Message: "Strange names in France."

Strange names in France.

by Dododo

7/21/2021, 5:28 PM

What means Permal, Augustave, Salvat, Desir in popularity chart of 1900 in France?

Replies

- Dorchadas (Lucille) +3

7/21/2021, 9:50 PM

Augustave is probably a combination of the masculine names Auguste and Gustave.

Salvat must ultimately come from Latin salvatus meaning "saved". Also compare the Italian name Salvatore.

Desir should actually be spelled as Désir, and is derived from the French word désir meaning "desire". Also compare the related French name Désiré.

Permal is (also) a rare surname in France:

https://www.filae.com/nom-de-famille/PERMAL.html (in French)

It might possibly be of Breton origin. Compare the similar-looking Breton names (and patronymic surnames) Premel and Primel, which both come from the Old Breton name Pritmael meaning "beautiful prince":

https://www.filae.com/nom-de-famille/PREMEL.html (in French)

https://www.filae.com/nom-de-famille/PRIMEL.html (in French)

- Frollein Gladys +2

7/22/2021, 2:23 AM

From what I've found, Permal is not Breton but a (sur)name used in La Réunion: "Surtout porté à la Réunion, c'est un nom indien évoquant le dieu Vishnu ou son incarnation Krishna."
I'm not sure why it was used in France in the very early 1900s (and only very rarely so, I may add), but then again so was Soupaya.

- thegriffon +1

7/22/2021, 9:05 AM

Technically Reunion is France, so perhaps the list simply reflects that.

- Frollein Gladys

7/22/2021, 9:36 AM

True. However, look at the graphs: Soupaya was only used in 1901 (on 5 boys) https://www.meilleursprenoms.com/popularite-prenom/Soupaya
Permal: https://www.meilleursprenoms.com/popularite-prenom/Permal

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