Petronille

PEH-TRO-NEE

French feminine variation of Petronius, Latin

"yokel, woodpecker, stone"

Petronille Origin and Meaning

The name Petronille is a girl's name of French origin meaning "yokel, woodpecker, stone".

So many names sound better with a French accent, and Petronille is one of them: it feels unusual in an elegant way. Usually spelled as Pétronille, it is derived from the Latin Petronius, possibly meaning "yokel", which is now considered a slur for country dwellers, but it may previously have referred to the green woodpecker instead, which is a better meaning. Alternatively, it can be linked to Peter, as Saint Petronilla was said to be Saint Peter's daughter.

Pétronille was popular in France in the early 20th century, while Petronille was familiar in Medieval England.