Francophile Naming Guide -- Literature Names Beyond Moliere, Hugo, & Verne for Girls

Indiana

American place-name

"land of the Indians"

Indiana is one of those place-names (think Camden and Trenton) that sounds cooler than the place that inspired it. Its fashionable -ana ending certainly sounds eminently name-like, and…

Jeanne

French variation of Jean

"God is gracious"

Pronounced just like Jean in the English-speaking world, but as the more unusual zhahn in France, this has sailed away with the first wave of French favorites: Denise, Michelle, et soeurs.

Jeannette

French, diminutive of Jeanne

"God is gracious"

Jeannette is a feminine name with French origins, functioning as a diminutive of Jeanne (the French form of Jane/Joan). Ultimately derived from the Hebrew name Yochanan, the root of John meaning 'God…

Jenny

Diminutive of Janet, Jane, Jean, and Jennifer

At the height of the Jennifer craze, many parents were cutting straight to the nickname and putting Jenny on the birth certificate. But now that Jennifer is the mom rather than the daughter, Jenny,…

Justine

French feminine variation of Justin

"fair, righteous"

Justine is a French name that's never reached the popularity we think it deserves. Like its far-more-common brother Justin, Justine is sleek, and sophisticated, but still user-friendly. Justine has…