The final piece of the puzzle is here from Le Figaro French birth announcements. If you arrived here by Google search, here are parts I, II, and III.
Many appeal to me (Léonore, Violette), several intrigue (Palmyre, Siloée). Still more may not weather the voyage too well. I’d be afraid that Quitterie would never finish anything, Prune would be born looking like an old woman, that Nine would always feel like a number, not to mention Sixtine. You could always call her Sweet Sixtine I suppose.
They’re all lovely in French though.
Laure
Léontine
Leonor
Léonore x2
Louise x3
Lucie
Lyore
Madeleine
Marguerite
Martha
Mina
Mona
Nina
Nine
Olympia
Palmyre
Paula
Philomène
Prisca
Prune
Quitterie x3
Romy
Siloée
Sixtine
Solène
Tifenn
Toscane
Typhaine
Victoria
Violette
Vittoria
Viviane
Ysé
Zita
Zoé
Image Above: La Baguette by Nicolas Gouny
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I love Sixtine. She has been a long time favorite, but I think if I ever actually had an American child with this name, I would almost be forced to spelled it Sistine. Quitterie is another cool option, currently very trendy in France, though I am pronouncing it (keet-te-REE) vs (KWIT-teh-ree). I think Kitty would be a cute nickname. Other choices that make me go “oo wow!”
Philomène
Prisca-went to school with two Priscas
Prune
Siloée-interesting, though it kind of reminds me of Silo
Toscane
I do love the way Quitterie sounds in French– I wasn’t actually pronouncing it like quitter, though it does look like quitter. I suppose a pronunciation guide is in order for these things.
I’ve never met a Prisca. Where did you attend school Sebastiane?
I went to highschool in France, or at least the equivalent of highschool
So many pretty names! <3
I particulary like:
Leonor / Léonore
Louise
Lucie
Madeleine – Funny thing, I was under the impression that this was considered very dated/old-lady in France. I hope it's being revived, because it's a classic and it's beautiful.
Marguerite
Olympia, Palmyre – So funny because those are the names of my great-grandmothers (though they were actually Olímpia and Palmira in Portuguese). They sound really exotic and heavy nowadays and it's a pity. I think the Portuguese were braver with their names in 1910 than in 2010. xD
Quitterie – I've always liked this! Beautiful with the nickname Kitty.
Sixtine
Typhaine
Victoria – prefer the whimsical Victoire.
Zita
Zoé – another favourite of mine.
Oh Rita, I do hope you get to and will use Olimpia and Palmira some day! At least in the middle. They’re wonderful.
I’m also under the impression that Madeleine is very old fashioned in France. It will surely be revived slowly. It’s just like here with “old lady chic.”
Yum yum yum.
I love Sixtine! Part of the reason I like it is because of the number – not that I have a particular fondness for that number but it’s just cool.
Quitterie three times?! egads we are missing out by naming out girls in english. You almost have to go Katherine to get to Kitty in English. Are there any other paths that lead to that precious nickname in our language?
Isn’t it a tragedy that we restrict ourselves?
One of Sarah Jessica Parker’s baby girls goes by Kitty. It would make sense that it would be Tabitha (Tabby Cat and all that), but I actually think I read that it’s Loretta. The other twin is called Babe. So I guess Kitty can be a nickname for Loretta? ;-D
Hello after a long gap! If I were going to go with modern and more trendy French names, I do like Sixtine, but much prefer Sixtine. Despite its looks, it’s actually only been in the past years that Sixtine has been used.
One trend I have yet to understand is the use of odd nicknames as fullnames… like Ninou and Toinon. I just can’t get behind the idea of an adult with a name like that!
Hey Gretchen! Good to see you after all this time! Would love for you to chip in with your knowledge of name trends in France. We welcomed baby Eulalie last year, did you see? So far a welcome reception to the name on both sides of the Atlantic. Would be curious to hear if you knew any Eulalies in France.
Sorry, is it Sistine that is older and Sixtine that is modern? I couldn’t quite tell from your comment.
I agree about the nicknames on birth certificates, ESPECIALLY the really childish sounding ones. Lilou is quite popular as well, right? Does that have the same feel as the other two you mentioned?
Hi,
I am expecting a baby in October (in Canada) and my partner and I are fond of “Sixtine”. I think it is a great name for a girl. And children like to tease -even I were teased “Deborah” –> Des beaux rats which means Nice looking rats turned into Des belles souris which means Pretty mice ! And I couldn’t care less.