Classic and Eclectic Ette Girl Names

Juliette

French diminutive of Julia, Latin

"youthful or sky father"

Juliette, pronounced with the emphasis on the last syllable, adds a little something extra to Juliet. In the past years it has been rising up the chart. Juliet originated in the Middle Ages as a…

Colette

French, short form of Nicole, feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek

"people of victory"

Like the French author with whom the name is most closely associated, Colette is a chic and charming name, sharp, stylish, and feminine but without the frills of Nicolette. After disappearing from…

Arlette

French

"noble, honor"

Arlette is a French form of the Germanic name Herleva, which was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror. It peaked in France in the mid-1930s, but you might be surprised to learn that in the…

Odette

French, from German

"wealthy"

Odette is the good swan in Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake , a role for which Natalie Portman won an Oscar ---and it would make a particularly sophisticated yet upbeat choice. In fact, it charted in…

Violette

French

"purple"

Now that Violet is becoming more popular, parents are starting to explore same-but-different options such as the French Violette, which would properly be pronounced with a long e sound in the first…

Bernadette

German

"brave as a bear"

Although feminizations ending in "ette" are not particularly popular now, Bernadette is a pleasant, feminine, but strong name that doesn't feel prohibitively dated. And though strongly associated…

Scarlette

Spelling variation of Scarlett

"brilliant red"

Although we think Scarlett is plenty feminine enough without the girly -ette suffix, this variation entered the US Top 1000 in 2011, where it remained for more than a decade. In 2023, it dropped off…

Eliette

Eliette is a delicate feminine name of French origin, functioning as a diminutive form of names like Elie (the French version of Elijah) or Elizabeth. The name carries the meaning 'the Lord is my…

Annette

French

"grace"

Annette is a French diminutive of Ann which was among the first wave of widely-used girls' names from France, now neglected for so long that it's almost starting to feel stylish again.

Paulette

French, feminine diminutive of Paul

"small"

It's interesting how names imported to the US from other countries and cultures have fashion cycles based on their culture of origin. Paulette along with cousins Annette and Claudette were the most…

Yvette

French, feminine of Yves

"yew tree"

This French name has the elegance of other '-ette' names like Colette and Odette, and is a botanical name without being too obvious about it. Related to the sleek French name Yves, it was popular in…

Nicolette

French, diminutive of Nicole, feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek

"people of victory"

Frilly and feminine, Nicolette is the name of an enchanting princess in the medieval French romance, Aucassin et Nicolette , but really got its publicity from the heyday of Desperate Housewives and…

Cosette

French literary nickname

"little thing"

Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables . In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some…

Josette

French,pet form of Josephine, feminine of Joseph, Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

One of the group of French 'ette'-ending names that emigrated to this country in the last century, though never as popular as some others, such as Claudette and Paulette--it did have a little…

Ivette

French variation of Yvette

Feels more modern than the Y version but also less authentic.

Bridgette

Bridgette is a feminine name representing a French variation of Bridget, ultimately derived from the Celtic name Brighid meaning "exalted one." In Irish mythology, Brighid was a powerful goddess of…

Jeanette

French, diminutive of Jeanne

Relic of a past period of French favorites, out to pasture with Claudette and Paulette.

Antoinette

French feminine diminutive form of Antoine

"priceless one"

This feminization of Anthony, like other early French forms, such as Babette and Nanette, is not heard as often as it once was, but it could be time for a reappraisal of this delicate Gallic choice.…

Evette

French, spelling variation of Yvette or diminutive of Eve, Hebrew

"yew tree or life"

Evette could be considered a spelling variation of the French Yvette, a feminization of Yves, which has a botanical meaning, or a pet form of Eve, meaning life. About 50 baby girls were named Evette…

Georgette

French, feminine variation of George

Has a musty 1940s feel. Try Georgia -- or Georgiana.