Anaïs f FrenchMeaning uncertain, possibly a derivative of
Anne 1 or
Agnès. It was used in Jean-Henri Guy's opera
Anacréon chez Polycrate (1798), where it is borne by the daughter (otherwise unnamed in history) of the 6th-century BC tyrant
Polycrates of Samos. Guy could have adapted it from a classical name such as
Anaitis or
Athénaïs.
... [more] Antoinette f FrenchFeminine diminutive of
Antoine. This name was borne by Marie Antoinette, the queen of France during the French Revolution. She was executed by guillotine.
Capucine f FrenchMeans
"nasturtium" in French. This was the stage name of the French actress and model Capucine (1928-1990).
Laetitia f Late Roman, FrenchOriginal Latin form of
Letitia, as well as a French variant. This name began rising in popularity in France around the same time that Serge Gainsbourg released his 1963 song
Elaeudanla Téïtéïa (this title is a phonetic rendering of the letters in the name
Lætitia). It peaked in 1982 as the fourth most common name for girls.
Ludivine f FrenchPossibly from a feminine form of
Leutwin. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the French miniseries
Les Gens de Mogador.
Malvina f Literature, English, Italian, FrenchCreated by the Scottish poet James MacPherson in the 18th century for a character in his Ossian poems. He probably intended it to mean
"smooth brow", from Scottish Gaelic
mala "brow" and
mìn "smooth, fine" (lenited to
mhìn and pronounced with a
v sound).
Margaux f FrenchVariant of
Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from
Margot.
Marguerite f FrenchFrench form of
Margaret. This is also the French word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
Marjolaine f FrenchMeans
"marjoram" in French, from Latin
maiorana. Marjoram is a minty herb.
Mélisande f French (Rare)French form of
Millicent used by Maurice Maeterlinck in his play
Pelléas et Mélisande (1893). The play was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).
Mirabelle f French (Rare), English (Rare)Derived from Latin
mirabilis meaning
"wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Mireille f French, DutchFrom the Occitan name
Mirèio, which was first used by the poet Frédéric Mistral for the main character in his poem
Mirèio (1859). He probably derived it from the Occitan word
mirar meaning
"to admire". It is spelled
Mirèlha in classical Occitan orthography. A notable bearer is the French singer Mireille Mathieu (1946-).
Narcisse m & f FrenchFrench masculine and feminine form of
Narcissus. This is also the French word for the narcissus flower.
Priscilla f English, Italian, French, Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, BiblicalRoman name, a diminutive of
Prisca. In Acts in the New Testament
Paul lived with Priscilla (also known as Prisca) and her husband
Aquila in Corinth for a while. It has been used as an English given name since the Protestant Reformation, being popular with the Puritans. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used it in his 1858 poem
The Courtship of Miles Standish.
Ségolène f FrenchFrom the Germanic name
Sigilina, itself a diminutive derivative of the element
sigu meaning
"victory" (Proto-Germanic *
segiz). This was the name of a 7th-century saint from Albi, France.
Solange f French, PortugueseFrench form of the Late Latin name
Sollemnia, which was derived from Latin
sollemnis "religious". This was the name of a French shepherdess who became a saint after she was killed by her master.