Giverny

Arty and unexpected, Giverny is a French place name, associated with Claude Monet and Impressionist art more generally. Located in the north of France, Monet put Giverny on the map when he moved to the (then small) village in the 1890s, drawing a number of other artists there too. Many of Monet's most popular works were painted there, including his Water Lilies paintings.

A distinctive choice for parents interested in art, the origins of the name however are uncertain. Some possible suggestions include "alder" or "alder grove" from the Gaulish vern or "green, verdant" from the Latin viridis. Other sources suggest it comes from Old French and means either "marshes" or "gift of the river."

Pronounced zhee-VER-nee.