I don’t consider 2007 “dated” but either way, if you don’t live in [name_f]France[/name_f] then that shouldn’t mean anything anyway. Apparently in [name_m]French[/name_m] it’s pronounced o-see-an.
I think it’s very useable, [name_f]Oceane[/name_f] looks more like a name to me, and [name_u]Ocean[/name_u] a more hippy choice.
J’adore Océane (prefer this to makes the pronunciation difference clear). I never care about “datedness”, so it’s a non issue to me. I love the surfy/beachy connection. I say go for it.
I’d pronounce it o-she-anne. With that pronounciation I’d say it could be used for a girl since it ends with “[name_f]Anne[/name_f]”. But even pronounced ocean, it could be used for a girl because it’s a thing. It doesn’t have a gender. I’d go with o-she-[name_f]Anne[/name_f] since it sounds more like a name than a thing.
Thanks for the support everyone! It’s our new favourite over [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_u]Grey[/name_u] and [name_f]Willow[/name_f] [name_f]Goldie[/name_f]. I think I still like the normal [name_u]Ocean[/name_u] even though it’s more gender neutral.
I love Océane. In [name_m]French[/name_m] it is pronounced like oh-say-on. The accent aigu over the (é) in [name_m]French[/name_m] is always pronounced like ay, rhymes with say, bay, may. Not to say that you couldn’t pronounce it differently in English, but the name with that accent mark should not be pronounced with an -ee sound.
On an American girl, I would assume [name_f]Oceane[/name_f] would be pronounced like oh-shee-ann or just like the word, oh-shin/shen. It’s nice, and I much prefer it over your other choice, [name_f]Willow[/name_f]! I think I like just [name_u]Ocean[/name_u] as well now that you mention it. Not only does it simplify the pronunciation, it definitely is gender neutral because it is a nature name.
Another vote for the accent, and Océane rather than [name_u]Ocean[/name_u] definitely. Brilliant choice – classy and not entirely unfamiliar, but still very individual.
I think Oceane/Océane is pretty and I like that it has meaning for you. I would pronounce it the French way. I’m not sure how usable it would be an English-speaking country though. I can imagine people pronouncing it all sorts of ways.
Regarding Océane’s popularity in France I recommend looking at its page on the website Meilleurs Prénoms.
It was rarely used before the 1980s and peaked in the year 2000. However, unless you live in France I don’t see why this should be important.
Go for it!!
It having the same sound as your surname in the end wont be as much of a problem since it is going to be a middle name
Id definitely pronounce it the french way too
[name_m]Even[/name_m] though you didnt exactly ask for our opinion, id like to add that i dont think [name_u]Ocean[/name_u] is as mellifluous because of the way you pronounce it and its also too hippy for my tastes
I’m an American living in [name_f]France[/name_f] and Océane was at one point our top choice for our daughter’s middle name (we ended up deciding to use a family honor name), so I was excited to see this post!
I can tell you that the [name_m]French[/name_m] pronunciation is Oh-say-ahn. But this was NEVER the pronunciation I got running the name by English-speakers, and that’s why I was considering it only as a middle name because I preferred a first name that wouldn’t have pronunciation issues for either [name_m]French[/name_m] or English.
To answer your other question, from discussing the name with people in [name_f]France[/name_f]/on [name_m]French[/name_m] baby sites, it does seem to have a trendy/dated early-2000s feel for [name_m]French[/name_m] people (trendy because it is a non-traditional name that peaked rapidly, and then rapidly declined in use). But I don’t think that will affect how it is perceived outside [name_f]France[/name_f], and I still think it’s a pretty name and I like how it is tied to the ocean (my husband and I are also ocean/beach-lovers!). If not for the choice to honor a family member, I would still want to use it.
Thanks for your input Halloween-[name_f]Jacqueline[/name_f]. I agree that most people wouldn’t pronounce it correctly. The correct pronunciation is really cute!
I agree with this. “oh say AHN” is still pretty but doesn’t sound like “ocean,” i.e. English speakers might not make the connection. To non-[name_m]French[/name_m] speakers (such as myself) the pronunciation is quite ambiguous, considering the second syllable could be “shee,” “see,” “say” or “shay” and the third could be either “[name_f]Anne[/name_f]” or “ahn.” I had to look it up. Still a gorgeous name, though.
There’s also [name_f]Oceana[/name_f], “a coined feminine form of [name_m]Oceanus[/name_m]” ([name_m]Oceanus[/name_m] being the name of a titan in Greek myth). According to my name book [name_f]Oceana[/name_f] has been “used since the early 19th century, largely for girls born at sea. Ocèana (1903) was an opera by the Italian composer [name_m]Antonio[/name_m] Smareglia.” The pronunciation given is “oh shee AHN a.” Perhaps not as chic or exotic as Océane, but simpler non-[name_m]French[/name_m] speakers? [name_m]Just[/name_m] a thought.
I agree that [name_f]Oceana[/name_f] is really cute. I probably prefer the look of [name_f]Oceane[/name_f] and the easy pronunciation of [name_u]Ocean[/name_u]. Thanks so much for the feedback and research.
I never care about “datedness”, so it’s a non issue to me. I love the surfy/beachy connection. I say go for it.