Table of Contents
- 1 Why do French have long names?
- 2 Do French shorten names?
- 3 Do French people have 2 middle names?
- 4 What is a French name for a girl?
- 5 What is the most common surname in France?
- 6 Can you change your name in France?
- 7 What are some French last names that mean ‘of’?
- 8 Do all French people have the same first name?
- 9 What are some old French names that are still in fashion?
Why do French have long names?
They are meant to give tribute to older family members, living or dead. For instance, Claire is my customary name, but civil registers have two more names for me: one after my grandmother on my father’s side, one after my godmother.
Do French shorten names?
As a native anglophone, I generally find the French way of “shortening” names closer to aesthetics and wordplay rather than practicality. For instance, an American would probably call my French friend Jean-François “J.F.” or “Jean”, but here we call him “Jeff”, from the beginning sounds of each name.
Do French people have 2 middle names?
Many French also have a ‘middle name’ (un deuxième prénom), which is a secondary personal name written between the person’s first name and their family name. For example, Marie Monique DUBOIS’s middle name is ‘Monique’. It is common for French people to have multiple middle names, typically two to three.
Why do French people have hyphenated names?
The French state argued that the “double hyphen” was just an administrative convenience for use on official documents. It was intended simply to distinguish the “new” single-generation double-barrelled names from the traditional ones. The second hyphen could be dropped in “ordinary life”.
What is French birth name?
Maiden and married names The French and English-adopted terms née and né (/neɪ/; French: [ne], from French né[e] ‘born’) have been used to indicate maiden or married names. The term née, having feminine grammatical gender, can be used to denote a woman’s surname at birth that has been replaced or changed.
What is a French name for a girl?
French names popular for baby girls in France include Louise – a common middle name in the US – Camille, Manon, and Lilou. Other top French names for girls around the world include Arielle, Belle, Eloise, Gabrielle, Juliette, and Vivienne.
What is the most common surname in France?
Most Common Last Names In France
| Rank | Surname | Incidence |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Martin | 314,502 |
| 2 | Bernard | 169,361 |
| 3 | Robert | 140,774 |
| 4 | Richard | 138,260 |
Can you change your name in France?
Historically, under the French law, a name is permanent: it can’t be changed. For instance, even since before the French revolution, women don’t change their legal surname after marriage. They can use their husband’s surname in social setting, but the legal surname doesn’t (and can’t change).
How do I legally change my name in France?
Procedure[edit] Anyone can ask to change their last name when they have a legitimate interest. The name change is granted by the Minister of Justice. The procedure requires publication in the Official Journal (OJ) and in a newspaper of legal announcements, the costs of which are borne by the applicant.
What is the hottest name for a girl?
These are the 100 most popular names for girls, according to the SSA.
- Olivia.
- Emma.
- Ava.
- Charlotte.
- Sophia.
- Amelia.
- Isabella.
- Mia.
What are some French last names that mean ‘of’?
Some French last names include the word De- (“of”) or Du- (contraction for de + le = “of the”).
Do all French people have the same first name?
In the past, some Frenchmen would have Marie or Anne as first name (example: Anne du Bourg ), which is still nowadays in practice in rare traditional Catholic families (but then the man will have other given names and one of those will be used in everyday life).
What are some old French names that are still in fashion?
Some older names, such as Suzanne, Violette, and Madeleine, have become fashionable again in the upper class and in the upper middle class. Others such as Jean, Pierre, Louis, and François never really went out of fashion. Alexandre (Alexander) was never very popular, but is not uncommon in middle and upper classes.
Are there any French people in other countries?
In addition to mainland France, French people and people of French descent can be found internationally, in overseas departments and territories of France such as the French West Indies (French Caribbean), and in foreign countries with significant French-speaking population groups or not, such as Switzerland (French Swiss), the United States (