I’m learning [name_m]French[/name_m]/teaching myself [name_m]French[/name_m], so I admit I’m probably more interested in this than usual, and I wouldn’t use them (I’m all too familiar with the feelings of the [name_m]French[/name_m] on using word names like [name_f]Soleil[/name_f] and [name_f]Jolie[/name_f] and Miette!), but I do think it’s a fun sort of GP, and I’m wondering if any of you have some favorites that fit into this category that might be a bit more off the beaten path.
Recently in my [name_m]French[/name_m] lessons, I came across the verb améliorer (which, admittedly, doesn’t have the prettiest meaning “to improve”, but it has such a pretty sound and image!), one form of which is améliore, which I think would be such a beautiful name! (ah-may-lee-ohr) It seems sort of a smoosh of Amélie and [name_f]Eliora[/name_f]. Améliore. Améliore. Améliore.
I’m quite fond of Gamila, which has the bonus of meaning beautiful, [name_f]Noor[/name_f], which means light, and [name_m]Amir[/name_m], which means prince. All three are Arabic. [name_f]Lila[/name_f] and [name_f]Rosa[/name_f] are [name_m]German[/name_m] for purple and pink respectively and are already established!
My favourite word name is [name_f]Alma[/name_f]. I love the sound and the meaning: soul. I’m not sure how it would be received back home since we don’t really use word names in [name_u]Brazil[/name_u] (except for flowers). I’ll have to look into it when I get pregnant in the far distant future.
Malheureuse/Malheureux is such a beautiful word. I also really like Parapluie (umbrella), Mélange (blend), Pamplemousse (grapefruit) and Escargot (snail).
Some beautiful Danish word names:
[name_f]Kamille[/name_f]: Meaning “chamomile”. Pronounced: kah-MILL-eh.
Lykke: Meaning “luck”. Pronounced: LYK-kuh.
[name_f]Lys[/name_f]: Meaning “light”. Pronounced: LÜS.
Maddike: Meaning “maggot” (I know, gross, but beautiful word). Pronounced: (soft D’s!!!) MAD-ikkeh.
Mejse: Meaning “titmouse”. Pronounced: [name_u]MAJ[/name_u]-suh.
Nellike: Meaning “cloves”. Pronounced: [name_f]NELL[/name_f]-ik-uh.
Nemesis: Same as in English.
Paprika: Same as in English.
Pil: Meaning “arrow”. Pronounced: [name_m]PEEL[/name_m].
Svale: Meaning “swallow”. Pronounced: SVAL-uh.
Vibe: Meaning “lapwing”. Pronounced: VEEB-uh.
Vilje: Meaning “will”. Pronounce: VIL-juh.
And lastly, some Greenlandic ones: Aleqa (older sister to a boy), Issiavik (chair), Nerrivik (table) and Pappiala (paper).
I know a Miette, she’s 14 and wears it well. I have a word name apparently its egyptian but it is used in English. I don’t do any languages so I’m not much help I do love [name_f]Belle[/name_f] and [name_m]Beau[/name_m]
[name_f]Love[/name_f] (prn. Lo-veh) is a pretty usual name in [name_u]Sweden[/name_u]. There’s also Lykke, a girls name in Norway which is the Norwegian word for happiness.
I have so many GPs that are words in other languages!
Copacul (coh-pah-coul)- Romanian for tree- there’s a song by [name_f]Angela[/name_f] Gheorghiu called this
[name_f]Azalea[/name_f] sounds good when translated into most languages, though I can’t remember the translations themselves! I was bored once and looked it up
Libiamo, as in the song from La Traviata. But it literally means “let’s drink” in Italian, so definitely not usable!
Cotoletta, the name of a food- the Milanese version of Wiener schnitzel.
I love the names of a lot of random places and airports I haven’t been to, like Calabria (an Italian region) and Arlanda (Stockholm airport).
Oh, and pasta names! I made a whole thread about those once.
I really like the friend word for [name_u]January[/name_u], which is [name_u]Janvier[/name_u]. It LOOKS a lot like [name_m]Javier[/name_m], which I don’t like, but it sounds SO pretty. jhan-vee-ay. I also like the way the [name_m]French[/name_m] pronounce [name_f]Violet[/name_f]/[name_f]Violette[/name_f] - vee-oh-let. I think that a LOT of [name_m]French[/name_m] words are so pretty-sounding and would make wonderful names. <33
Bwahaha! Who doesn’t love Pamplemousse? It’s much more of a surname though.
[name_m]How[/name_m] about Pantoufles? [name_f]Papillon[/name_f]? Champs-Élysées? Bourgeoisie? Dénouement? Soixante-six?
[QUOTE And lastly, some Greenlandic ones: Aleqa (older sister to a boy), Issiavik (chair), Nerrivik (table) and Pappiala (paper).[/QUOTE]
But in Greenland, these would be illegal as names, right?
I did my schooling in [name_m]French[/name_m] and was always frustrated by not having “améliorer” as a word in English (and then was elated when I discovered “ameliorate” is a thing).
In Spanish, I really like “paisaje.” It doesn’t roll off the tongue as a name so well.
Like [name_u]Nat[/name_u]ália, I think [name_f]Alma[/name_f] is a gorgeous word-as-name, I love the meaning. I do prefer the sound and feel of [name_f]Alba[/name_f], but [name_f]Alma[/name_f] definitely has a charm due to the “soul” part.
I would use [name_f]Amparo[/name_f] in a heartbeat. I used to live in the Valencian Community, so I feel a sentimental tie to [name_f]Amparo[/name_f]; it means “Shelter” in Spanish.
Pastora I love a lot, but I have a weird infatuation with shepherding and transhumance, so that makes sense. I’m hard-pressed to find support in this name, though
[name_f]Mar[/name_f]- it’s so simple and strong
[name_f]Marjolaine[/name_f] is one I’ve liked since high school. We had an exchange student come from [name_f]France[/name_f] and this was her name, and it stuck with me. I’d never use Marjoram in English, but [name_f]Marjolaine[/name_f] is so pretty to me.
I also love the sound of Ibaia for a girl (which means “a river”), but it isn’t used as a name (Ibai for a boy is, though).
For boys:
[name_m]Pau[/name_m]- it’s just [name_m]Paul[/name_m] in Catalan for a boy, but on a girl, it means ‘[name_u]Peace[/name_u]’/ is the word for peace in Catalan. It’s kind of a political statement on a girl, but it’s a great meaning. I can live with it being [name_m]Paul[/name_m]… because how fun is it to say?!
I can’t think of any right now except for
[name_f]Ciel[/name_f] (see-[name_f]EL[/name_f]) which is [name_m]French[/name_m] for sky, I believe. I think it’d make the cutest boys name!
