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HelpRe: Inès, Louis and other French names
in reply to a message by Felie
:)
Chloé
In France this has been common for a long time so it bores me a little bit. The sound is nice, elegant and crisp, but I am a bit tired of it in general. It does have a nice meaning, it makes me think of spring. It is a very fresh, green name, if that makes and sense, and at the same time elegant and strong. But it is also incredibly overused and destined to sound dated in a few years. In France this was at its most common in the year 2000, when it was at #4. It was actually placed higher in 2014, at #3, but not used as much as in 2000 which I guess is because the variety in names increased and less children were given top 20 names or maybe because many babies were born in 2000. Chloé has been in the French top 5 since 1997 so it definitely feels tired and like it needs a break. In 1994 it made the top 20, in 1995 it was in the top 15 and in the top 10 in 1996, top 5 since 1997. It made the top 50 as early as 1988, so it has been common for quite a while.
Léa
I strongly dislike this, to be honest. The meaning is just horrible to me. I trust the Oxford Dictionary which lists this name as meaning weary/languid. Apparently this meaning comes from the Biblical Leah who was said to have weary eyes which was supposed to mean that she wasn't beautiful (in the Bible Rachel (or Rachele in Italian, Rahel in German, Rachel in French) is the beautiful sister and Leah, Lea the ugly one :( I also don't like the Bible story, because Jacob wanted to marry Rachel but he was tricked into spending the wedding night with Leah, therefore marrying her. I am not even religious but I remember this story and the whole meaning/background of this name just bothers me. Plus there are tons of similar names popular in France so the sound bores me too. For example common in France right now are: Lina (very common), Lena, Louna, Lia...they all sound so similar. Lea feels tired too, it was most popular in 2001, and at #1 for several years, but I know many born in the 80s and 90s as well.
Inès
This is common too, but in comparison to Chloé and Léa it almost feels like a relief :P Because it seems fresher than those two. I like the sound, it is elegant. This is definitely m favorite from the girls list. It was most common in 2010, about ten years after Chloé/Léa so doesn't feel so tired yet.
Manon
Again this was/is very common. Ninon was sort of common too, but not as much as Manon. It sounds nice in its full form but the girl I grew up with who had this name got called Manni :( Not so elegant. It is more of a 90s name, at its most common in 1995. But it still doesn't feel as tired as Léa and Chloé. I can't really explain why as it was also at #1 (like Léa) and common for a long time (like Chloé) but the sound feels fresher, maybe because there aren't so many names that end in -on (Marion, Manon, Ninon - can't think of any others now) but many that are similar to Léa (Lina, Lana, Lena, Louna, Lia) and Chloé is just everywhere where I used to live, so maybe a regional thing. Maybe it is also because Manon doesn't have an alternate spelling that is common whereas Cloé was used a lot too!
Louis
A classic, but it still makes me think of Louis, roi-soleil, the sun king. This was at its most common in the 20s, but I think it never felt really dated or anything, it really is a classic and still used a lot. I think it's fine.
Raphaël
This is okay, I much prefer Raffaella and Raphaëlle for girls! I knew a Raphael (he was from Austria) growing up and he became Raphi which wasn't so attractive. This was common in recent years but it still feels classic.
Hugo
Most common in 2000. It feels stylish but a bit tired. Names ending in -o are/were super hip in France in the last couple of years! Théo especially and Enzo!
Sacha
More common in recent years, feels a bit trendy. In Austria it is 70s/80s dated and spelled Sascha. In Austria I have never heard it on girls but in France I have. I actually like it spelled Sasha and for girls :)
Maël
This is masculine (Maëlle is feminine) but always felt a bit soft. I definitely prefer Maëlle on a girl. It has become popular in recent years, feels a bit trendy and not classic.
Ok this got long :o I like writing about French names :D
Chloé
In France this has been common for a long time so it bores me a little bit. The sound is nice, elegant and crisp, but I am a bit tired of it in general. It does have a nice meaning, it makes me think of spring. It is a very fresh, green name, if that makes and sense, and at the same time elegant and strong. But it is also incredibly overused and destined to sound dated in a few years. In France this was at its most common in the year 2000, when it was at #4. It was actually placed higher in 2014, at #3, but not used as much as in 2000 which I guess is because the variety in names increased and less children were given top 20 names or maybe because many babies were born in 2000. Chloé has been in the French top 5 since 1997 so it definitely feels tired and like it needs a break. In 1994 it made the top 20, in 1995 it was in the top 15 and in the top 10 in 1996, top 5 since 1997. It made the top 50 as early as 1988, so it has been common for quite a while.
Léa
I strongly dislike this, to be honest. The meaning is just horrible to me. I trust the Oxford Dictionary which lists this name as meaning weary/languid. Apparently this meaning comes from the Biblical Leah who was said to have weary eyes which was supposed to mean that she wasn't beautiful (in the Bible Rachel (or Rachele in Italian, Rahel in German, Rachel in French) is the beautiful sister and Leah, Lea the ugly one :( I also don't like the Bible story, because Jacob wanted to marry Rachel but he was tricked into spending the wedding night with Leah, therefore marrying her. I am not even religious but I remember this story and the whole meaning/background of this name just bothers me. Plus there are tons of similar names popular in France so the sound bores me too. For example common in France right now are: Lina (very common), Lena, Louna, Lia...they all sound so similar. Lea feels tired too, it was most popular in 2001, and at #1 for several years, but I know many born in the 80s and 90s as well.
Inès
This is common too, but in comparison to Chloé and Léa it almost feels like a relief :P Because it seems fresher than those two. I like the sound, it is elegant. This is definitely m favorite from the girls list. It was most common in 2010, about ten years after Chloé/Léa so doesn't feel so tired yet.
Manon
Again this was/is very common. Ninon was sort of common too, but not as much as Manon. It sounds nice in its full form but the girl I grew up with who had this name got called Manni :( Not so elegant. It is more of a 90s name, at its most common in 1995. But it still doesn't feel as tired as Léa and Chloé. I can't really explain why as it was also at #1 (like Léa) and common for a long time (like Chloé) but the sound feels fresher, maybe because there aren't so many names that end in -on (Marion, Manon, Ninon - can't think of any others now) but many that are similar to Léa (Lina, Lana, Lena, Louna, Lia) and Chloé is just everywhere where I used to live, so maybe a regional thing. Maybe it is also because Manon doesn't have an alternate spelling that is common whereas Cloé was used a lot too!
Louis
A classic, but it still makes me think of Louis, roi-soleil, the sun king. This was at its most common in the 20s, but I think it never felt really dated or anything, it really is a classic and still used a lot. I think it's fine.
Raphaël
This is okay, I much prefer Raffaella and Raphaëlle for girls! I knew a Raphael (he was from Austria) growing up and he became Raphi which wasn't so attractive. This was common in recent years but it still feels classic.
Hugo
Most common in 2000. It feels stylish but a bit tired. Names ending in -o are/were super hip in France in the last couple of years! Théo especially and Enzo!
Sacha
More common in recent years, feels a bit trendy. In Austria it is 70s/80s dated and spelled Sascha. In Austria I have never heard it on girls but in France I have. I actually like it spelled Sasha and for girls :)
Maël
This is masculine (Maëlle is feminine) but always felt a bit soft. I definitely prefer Maëlle on a girl. It has become popular in recent years, feels a bit trendy and not classic.
Ok this got long :o I like writing about French names :D
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Replies
Hi !!!
Thank you!!
I'd like that some French names will come here in Italy.
Personally I found them more appealing than the English one.
And of course Italian and French people are 'cousins' and neighbours. Our cultures are closer imo.
Instead of all Emily, Nicole, Kevin I would like to see more Inès, Chloè, Louis...
In France they are overused but in Italy they could be fresh and youthful.
I personally love Inès, Louis and Maël. I like all the others so...
Long life to French names!
Thank you!!
I'd like that some French names will come here in Italy.
Personally I found them more appealing than the English one.
And of course Italian and French people are 'cousins' and neighbours. Our cultures are closer imo.
Instead of all Emily, Nicole, Kevin I would like to see more Inès, Chloè, Louis...
In France they are overused but in Italy they could be fresh and youthful.
I personally love Inès, Louis and Maël. I like all the others so...
Long life to French names!
1
I like French names too! Many French names I like are dated in France, but I don't care :P I still like Eliane, Carine, Anais etc. a lot! Nicole is French, but yes, it is also overused in the US, Germany, Austria etc. so it doesn't feel so French anymore. Elodie is another favorite of mine and Elise :)
1