I’ve just heard from a [name_u]French[/name_u]-speaker that all the Sylvies they know are 50/60 years old and have a “[name_f]Karen[/name_f] personality”… apparently [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is to [name_u]French[/name_u] speakers as [name_u]Tracy[/name_u] and [name_f]Sharon[/name_f] are to [name_f]English[/name_f] speakers.
[name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]'s been one of my favourites for about 3 years and I never knew it was considered such an old name, and not in a chic vintage way like [name_f]Vera[/name_f] or [name_f]Sybil[/name_f]. I’m gutted haha!
Are there any [name_u]French[/name_u] speakers on the boards who would be happy to share their view on the name? How dated does it feel, and in what way? [name_m]Can[/name_m] you picture it on a young person?
I know it’s coming up on the [name_f]English[/name_f]-speaking charts, but I’m not sure if that will be enough to offset its dated vibes for the [name_u]French[/name_u]. [name_m]Even[/name_m] NB predicts it will only be #637 in 2028.
I don’t want to use it if it’s a [name_u]French[/name_u] [name_f]Karen[/name_f], even if the child won’t necessarily run in [name_u]French[/name_u] circles. If it really is so drab, I’d better let it go now before I fall more in love with it!
I’m not [name_u]French[/name_u] but I know it was one of the most popular names in [name_f]France[/name_f] in the 1960s. Behind the Name has all the [name_u]French[/name_u] popularity data for the past hundred years if you’re interested.
Personally, I love many [name_u]French[/name_u] names, including the ones that are “dated” in [name_f]France[/name_f] like [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f], [name_f]Colette[/name_f], [name_f]Delphine[/name_f], [name_f]Corinne[/name_f], [name_f]Mireille[/name_f], [name_f]Marguerite[/name_f]… They don’t seem dated to me since I’m not [name_u]French[/name_u] and I didn’t grow up knowing lots of middle-aged women with those names. Likewise, there are some names that are fairly popular in [name_f]France[/name_f] now that I, from a British perspective, would consider to be dated, like [name_f]Diane[/name_f] and [name_f]Pauline[/name_f].
I would encourage you to use the names that you love. Does it really matter if someone living thousands of miles away from you considers the name to be old-fashioned? Name trends are cyclical anyway, so these names will probably be back in style in [name_f]France[/name_f] at some point.
In [name_f]France[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is dated, yet in [name_u]America[/name_u] it is becoming trendy. I think it would be fine to use it if you don’t live in [name_f]France[/name_f]. ([name_m]Just[/name_m] so you know, [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is sort of the [name_u]French[/name_u] equivalent of a [name_f]Karen[/name_f]).
Another [name_u]French[/name_u] girl name that sounds similar to [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is Sidoney, which I’m not sure is dated in [name_f]France[/name_f] or not.
Just decide for yourself whether or not to use [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f].
It is pretty dated in [name_f]France[/name_f], (I had a friend say, “everyone here has an aunt [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]”) but unless you live in [name_f]France[/name_f] it isn’t going to matter, and even then there are worse things than a name being a little dated. It seems on trend in the US and the UK.
Sylvie is my top girls name! I agree that if you don’t live in [name_f]France[/name_f] it doesn’t matter! A lot of trending international names are dated in their native country
Yep I agree with the others. I’ve definitely heard in [name_f]France[/name_f] it’s considered horribly dated along the same lines of [name_f]Karen[/name_f] and [name_f]Linda[/name_f]. However unless you live in, plan to live in or spend a lot of time in [name_f]France[/name_f] I wouldn’t let that deter you from using the name.
And to be honest there’s nothing wrong with dated names, they’re just not currently in style. When your [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is 50 her name might feel dated in the US and on trend in [name_f]France[/name_f]
If you don’t live in [name_f]France[/name_f] there’s no problem. It’s not like you will meet new [name_u]French[/name_u] people every day. And it being dated isn’t really a big issue. [name_f]Ayla[/name_f], for example, a chic modern name in [name_f]English[/name_f]-speaking countries but very dated here in Turkey. ı wouldn’t find a little [name_f]Ayla[/name_f] odd.
I definitely agree with others - I think this is very much a location thing. If you don’t live in [name_f]France[/name_f], I don’t think it’s a problem. [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is quite a fresh, trendy name here in Australia.
I know about six [name_u]French[/name_u] Sylvies and they are all 40+
But I have probably come across the same number of non [name_u]French[/name_u] Sylvies and they are all under the age of 10.
If you have no close [name_u]French[/name_u] connections I wouldn’t worry at all to call a child [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f].
It is probably like this generation’s [name_f]Michelle[/name_f], a name that was really popular in [name_f]English[/name_f] speaking countries around the 70s to 90s, but is just the feminine of [name_u]Michael[/name_u] in [name_f]France[/name_f].
I have to admit I completely agree with the [name_u]French[/name_u] on this one. I’m a massive fan of the vintage old lady name trend as well… But this one I just can’t get behind. It’s really fashionable now in the UK as well but I don’t really get it, I just imagine a grumpy little old woman shouting at kids in the street sorry!
In [name_m]Quebec[/name_m], the name doesn’t rank at all, and has only had 2-3 births in previous years. I’d still say it’s a bit on the chic side in [name_f]English[/name_f] speaking areas, even those where [name_u]French[/name_u] is spoken. I wouldn’t worry about it too much - I don’t think [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] has the memes that [name_f]Karen[/name_f] does, and that would be my only true deciding factor. If it werent for the memes, I don’t think [name_f]Karen[/name_f] would be as disliked as it is!
I think if your [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] isn’t going to be involved in any [name_u]French[/name_u] circles it doesn’t matter. There’s plenty of names that are dated in one country but trendy in another, and I think it only matters to find a balance if your child will be heavily involved in both cultures. To an [name_f]English[/name_f] ear, [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is sleek and not dated at all – so I think you should go for it!
Wow, thank you everyone for such insightful and encouraging replies! I agree that names cycle in and out of style in different countries at different times. If I had no [name_u]French[/name_u] connections I might just go for it - but I should have perhaps mentioned that I have a [name_u]French[/name_u]-Canadian in-law so my [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] would very likely encounter [name_u]French[/name_u] relatives. That’s why this is such a gutting blow lol!
I asked someone [name_u]French[/name_u] how they picture the name and they said “60 year old chain-smoking woman who works as a secretary and shouts at little kids on the street”… heaven and earth I’d better let this one go.
If [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] was dated for the [name_u]French[/name_u] in the way that [name_f]Michelle[/name_f] or [name_u]Lisa[/name_u] is dated for us; pretty but just not commonly used anymore, I might not worry. But it seems that [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] carries such a distinct [name_f]Karen[/name_f]-esque image in its datedness.
I agree with this. It’s a shame that the name [name_f]Karen[/name_f] has taken all the abuse on the chin. It’s not like “Karens” are awful because they’re named [name_f]Karen[/name_f]. Unfortunately, I can rage against this machine as much as I want but for my child, the association will still be there in the world around them
Funnily enough I can easily picture a little girl called [name_f]Michelle[/name_f]! I think it’s really sweet. But this is such a good analogy.
Oh! That seems like a huge indication that [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]'s very tied to one era like [name_f]Karen[/name_f], rather than classic-dated like [name_f]Catherine[/name_f]… because someone else from [name_m]Quebec[/name_m] told me it was the number one name there for over a decade. So it seems to have fallen from grace completely and become dated in a bad way.
This was my first thought, but it seems for the [name_u]French[/name_u], [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is 50-60 and not quite there yet. In another 20-30 years it might become fresh again.
I’m glad we’re having this discussion though, because [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] gets so much love on these boards, and for years I had no idea it carried this negative association in [name_u]French[/name_u] circles! I think it’s good if [name_f]English[/name_f]-speakers are at least aware of this before they decide to use it.
I understand, but it makes me want to go name my daughters [name_f]Karen[/name_f] and [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]. I’ve never liked letting the imperfect world dictate, never will like it.
I can respect that. Though our little Karens and Sylvies may not be born as contrarian as we, and it’s them who will have to deal with having the name, not us. That’s why I think I’ll ultimately let [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] go, despite really liking it myself.
I’ll never forget this quote from someone on Nameberry (whose name escapes me! I would so love to credit them) that went something like “naming a daughter is like choosing a wedding dress for her - would you choose the one you personally like best, or the one she will feel most confident in?”
I understand. You are naming a child and I am just into names. There’s a difference.
I am though a big believer in taking back the names. Not [name_m]Adolf[/name_m] of course or [name_m]Manson[/name_m], but most names. And not that people have to do that in their child naming, but I dislike stereotyping getting the upper hand so I hope somebody does.
Of course the wedding dress quote perfectly states the conundrum of naming our kids. We have absolutely no way of knowing what names they will love and what names they will hate. We can’t know what she will feel most confident in because we can’t yet know who she will be.
Take my student [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f] who insisted on only being called [name_u]Max[/name_u]. Had she been named [name_u]Max[/name_u], she might have changed it to [name_f]Alexandra[/name_f].
sorry!
I’d better let this one go.
