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Help1940s France
Just as a comparison to the other lists, here's the top 19 names from 1944 France:
1. Jean
2. Michel
3. Daniel
4. Bernard
5. Gérard
6. Jacques
7. Alain
8. André
9. Claude
10. Pierre
11. Christian
12. Guy
13. René
14. Robert
15. Jean-Claude
16. Roger
17. Jean-Pierre
18. Georges
19. Marcel
(f)
1. Marie
2. Monique
3. Nicole
4. Françoise
5. Jacqueline
6. Danielle
7. Christiane
8. Michele
9. Annie
10. Anne
11. Josette
12. Colette
13. Jeannine
14. Michelle
15. Annick
16. Danièle
17. Chantal
18. Yvette
19. Claudine
Like any of them? Surprised by any?
1. Jean
2. Michel
3. Daniel
4. Bernard
5. Gérard
6. Jacques
7. Alain
8. André
9. Claude
10. Pierre
11. Christian
12. Guy
13. René
14. Robert
15. Jean-Claude
16. Roger
17. Jean-Pierre
18. Georges
19. Marcel
(f)
1. Marie
2. Monique
3. Nicole
4. Françoise
5. Jacqueline
6. Danielle
7. Christiane
8. Michele
9. Annie
10. Anne
11. Josette
12. Colette
13. Jeannine
14. Michelle
15. Annick
16. Danièle
17. Chantal
18. Yvette
19. Claudine
Like any of them? Surprised by any?
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
As a French person, I can tell you that these are pretty spot-on for the decade. The funny thing is that a lot of these names sound like the names of French characters in American or British films.
1. Jean - boring, but it's still good.
2. Michel - I actually like this and wish it were more popular.
3. Daniel - I like it. I know a few my age.
4. Bernard - I like it.
5. Gérard - ick, this name is so dated.
6. Jacques - this name is pretty dated too.
7. Alain - I love this name! I do know one that's younger than me, but yeah, most Alains I know are over 50.
8. André - I'm kinda puzzled that this name is no longer popular here, since its cognates in other languages (like Spanish, Italian, English, Polish, and Russian) are still popular in their countries.
9. Claude - yes, it is pretty dated, but I do like it. The youngest Claude I know is 22.
10. Pierre - I still hear Pierre quite often. Probably one of the few names on this list that's still used a lot. I love it!
11. Christian - love it! The name doesn't have any negative connotations in France like it seems to in English-speaking countries.
12. Guy - definitely very dated.
13. René - I like this.
14. Robert - another name that I don't see why it's no longer popular here, since elsewhere in Europe it's still used. I don't know any Roberts under 30.
15. Jean-Claude - okay. Double names aren't very popular on young people these days. The only Jean-Claude I know is in his fifties.
16. Roger - okay
1. Jean - boring, but it's still good.
2. Michel - I actually like this and wish it were more popular.
3. Daniel - I like it. I know a few my age.
4. Bernard - I like it.
5. Gérard - ick, this name is so dated.
6. Jacques - this name is pretty dated too.
7. Alain - I love this name! I do know one that's younger than me, but yeah, most Alains I know are over 50.
8. André - I'm kinda puzzled that this name is no longer popular here, since its cognates in other languages (like Spanish, Italian, English, Polish, and Russian) are still popular in their countries.
9. Claude - yes, it is pretty dated, but I do like it. The youngest Claude I know is 22.
10. Pierre - I still hear Pierre quite often. Probably one of the few names on this list that's still used a lot. I love it!
11. Christian - love it! The name doesn't have any negative connotations in France like it seems to in English-speaking countries.
12. Guy - definitely very dated.
13. René - I like this.
14. Robert - another name that I don't see why it's no longer popular here, since elsewhere in Europe it's still used. I don't know any Roberts under 30.
15. Jean-Claude - okay. Double names aren't very popular on young people these days. The only Jean-Claude I know is in his fifties.
16. Roger - okay
This message was edited 4/25/2015, 5:46 AM
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Seems like there are a few similarities between the English and French lists of the same period with similar names being popular - Peter/Pierre, Michel/Michael, John/Jean, Roger x2, Alan/Alain etc. On the women's list in England we have Christine, Maureen, Pauline and Kathleen, and in France - Jacqueline, Jeannine, Claudine so "een" sounds seem to be popular back then.
Also in France you've got Michel/Michele/Michelle, Claude/Claudine, Daniel/Daniele, Christian/Christiane. I guess France at that time was much more restricted to traditional French and Catholic names than they are today.
Annick stands out. I've known a lot of French people and don't think I've ever come across one. Very different sound to the other names too, even if it's a form of Anne.
The only name I really like out of all of them is Chantal. I've liked it since I first encountered it in my Tricolore textbook and it's so much nicer that the tacky anglicised Chantelle, imo.
Also in France you've got Michel/Michele/Michelle, Claude/Claudine, Daniel/Daniele, Christian/Christiane. I guess France at that time was much more restricted to traditional French and Catholic names than they are today.
Annick stands out. I've known a lot of French people and don't think I've ever come across one. Very different sound to the other names too, even if it's a form of Anne.
The only name I really like out of all of them is Chantal. I've liked it since I first encountered it in my Tricolore textbook and it's so much nicer that the tacky anglicised Chantelle, imo.
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naming laws
French naming laws were relaxed in 1966 and dropped completely in 1993. Hence some of the wackier choices in the recent BAs.:) But there were still a lot of interesting names, from saints, etc - will post some later.
eta: Monique and Annick rhyme, so maybe -eek was a trendy ending, too
French naming laws were relaxed in 1966 and dropped completely in 1993. Hence some of the wackier choices in the recent BAs.:) But there were still a lot of interesting names, from saints, etc - will post some later.
eta: Monique and Annick rhyme, so maybe -eek was a trendy ending, too
This message was edited 4/23/2015, 12:23 PM
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I'm surprised by the presence of both Michele and Michelle, and more surprised that Michele is more popular. I prefer its stripped-down energy, and wish the Beatles had chosen differently.
Annie and Anne in 9th and 10th are remarkable too. As is Jeannine - I've known a few Janine people and one Jeanine, none of 'em French, but never Jeannine.
Annie and Anne in 9th and 10th are remarkable too. As is Jeannine - I've known a few Janine people and one Jeanine, none of 'em French, but never Jeannine.
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