Comment tu t'appelles?

When I first arrived in France ***** years ago (a long time ago!), I  loved the names of everyone I met.  They all sounded so grand.  I had a friend called Marie Antoinette - and everyone actually called her Marie Antoinette.  Another friend was Pierre Henri, who, yes you guessed it, was always called Pierre Henri. No-one ever used a diminutive.  So after having been called Tricia all of my life, there was a new me 'Patricia'.  I loved it.

I then noticed that the same names were used time and time again, perhaps just in a different sequence - Jean Pierre or Pierre Jean.  There was not much variety.

There was in fact a reason for this.  Up until the end of the 1960s, by law, the French could only choose the given names for their children from a fairly restricted list of saints names.  Hence the lack of variety.

In 1963, the list was extended to allow regional names, foreign names, alternative spelling and diminutives.  And it was only when a new law in 1993 came into practice that the French were given the freedom to choose the names they wanted.

So, whilst you still have some Marie Antoinettes and Pierre Henri there are also Violettes, Amber and Karim.  Still quite traditional but loosening up a little.

As in all countries names go in and out of fashion and each year there is a list of the most popular. As you will see from the Top 20 names of 2015 below, times have changed.  

Which are your preferred names?

Top 20 girl's names.

1. Louise
2. Emma
3. Chloé
4. Lola
5. Inès / Ines
6. Manon
7. Jade
8. Alice
9. Lina
10. Léa
11. Camille
12. Juliette
13. Léna
14. Sarah
15. Lilou
16. Éva
17. Zoé
18. Anna
19. Adèle, Rose
20. Mila

Top 20 boy's names

1. Léo
2. Gabriel
3. Adam
4. Timéo
5. Raphaël
6. Lucas
7. Louis
8. Arthur
9. Nathan
10. Hugo
11. Nolan
12. Enzo
13. Jules
14. Liam
15. Ethan
16. Noah
17. Sacha
18. Tom
19. Théo
20. Gabin, Maël

Not everyone seems happy about it!