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ArchivesRe: meaning and origin
in reply to a message by anouk
I realize it is probable that the use of this name goes back to Anouk Aimée. So before we assign either a Russian or an Inuit origin to it, shouldn't we know how Ms. Aimée came to have the first name of Anouk? Anouk Aimée is evidently a stage name, created around 1947 when this actress first began appearing in films. Do you have evidence from a biography of Ms. Aimée as to how she created the name?
I have no doubt that you have been told by someone that Anouk has an Inuit origin, but that isn't enough evidence for this site to list it as such. You would have to provide references from a dictionary of an Inuit language, or at least evidence that Anouk was a name in use in Greenland, Canada, or Alaska before 1947 to convince scholars that this was a correct origin.
I have no doubt that you have been told by someone that Anouk has an Inuit origin, but that isn't enough evidence for this site to list it as such. You would have to provide references from a dictionary of an Inuit language, or at least evidence that Anouk was a name in use in Greenland, Canada, or Alaska before 1947 to convince scholars that this was a correct origin.
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About Anouk
Anouk Aimée had her stage name from her character in La maison sous la mer, by Henri Calef (1947), when she was thirteen years old. The film was based in an homonyme book by Paul Vialar published in 1941, so the name was known in France since this year (the popularity of Anouk is due to Anouk Aimée's success, of course).
Vialar's story is based in Normandy and it is very possible that the name was used there as nickname of Anne, because other endings in -ic/-ick/-ig, -ou/-on/-oun (spellings vary depending the source)... are very usual in nicknames in Normandy and Brittany. I don't know if the existence of the Russian nickname Anouchka could have influence in the creation of the nickname (perhaps via Anouchka>*Anouch>Anouk), but the junction of this influence is possible because in France the Russian trend was popular in early 20th century.
At this moment, I don't have evidences of use of Anouk as nickname in Normandy and surronding areas but this is not odd because the nicknames rarely appears in official documents and records and because the French naming law was very restrictive before 1966.
Anouk Aimée had her stage name from her character in La maison sous la mer, by Henri Calef (1947), when she was thirteen years old. The film was based in an homonyme book by Paul Vialar published in 1941, so the name was known in France since this year (the popularity of Anouk is due to Anouk Aimée's success, of course).
Vialar's story is based in Normandy and it is very possible that the name was used there as nickname of Anne, because other endings in -ic/-ick/-ig, -ou/-on/-oun (spellings vary depending the source)... are very usual in nicknames in Normandy and Brittany. I don't know if the existence of the Russian nickname Anouchka could have influence in the creation of the nickname (perhaps via Anouchka>*Anouch>Anouk), but the junction of this influence is possible because in France the Russian trend was popular in early 20th century.
At this moment, I don't have evidences of use of Anouk as nickname in Normandy and surronding areas but this is not odd because the nicknames rarely appears in official documents and records and because the French naming law was very restrictive before 1966.
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I looked Anouk up in the Nederlandse Voornamenbank of the Meertens Instituut (which is the most reliable source we have here in the Netherlands). I'll translate what it says:
Anouk
Feminine
This French petform of Anuschka came in 1966 around april suddenly in fashion, possibly under influence of the moviestar Anouk Aimée.
Derived from Anna.
Anouk
Feminine
This French petform of Anuschka came in 1966 around april suddenly in fashion, possibly under influence of the moviestar Anouk Aimée.
Derived from Anna.
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