French
Popular unisex names of French origin include Camille, Claude, Dominique, and Frederique. In France and French-speaking countries, it is not unusual for people to have a combination of both male and female given names, such as Jean-Marie, Marie-Jean, Marie-Pierre, and Julie-Pierre. Marie is commonly seen in both males and females, which stems from the deep influence on French culture of Catholicism and its Marian devotions. Notable examples of people with a combination of male and female given names are Jean-Marie Le Pen (male), Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles (male), Marie-Pierre Kœnig (male), and Marie-Pierre Leray (female).
European royals often bear the name Marie, the French form of Maria, in their names. Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este (Amedeo Marie Joseph Carl Pierre Philippe Paola Marcus), Prince Jean of Luxembourg (Jean Félix Marie Guillaume), and Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (Jean Benoît Guillaume Robert Antoine Louis Marie Adolphe Marc) are examples of male royals who bear Marie in their names.
Read more about this topic: Unisex Name
Famous quotes containing the word french:
“Such is the nature and make-up of the French that they are only good at the start. Then they are worse than devils, but, given time, they’re less than women.”
—François Rabelais (1494–1553)
“Saigon was an addicted city, and we were the drug: the corruption of children, the mutilation of young men, the prostitution of women, the humiliation of the old, the division of the family, the division of the country—it had all been done in our name.... The French city ... had represented the opium stage of the addiction. With the Americans had begun the heroin phase.”
—James Fenton (b. 1949)
“The third day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me
Three French hens,”
—Unknown. The Twelve Days of Christmas (l. 8–10)