I’ve really been loving the name [name_f]Anais[/name_f] lately ([name_m]Ah[/name_m]-nays), and as I come from a Quebecois/[name_m]French[/name_m]-Canadian background on my father’s side, I love the thought of using something [name_m]French[/name_m], but a bit more fresh feeling than the standard names used in my area (a la [name_f]Sophie[/name_f], [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f], [name_f]Camille[/name_f], [name_f]Gabrielle[/name_f], [name_f]Isabelle[/name_f], etc). I also love that it honours both my grandmothers, as [name_f]Anais[/name_f] is a form of [name_f]Anna[/name_f]/[name_f]Anne[/name_f], and [name_f]Anne[/name_f] is my maternal grandmother’s middle name, while my paternal grandmother was [name_m]French[/name_m]-Canadian.
(The other name choice I would use to honour both grandmothers is [name_f]Annabelle[/name_f], [name_f]Anna[/name_f] because of my maternal grandmother, and [name_f]Belle[/name_f] shares a meaning with my paternal grandmother’s name ([name_f]Bonnie[/name_f]).)
What do you think of the name [name_f]Anais[/name_f]?
Is it usable internationally?
What middle names would you pair with [name_f]Anais[/name_f]?
I’ve always had a soft spot for [name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs. The first perfume that I was ever given was [name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs [name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs by Cacharel, for my twelfth birthday. I also admire the writer [name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs [name_m]Nin[/name_m].
I think it is usable internationally. If I remember correctly, [name_u]Noel[/name_u] [name_m]Gallagher[/name_m] has a daughter named [name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs, and there is an American singer-songwriter named [name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs [name_m]Mitchell[/name_m].
[name_f]Anais[/name_f] is used here in the UK, but we pronounce it like the [name_m]French[/name_m], ah-na-ees, rather than the [name_m]French[/name_m]-Canadian pronunciation. So I think it is usable in predominantly English speaking countries.
I think if you like it and it honours both sides, you should go for it.
He does in fact have a daughter with the name, she’s dating a member of my favourite band right now, actually haha! (She’s not very well liked though, from what I gather?).
I absolutely love [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Pearl[/name_f], [name_f]Anais[/name_f] Lowenna, [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Matilda[/name_f], [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Cosima[/name_f], [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Delphine[/name_f] and I love [name_f]Mireille[/name_f], but I think I prefer that one on it’s own, instead of with [name_f]Anais[/name_f]. Thank you!
Everytime I see this name, I see Anus. Way too close for me. I asked my husband and he saw the same problem. :-? I usually love names that start or end in AN or ANA. Just throwing it out there.
I love the name. I actually think it’s more usable internationally than it would be in [name_u]North[/name_u] [name_u]America[/name_u]. It will be much more familiar in Europe for example where the name has already caught on for girls.
I think if you go with it you have to not mind that you will get pronounciation problems and some people will read ‘anus’. This is unless you still live in [name_m]Quebec[/name_m] where people will recognize it and know how to spell it. English speaking Canadians butcher [name_m]French[/name_m] words despite us having taken 8 years of the language in school!
When said properly it is a beautiful name. So romantic and light and it ages well. As alternatives you might like [name_f]Estelle[/name_f], Dephine, [name_f]Manon[/name_f], or [name_f]Celeste[/name_f].
I love [name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs. I think it is usable internationally. Some might have a problem figuring out how to pronounce it, but at the same time [name_m]French[/name_m] is a well known language so I don’t think it would be a huge problem.
[name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs [name_f]Delphine[/name_f] sounds beautiful. [name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs [name_f]Matilde[/name_f] would be cute too.
I love [name_f]Ana[/name_f]ïs! I pronounce it ah-nah-EES, though. In English I guess you can either put the dieresis or not… I think you might have to tell some people how to pronounce it, but personally I think it’s worth it!
I think this name is really pretty, a sweet twist on [name_f]Anna[/name_f], she is light and delicate and I believe it would work internationally due to her relatively easy pronunciation.
[name_f]Anais[/name_f] is a great name, it’s not hard to spell or say unless a person is willfully dumb. I think [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Claudette[/name_f] has a nice ring to it.
Oh my goodness! I’m so glad you recognized ah-nays, because I’ve never heard it before, and I was thinking it wasn’t the traditional [name_m]French[/name_m] pronunciation (which I sort of expected for [name_f]Canada[/name_f]!). I was really confused, lol.
I prefer the [name_m]French[/name_m] pronunciation, too, and like [name_f]Anais[/name_f] quite a lot, although I like the Spanish [name_f]Anahi[/name_f] even more (ah-nah-ee). I agree that it’s a great solution for you–honors both sides, and is a gorgeous name! I think [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] or [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Camille[/name_f] would be gorgeous combos, if you’re looking for them. Although I say them with the [name_m]French[/name_m] pronunciation of [name_f]Anais[/name_f], so I’m not sure if they’d sound so good with ah-nays. I think [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Eve[/name_f], [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Fleur[/name_f], or [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Katherine[/name_f] would be gorgeous, too. [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f]? [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Evangeline[/name_f]? [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f]? [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Florence[/name_f]/[name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Florentina[/name_f]? I think [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Florentina[/name_f] sounds particularly spectacular!
I don’t know why you’d expect that for [name_f]Canada[/name_f], we do speak traditional [name_m]French[/name_m], it’s just our dialect is different? It’s more in the accent and emphasis, with a few created words, otherwise it’s virtually the same, and in [name_m]Ontario[/name_m], we’re actually taught Parisian [name_m]French[/name_m]. [name_m]Ah[/name_m]-nays is how the name sounds when I say it the traditional way, so it’s more of a case of my accent, not a view on the whole entirety of [name_f]Canada[/name_f]'s pronunciation. I have actually heard it both ways though, by [name_m]French[/name_m] speakers and English speakers. Perhaps the name has two ways to say it?
I love [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Felicity[/name_f], [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Katherine[/name_f], [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Charlotte[/name_f] and [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], although I’m less keen on [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Elizabeth[/name_f], because [name_f]Anais[/name_f] does sort of honour my mother as well (her middle name is also [name_f]Ann[/name_f]). Thank you for the suggestion of [name_f]Anahi[/name_f], but, I chose [name_f]Anais[/name_f] as an honour name, because my paternal grandmother was from [name_m]Quebec[/name_m], and therefore was a bilingual Canadian, and because my maternal grandmother’s name is [name_f]Valerie[/name_f] [name_f]Anne[/name_f]. I feel as though a form from another language wouldn’t quite fit the bill, unfortunately.
Thank you everyone for the excellent feedback! It looks as though [name_f]Anais[/name_f] is a keeper for my list! I’ll go through the middle name suggestions a little bit later and choose my favourites.
[name_f]Anais[/name_f] has never really caught my fancy, mostly because I am never certain how it’s pronounced. Before I read your pronunciation I always thought it was uh-[name_m]NYE[/name_m]-iss for some reason, haha. I like it okay with the listed pronunciation, though it sounds kind of harsh to my ear. I think something [name_f]Anais[/name_f] [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] would be adorable, that particular combo gives me a lacy vibe.
I like this name but think the pronounciation would confuse people in places with little or no knowledge of [name_m]French[/name_m]. It might then come out all wrong and slightly like anus which would be less than ideal. A pity because it is very pretty.
I’m not sure what you mean? The intent behind my words (which, perhaps, wasn’t quite clear) was that ah-nays wasn’t the traditional [name_m]French[/name_m] pronunciation I’d always heard, but I assumed that [name_f]Anais[/name_f] would be said the same in both places, especially because the accents still transfer over (at least, I assume they do). I certainly wasn’t expecting that Canadians wouldn’t speak proper [name_m]French[/name_m].
As for [name_f]Anahi[/name_f], I wasn’t suggesting it, simply stating that I prefer it. Either name is equally significant to me, but [name_f]Anais[/name_f] obviously makes more sense for you. I just like [name_f]Anahi[/name_f] more, personally.
