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Help with French hyphenated names?!
I've discovered that, although I generally hate hyphenated names, French choices like Jean-Alexandre and Anne-Sophie are really appealing to me. I have a bunch of "combos" that I came up with, and ideally, I'd like to use Hebrew middle names.A couple of questions:1. If you know, how are these names constructed? Are there "rules" for how they should be?2. What do you think of the ones I have listed:Anne-Sophie
Anne-Martine
Anne-Manon
Anne-Rosalie
Anne-Amelie
Anne-Eliane
Anne-Lucie
Anne-Victoire
Anne-Aurelie
Anne-Ophelie
Anne-Melisande
Anne-Alienor
Anne-Helene
Anne-Dorothee
Anne-Sylvie
Anne-Coralie
Marie-Lucienne
Marie-Andree
Marie-Oceane
Marie-Charlotte
Marie-Eliane
Marie-Alienor
Marie-Chantal
Marie-Pauline (Pauline is familial)
Marie-Helene
Marie-Genevieve
Marie-Dorothee
Marie-Celeste
Jean-Alexis
Paul-Alexis
Jean-Amedee
Marie-Chloe
Anne-Chloe
Anne-Capucine
Anne-Salome
Anne-Eloise
Jean-Valentin
Charles-Valentin
Paul-Alexis
Paul-Alain
Paul-Alexandre
Paul-Michel
Paul-David
Paul-Daniel
Jean-Michel
Jean-Alexandre
Jean-Pierre
Jean-David
Jean-Daniel
Jean-Alexis
Jean-Charles
Jean-Maxence***
Marie-Fleur
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That I know of, there's no "rule", just that the names aren't too close-sounding or non-euphonic. The first part of the name is constructed most of the time by Marie or Anne for girls, Jean or sometimes Paul for boys.Unlike in the US, hyphenated names in France and Italy are perceived as being upper class and possibly a bit snooty. Of yours I like: Anne-Sophie
Anne-Amelie
Anne-Lucie
Anne-Victoire
Anne-Aurelie
Anne-Ophelie
Anne-Melisande
Anne-Alienor
Anne-Helene
Anne-Sylvie
Anne-Coralie
Marie-Lucienne
Marie-Oceane
Marie-Charlotte
Marie-Eliane
Marie-Chantal
Marie-Pauline (Pauline is familial)
Marie-Helene
Marie-Genevieve
Jean-Amedee
Marie-Chloe
Anne-Chloe
Anne-Eloise
Paul-Alain
Paul-Alexandre
Paul-Michel
Paul-David
Paul-Daniel
Jean-Michel
Jean-Alexandre
Jean-Pierre
Jean-David
Jean-Daniel
Jean-Alexis
Jean-Charles
Marie-Fleur
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I don't know if there are any real rules to it, but since hyphenated names are treated like one single name - which means they are "always" called together - I'd avoid combos with more than four syllables; otherwise it gets quite a bit of a mouthful. Plus, if you use a unisex name (like Claude) I personally think it's favourable if the other one clearly indicates the gender (like Marie oder Jean).Of your combos I like:Anne-Sophie - a real classic ;-) I still think it's lovely
Anne-Martine - personally I'm not too fond of Martine but I think the combo works rather well
Anne-Eliane - theoretically, this one would work but it's too rhymey
Anne-Lucie - nice if Lucie is emphasized the French way
Anne-Aurelie
Anne-Ophelie - hmmm, two lovely names but for some reason this one sounds like a medical condition to me
Anne-Melisande - hmmm, I like Melisande but I don't think it works too well with Anne. It would be "a lot of name" but I think I'd really like Marie-Melisande.
Anne-Helene - I think I'd prefer Hélène
Marie-Lucienne - nice flow
Marie-Andree - not a fan of Andrée but the combo works nicely
Marie-Charlotte - I really like this one
Marie-Eliane
Marie-Helene - I'd prefer Hélène but I think it's a nice combo.
Marie-Celeste
Jean-Amedee
Marie-Chloe
Anne-Capucine - as much as I love Capucine - sadly I think the combo doesn't really work :(
Anne-Eloise - long but nice. I'd prefer Héloïse, though
Charles-Valentin
Paul-Alain - hmmm, theoretically it's fine but to me it sounds like Paula-Lain
Paul-Michel
Jean-Michel
Jean-Pierre
Jean-David
Jean-Charles
Jean-Maxence*** - I really like Maxence but I think it depends on how you are going to pronounce that combo whether it works... Are you planning on pronouncing them in a rather French way or in a rather English way?
Marie-Fleur - not too fond of Fleur myself but it works nicely here.
Just my two cents :-)

This message was edited 10/30/2009, 6:35 PM

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I don't know if there's any rules, other than the first name of the hyphenated name must clearly state the gender, ie: Marie-Claude is a girl because Marie is first, despite Claude being a male name, but Claude-Marie would be a male. From your list, my favourites are:
Anne-Sophie
Anne-Rosalie
Anne-Lucie
Anne-Aurelie
Anne-Ophelie
Anne-Alienor
Anne-Helene (moreso Hélène)
Marie-Alienor
Marie-Celeste
Anne-EloiseCan't say I'm really a fan of Anne or Marie, but I really love the second names. Marie-Alienor and Anne-Eloise are my favourites, though- they're gorgeous! Jean-Alexis
Paul-Alexis
Jean-Valentin (I am falling over backwards for this! Absolutely beautiful!)
Charles-Valentin
Paul-Alexis
Jean-PierreI'm also really excited to see Alexis on the list, great name!
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