Not trying to beat a dead horse now but maybe it would help you make your decision if you understood that [name]France[/name] has naming traditions steeped in Catholicism, that’s why it’s not as much as a naming free for all like it is here and if you plan on returning there on a regular basis you might want to choose a name that culturally speaking “goe with the flow” even though the laws have now changed. You might want to choose something fashionable as well if you split your time between the two countries.
I think everyone is getting a bit carried away.
I truly think is pretty and I think depending on where you live would define on whether you could use it. A lot of people take names out of context and make them their own. From the names gender orientation to the meaning. For me, [name]Taylor[/name] has the same definition as [name]Amy[/name], beloved friend. Because it was the name of my childhood friend who was really lovely. So in the end, it depends on what you like, and what best suits the child. 
Well, I’m a bit biased since I adore Étienne. It’s one of my all time favorite boy names.
Putting that aside, I do agree with the others that said it seems culturally ignorant. Especially since you will visit [name]France[/name], I don’t think it’s a good idea.
It’s the culture thing, for sure. For me, this is the equivalent of ignorantly naming your child a ‘pretty-sounding’ word from another language, without thinking about whether or not it’s appropriate. [name]Just[/name] because it sounds feminine does not mean you should manipulate it into a female name.
[name]Say[/name] someone from [name]France[/name] (or wherever) named their little girl [name]Robert[/name] because they thought it sounded pretty and feminine (even though it’s clearly not). If they came to [name]America[/name] and you met that little girl, tell me you wouldn’t be just a little appalled.
Before I even came on nameberry and I knew nothing about names, I knew [name]Etienne[/name] was a boy’s name. [name]Don[/name]'t underestimate the people around you, they’re probably not as ignorant as they seem.
Although I never would have guessed this is a boys name I say no. Boys names should be left to the boys!
This exactly. I think it is pretty common knowledge in the U.S. due to all the above reasons, but if you love the name that much, then use it. I just still think it is nicer for a boy 
Sure. As long as you understand you’re naming your daughter “[name]Steve[/name].” Not [name]Stephanie[/name] or a cute, unisex “[name]Stevie[/name]”. [name]Steve[/name]. Or [name]Steven[/name]. If you would just as surely name your daughter [name]Steven[/name], then go for it.
I think it could be used for a girl. The only time I’ve seen it used here was in the book “The Invention of [name]Hugo[/name] Cabret.” It had a male character named [name]Etienne[/name]. Pardon my ignorance, but how is it pronounced?
Yeah I agree. OK so its not useable in many people’s opinions… but I don’t really see it as culturally ignorant or such a huge offense when we have so many boy names that people use as girl names, or are only used as girl names now.
I don’t think it’s a cultural offense in the U.S. where appropriating boy names for girls is common practice, but as one poster noted, it’s just not done in [name]France[/name]. I’m not sure someone from [name]France[/name] would take offense necessarily, but I am certain they would think it strange (and perhaps culturally ignorant).
I would find it culturally insensitive, especially since you travel to [name]France[/name].
I would’nt do that because I live in [name]Canada[/name]. But if you’re cool with it then use it!
I think the combination of it being a boys name and a name from a language not your own makes it appear like a silly mistake, rather than a choice. To me, “[name]Stephen[/name]” is not a name that translates into a unisex name and, therefore, neither is [name]Etienne[/name], despite it’s somewhat feminine ending. I live in [name]Canada[/name], however, and I’m surrounded by French names and speakers and so this may be more ingrained for me than others.
Please, no! I agree with the last couple posts -[name]Etienne[/name] is a boy’s name. Whenever I see or hear of people on the news -Olympians, journalists, news anchors, famous people… who have French names used in a way other than according to their original intention, I think: “poor ignorant parents”.
You’re right -it is a nice name and the -enne sounds feminine, but still, it’s a boy’s name.
Other notes on French names -I used to work in a call center where we would have people from all over the UK and [name]North[/name] [name]America[/name] calling in. They were VERY confused when they reached someone named [name]Michel[/name] or [name]Patrice[/name] who was not a woman. I’m sure a female [name]Etienne[/name] would also encounter some confusing and/or potentially embarrassing situations throughout the course of her life.
I’d love to know what you decided on. I love the name [name_m]Etienne[/name_m] on a girl, but would probably only use it as a middle. Let me know!
I think it’s fine, Have a very Feminine middle name and it won’t matter. I agree that it looks like a girls name, and who knows, you may start a trend? I don’t think it is general knowledge that it is a boy’s name, I never even heard of it until a couple weeks ago, and when I saw it was a boy’s name I was surprise because -ienne is normally a girls name. Gender benders are popular these days, and I see nothing wrong, just have a good middle name for your daughter to fall back on if she does end up living in one of the areas with a large french population.
[name_m]Etienne[/name_m] [name_f]Rose[/name_f] would be lovely.
Also [name_f]Frances[/name_f] was a boys boys name originally and has been converted completely to a girls name with this spelling.
It means [name_m]Stephen[/name_m], masculine only, in [name_m]French[/name_m]. If it’s the -ienne sound that’s appealing, here are some girl name suggestions:
Erienne
Essienne
[name_f]Emilienne[/name_f]
Tienne
Lienne
Orienne
[name_f]Vivienne[/name_f]
[name_f]Adrienne[/name_f]
Corienne
[name_f]Julienne[/name_f]
[name_f]Lucienne[/name_f]
[name_f]Felicienne[/name_f]
[name_f]Fabienne[/name_f]
[name_f]Bastienne[/name_f]
Brienne
Darienne
[name_f]Vienne[/name_f]
Xavienne
Some similar endings:
[name_f]Jeanine[/name_f], [name_f]Jacqueline[/name_f], [name_f]Delphine[/name_f], Cherine, [name_f]Sabine[/name_f], [name_f]Francine[/name_f], [name_f]Jasmine[/name_f], [name_f]Doriane[/name_f], [name_f]Tiane[/name_f], [name_f]Ariane[/name_f], Daviane, [name_f]Juliane[/name_f], Kariane, [name_f]Kristiane[/name_f]
I love [name_m]Etienne[/name_m] for a girl, however, I’d never use it. I love the sound of it. it sounds very soft and pretty to me.
I see the appeal, but I also like these, and you might as well:
[name_f]Eliette[/name_f]
[name_u]Peri[/name_u] ([name_f]Perri[/name_f])
[name_m]Emrys[/name_m] (EHM-riss)
Evienne
Let me start out by saying that my mind couldn’t bother reading beyond the first page and seeing as this thread is on page four now, I guess you undoubtedly will have heard this many times before, but I’m going to say it, still.
I don’t think you should use Étienne on a girl. I am of course wildly biased because I loathe when boys names are used on girls, but I would strongly advise against using it for your daughter.
I wouldn’t agree that it is culturally insensitive – you are not appropriating the [name_m]French[/name_m] culture by using it on a girl rather than on a boy. In that respect, I think culturally ignorant is slightly more suiting. I’m being very frank here, but I admittedly would think a person who had given their daughter the name Étienne slightly dim for using such an obviously masculine name – I hope you’re not offended by that because that was not the intention. It would make me think that this person had heard it and not bothered to look into the history of the name (and again I’m going to stress that Étienne is, regardless of the -enne, very masculine – [name_m]Saint[/name_m] Étienne is the [name_m]French[/name_m] [name_m]Saint[/name_m] [name_m]Stephen[/name_m], put that in perspective and ask yourself if you could see [name_m]Stephen[/name_m] used on a girl? Because essentially that is what a lot of [name_m]French[/name_m] people would think, I reckon).
Would a girl named Étienne get side-eyed if she visited a [name_m]French[/name_m]-speaking country? It’s hard to tell. I wouldn’t necessarily side-eye her as much as I definitely would side-eye her parents. Again, it just screams blatant ignorance to me and I would generally feel really sorry for her.
Literate people will know that it is a male name. I am so sick of male names being co-opted by parents that I could scream.