to say my daughter's name in French all the time. Is there a time when it is time to move on with a name one has been coveting for years? Then I considered Helena but it has a kazillion different pronunciations which can cause confusion! Was thinking Brigitte was a "classic" French name and still getting over the disappointment that it is quite the opposite. Time to move on? Time to take a risk on my daughter and name her Brigitte anyway? Brigitte Helena perhaps?

and breathe....

Sorry, I just think of Brigitte Neilson.

Helena is nice though.

Helena is my current favourite for my bump.

Think you have won the award for the longest sentence on MN today anyway

Brigitte is fine, if you like the name then use it.

Couldn't be bothered Didn't have time to read your whole message, not keen on Brigitte, but do like Helena

Brigitte makes me think of a man in drag somehow, it seems masculine in a way. How about Juliette, I prefer Juliet but the 'tte' is similar and Juliette Lewis is pretty cool!

I think it's a nice but most Anglos would pronounce it Bridget and there's not much you can do about that.

Prefer Helena, though,

Well Brigitte Bardot has managed to be pretty famous in the English speaking world so it's not an impossible name for pronunciation though there might be some variation between the two languages (very hard to avoid though)

I prefer it to Helena, personally

Also, don't go too much by French name taste imo - my French family all poo-poo more traditional French names but are calling their own children Fanny, Lola, Nina, cutesie names instead

And the French have an abiding passion for Kevin too, apparently..

Go for Brigitte, pronounce it Bri-zheet. I can't believe it wouldn't ring a bell (Bardot) for more than a handful of ignoramuses (ignoramii?) If you love it, it will be fine.

I love Helena too, any pronunciation.

You can correct people who get it wrong. Most will remember after being told.

Thank you for your input. It is still our current fave, leaning towards pronouncing it the French way but expecting other pronunciations from others. Baby naming is an emotional business isn't it!?

It really is, numum! I was shocked by the responses we got when we named DS Sam. Really? Sam? What can you possibly say about it? Quite a lot, apparently.

Anyway, I think Brigitte is very pretty and goes well with Audrey. It's your child, so forget what everyone else says.

Thanks, lots of French people can't picture the name on a baby, it seems. I appreciate your Cheerful perspective Cheerful yank.
Hard to know what baby wants to be named!
Thanks again, everybody!

Re: Brigette Nielsson, there's always going to some celeb with the baby's name. Would you let Katie Price put you off the name Katie. Besides Nielsson isnt particularly famous, and your daughters friends would never make the association.

I like the name Brigette. Very cute name.

How about spelling it Bridget - like with Bridget Jones.

Thanks. We need a name that works in French too and Bridget is very hard for the French to say, and we have a soft spot for the pronunciation Brigitte.

My DH is french-canadian I'm having a devil of a time finding a name that doesn't sound like a show-girl's with our 'fancy-in-england' sounding french last name and sounds OK in French and English (pronouncable at least) the Frenglish ones I came up with were vetoed by mumsnetters from France as 'down market' or 'old fashioned', I got 'trendy' suggestions of Cappucine and Sixtene (or something) which is not going to work in the UK for quite obvious reasons arghhhhh!

LOVE Brigitte...it goes well with Audrey too (which I love also!) use it!!!

Thanks again. Sedgiebaby, there are some good sources for French names. Tonprenom.com or is it tonprenom.fr has a list of prenom indemodables (classics) and also a great search engine that lets you specify what type of name you want then it gives you a long list of candidates. The French also give feedback on doctissimo.fr forum grossesse, forum prenoms. I find it "settling" to pick a common name to be safe but scary to pick an unusual out of fashion (in France) name for my dear daughter. Maybe I will find something else! I want to love the name...