Let it be known that I am a tried and true Europhile. From clothing to decor, and especially food, they’ve been doing it right for centuries. I recently came across France’s Milk Magazine, and had to snag it — if just for the names. Under the direction of a woman with the moniker fabuleux Isis-Colombe, Milk is the go-to publication for children’s fashion. The child models are credited, and where available I’ve included their ages.
Could you name your own child off this list?
Filles
Alice
Allegra
Carlota, 9
Chloé
Clara, 16
Dora
Elena
Freja
Gabrielle, 11
Jeanine, 4
Lila
Lou-Anh, 8
Luz
Mélie
Nadia
Nine, 17
Prune
Thais
Thémis
Zoé
Fils
Amaury, 13
Arsene, 2
Augustin, 6
David
Duncan
Gustave, 6 months
Florian
Henri, 4
Lancelot
Léo
Terkel
Ulrik
Ulysse
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
I could totally have a little Allegra or Nadia. Or an Augustin or Leo. Would have to pass on Prune though.
Oh yes!
I would have an Alice and Duncan.
Lovely names!
I have my own little Leo
I really love: Carlota, Chloe, Luz, Thais, Zoe, Augustin, Florian, Henri, Leo (of course), Ulrik, Ulysse
Could use: Zoe & possibly Augustin
*sigh* How I wish my husband or I had some European connection!
I love a ton of them, but would also like to know how to properly say some of them!!
Freja, Lila and Zoe are great, as are Augustin (Gus!) Duncan and Leo. I would love a Gus!
Mélie is very cute and I like it a lot. I’m assuming it’s pronounced may-LEE? I actually love the nickname Melly, though I’m not a fan of any long forms like Melissa or Melanie.
I do have quite the soft spot for David, but that isn’t particularly European. I find most of these names to be quite nice, although not for me. I adore those outfits on the front cover though. They’re very Victorian.
Nice list — I’m particularly taken with Thémis and Ulysse.
I gave birth to my little August in May and all of my husband’s coworkers in Luxembourg and Amsterdam call him Augustin all the time accidentally. We just call him Gus
Lovely lists! My favourites from the girls list are Alice, Allegra, Freja, Nine, Prune (but only in France!) and Thémis.
And of the boys names, I like Amaury, Augustin, Gustave, Florian, Léo and Ulysse.
How do you pronounce Theis and Themis?
Thais = ty-EES
Themis = tem-EES
We have a Duncan
And have considered Augustin for this new guy due in March. Lovely names on this list!
It’s funny, what’s exotic here is not so striking in other countries.
We’ll be giving our son a Russian name (we both were born in the former Soviet Union and now reside in the States), and while the name is a nice Russian name, it’s considered to be exotic by our American friends.
I see a sprinkling of names from this list of children that I grew up with overseas.
Well, in an interesting twist, I can say that I just love the majority and like almost all of the boys’ list (save Terkel/ too close to Urkel, and Lancelot).
ON the girls’ names, I like:
Clara, Elena, Freja (and Freya), Melie, Nadia, Nine and Zoe
I don’t really like Lou-Anh. And I love Prunella more than Prune (I really do!).
PS I would have (in a heartbeat) a Gustave Leo Henri (swoons), brother to Ulysse Duncan Amaury. Our daughter would be Elena Melie Clara (or Clara Prunella Nadia – but there are too many ‘a’ endings to make a proper choice).
Gustave, Ulysse and Elena!
Clara, Elena, Nadia and Thais – love each one of them. Luz would be beautiful as a middle name.
Absolutely wonderful set of names, and I probably love Mélie and Henri the most, courtesy of my love of French names.
I’m much more a fan of French-style girls’ names than boys’ names. I wonder if baby Arsene was named for footballer Arsene Wenger?
RIP Etta James – and I have to wonder, is Etta going to be catching on now? Appealing to those who also like Hattie, perhaps?
And so similar to Ella! I would be surprised if we didn’t start hearing Etta more in urban areas.
Oh I hope not… Henrietta nn Etta is my top pick if we have another girl…
Harriet nn Etta seems to be getting popular in the UK these days
Alice, Allegra and Henri are all delightful
Not many posts on here lately (pout, sulk, sigh). I need a regular name fix, especially now that I’m pregnant!
Maybe we are due for a round-up of the Times/Telegraph babies, Elisabeth? I spotted some lovely girls names recently: Saskia Iris Jeane, Octavia Emma, Ophelia Kitty, Sybella Sophie Beatrix… not to mention the divine boy’s name Charles Hugh Valentine! Those posh English parents – I love their style!
Good idea on Times/Telegraph. Sorry for my absence! Sometimes it just has to be.
Maybe. I love a lot of these names, but of course pronunciation is so fundamental to the beauty of these names, and most americans wouldn’t be able to swing it. I wouldn’t want to be upset over a name all the time, so I probably wouldn’t go through with any of these.
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