French Baby Names

DURING THE reign of Julius Caesar, the Roman expansion extended into Gaul, part of the area now known as France. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Germanic barbarian invasions were many and their influence on society was by no means insignificant. Toward the end of the early Middle Ages, Christianity became the primary religion in France, due in part to Charlemagne's practice of beheading those who did not wish to adopt the new religion. These events in French history have a direct result on the types of names found in France today. Many have their roots in Latin and in the Old Germanic language. Predictably, biblical and saints' names are common. In 1803, during the rule of Napoleon Bonaparte, a law was passed that required all French babies to be given French names spelled in a French way, such as those borne by important historical figures or by the various saints. This law was not enforced until 1957, at which time a list was developed of common French names and their French spellings. The list has since been liberalized to include optional spellings, the names of mythological figures, nature names, and a few popular foreign names. Even so, the public registrar can refuse to record the birth of a child if it does not bear a "proper" name. French names consist of a first, middle, and last name. As in many other modern societies around the world, the first and middle names are often chosen merely because the parents like the way they sound, and not for aspirations the parents have for the child or for the meanings of the names. It is quite common for French parents to use the name Marie as a middle name for their sons in order to put them under the special protection of the Virgin Mary. Similarly, Joseph is often added to female names. Diminutive forms of names are commonly used, but unlike the English tendency to drop the last part or syllable from a name (Nicholas becomes Nick), the French often drop the first part of the name (Nicholas becomes Colas). Andre, Jean, Pierre, and Rene are popular boys' names. Danielle, Francine, Marie, and Michele are often chosen for girls.