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Vespertine's French Favorites
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Sebastien
French and Czech variation of Sebastian, Latin, Greek
"from Sebaste"
Also spelled as Sébastien, this is the French and Czech form of the cotemporary (yet ancient) favorite, Sebastian. Derived from the name of ancient city who got its name from a Greek word for…
Sabine
Valentine
Latin
"strength, health"
Valentine is an attractive Shakespearean name with romantic associations, but those very ties to the saint and the sentimental holiday have sent it into a decline, one which we think may be about to…
Soleil
Antonine
Feminine diminutive of Antoine, French form of Anthony
"priceless one"
The roles of vintage French girl names are filled with now-rare feminizations, such as Antonine. More usual forms today are Antonia or even Antoinette.
Aurelie
French variation of Aurelia, Latin
"the golden one"
Aurelie is the delicate French variation of Aurelia, one of the most improbable popular names of recent years. Both versions of the name are lovely, but it might be difficult to insist that Americans…
Belle
Short form of Isabelle or French
"beautiful"
Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast . As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of…
Carmine
Carmine as a feminine name represents an interesting gender crossover, as it's traditionally more common as a masculine name in Italian culture. Derived from the Latin 'carminium' referring to a…
Celestine
Latin
"heavenly"
Celestine is a pretty, crystalline extension (actually a diminutive) of Celeste that would make a choice that is both delicate and strong. It is also a popular name in France, though typically…
Chimene
Chimene is a feminine name of Spanish and French origin, derived from the Spanish name Jimena. It gained literary recognition through 'El Cid,' the medieval Spanish epic where Jimena/Chimene was the…
Coralie
French from Latin
"coral"
Coralie is a French name not often heard here, though she's gaining some recognition via Neil Gaiman's similar sounding spooky and lovely children's book, Coraline . Other literary appearances:…
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…
Delphine
French from Greek
"of Delphi; womb"
Delphine is a sleek, chic French name with two nature associations — the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as a link to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks believed…
Etoile
French
"star"
This French word for star sounds like even more of a celebrity-worthy choice than Star or Esther or Estella or Stella. But count on English speakers who never took high school French to stumble over…
Eugenie
French form of Eugenia, Greek
"wellborn, noble"
Eugenie enjoyed a major dusting off when Fergie and Prince Andrew chose it for their daughter, restoring a patina of royal sheen it hadn't had since the time of Napoleon III's glamorous empress--who…
Eulalie
French form of Eulalia, Greek
"sweetly speaking"
Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia. "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name…
Georgienne
Georgienne is a feminine name that functions as an elaborate French feminine form of George, which derives from the Greek 'georgos' meaning 'farmer' or 'earth-worker.' The name combines the classic…
Georgine
Georgine is a feminine variant of George, which derives from the Greek name 'Georgios' meaning 'farmer' or 'earth-worker.' This elegant name carries the strength of its masculine counterpart while…
Hyacinthe
Hyacinthe is a feminine name with Greek origins, derived from the name of the purple-blue flower called hyacinth. In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was a beautiful youth beloved by Apollo. The feminine…
Isaline
French variation of Isabelle
A trendy name in France, sometimes also spelled Ysaline, that's related to both Isabelle and Iseult. To the American ear, it freshens up Isabelle without really improving on it.