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Archivesfrench naming conventions
Is it true that in France you are required to name children with names previously used in your family history? I had a French friend when I lived in Mobile about 10 years ago who named his newborn daughter Daphne, because he could name her in Alabama whatever he wanted; if she had been born in France, he would have been required to name her a name previously used in the family. He thus was able to add some variety in name to his family tree because he was living in Alabama.
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Now there's a convention I'd like to attend.
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Napoleon tried to regulate naming conventions by having a list drawn up of acceptable French names, based on the Bible, Greek and Roman history, Catholic saints etc. I have a feeling that Breton names were excluded. I also recall that about 20 years ago at least, if one had a baby in France that child had to have the French form of its name; so my son Peter, born fortuitously in England, would have been Pierre if he'd turned up in France instead.
Whether this still obtains I don't know.
Whether this still obtains I don't know.
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No, you don't have to use a name that's previously been in the family. In fact, in the last forty years there's been a fairly wide (non-French) range of names applied to infants - ther 70's fad for Russian first names comes to mind.
However, there is still some control over what moronic parents may name their children, unlike here. Perhaps someone else on this board knows the current state of name-control in France.
- Da.
However, there is still some control over what moronic parents may name their children, unlike here. Perhaps someone else on this board knows the current state of name-control in France.
- Da.
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I agree with you, I haven't heard of this tradition either.
I just know that Jews like to use names in memory of family members that have passed away but that's about it.
I just know that Jews like to use names in memory of family members that have passed away but that's about it.
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