Category Archives: Feminizations

Gabin

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “from Gabium.”
(gah-BAHn)

The name is derived from the Latin male name, Gabinus, meaning, “from Gabium” a city which existed in the Lazio region of Italy.

The name was borne by several early saints, including St. Gabino of Sardinia.

As of 2010, Gabin was the 27th most popular male name in France.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Gabí (Catalan)
  • Gabino (Italian/Spanish)
  • Gabinus (Latin)
  • Gabinu (Sardinian)
  • Gavino (Spanish)

An obscure French feminine form is Gabine.

Cyrielle

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: French
(see-hree-YEL)

Danielle and Michelle are both hopelessly dated, Brielle is becoming too trendy, so why not this fresh and breezy French gem?

Cyrielle is a feminine form of the obscure French masculine name, Cyriel, a form of Cyril.

As of 2010, Cyrielle was the 295th most popular female name in France. She has risen 25 spots since 2009, so she is growing in her homeland.

Roman

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Latin
Meaning “Roman.”
Eng Masc. (ROH-men) Eng Fem. (roh-MANE); Fre Masc. (hroh-MAHn); Fre Fem. (hroh-MEHN); Pol (ROH-mahn)

The name’s meaning is clear from its very first utterance, most renowned in the State’s through Polish director and film maker, Roman Polanski, it was the name of a Christian martyr who died under Diocletian.

In recent years, the name has had a peak in popularity, it currently ranks in as the 157th most popular male name in the United States (2011), and seems to be rising.

His rankings in other countries are as follows:

  • # 36 (Romain, Belgium, 2008)
  • # 39 (Romain, France, 2010)
  • # 228 (Roman, France, 2010)
  • # 494 (Netherlands, 2011)

Its designated name-days are: February 23 (Slovakia); February 28/29 (Poland), May 28 (Estonia), August 9 (Czech Republic/Poland), October 6/23 (Poland), November 18 (Poland).

Roman is used in Czech, Estonian, German, Polish, Slovakian and Slovenian.

Other forms of the name are:

  • Roman Роман (Croatian/English/German/Norwegian/Polish/Romansch/Russian/Slovak/Slovene/Swedish/Ukrainian)
  • Romain (French)
  • Romanos (Greek)
  • Román (Hungarian/Spanish)
  • Romano (Italian)
  • Romanello/Romanino (Italian: obscure)
  • Romanus (Latin)
  • Romanas (Lithuanian)
  • Reman (Poitvin)
  • Romans (Poitvin)
  • Rouman (Poivin)

In Polish, Romek is the diminutive form.

Feminine forms are:

  • Romana (Croatian/Czech/Italian/Lithuanian/Polish/Slovak/Slovene)
  • Romaine (English/French)
  • Romane (French)
  • Romána (Hungarian)
  • Romanella (Italian)
  • Romanina (Italian)
  • Romanita (Italian/Spanish)
  • Romina (Italian/Spanish)
  • Romanela (Polish: very obscure)

Ludivine

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Germanic
Meaning: “friend of the people.”
(luy-dee-VEEN)

The name is derived from the masculine German name, Leutwin, which is composed of the elements, leud (people) and win (friend).

In France, Ludivine may have been popularized by a 1970s television series, Les Gens de Mogador.

As of 2010, Ludivine was the 298th most popular female name in France.

The name is borne by actress, Ludivine Sagnier (b.1978)

Robin

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: English/French
Eng (RAH-bin); Fre (hroh-BAHn); Swe (ROH-bin)

Though the name has become increasinly feminine over years, and is now considered somewhat of a “mom” name, Robin is currently a fashionable male name in several countries.

Robin is a Middle English diminutive form of Robert. It is often associated with Robin Hood of Legend. Robin has been used as an independent given name since at least the 19th-century. Its usage on females began in the 1930s, (most likely being influenced by the bird). It first entered the top 1000 for females in 1932. The highest it ranked for females was in in 1962/1963 when it was consecutively the 25th most popular name for girls in the United States. Despite its popularity on females in the 60s, Robin did not fall out of the U.S. top 1000 for boys during those years. The highest he ever ranked was in 1956 when it was the 147th most popular male name. As of 2011, Robin does not rank in the U.S. top 1000 for either males or females.

His rankings in other countries are as follows:

  • # 45 (France, 2010)
  • # 60 (Belgium, 2008)
  • # 61 (Netherlands, 2011)
  • # 83 (Sweden, 2011)

An obscure Scottish feminine form is Robina.

Titouan

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Occitanian
(teey-too-AWn)

The name is a franconization of the Occitanian male name, Titoan, which is the Occitanian form of Anthony. Though it is a legitimate name with much history, especially in the regions within the Langue D’Oc, the name was not allowed official usage in France until 1987. The recent outburst in popularity may have something to do with Titouan Lamazou (b.1955) a famous contemporary French artist, sailor and children’s rights activist. In his case, Titouan is a nickname for Antoine, in his case, his Moroccan nanny had a difficult time pronouncing his name, giving him, instead the name of a Berber town which sounded similar to Antoine, Tétouan, which comes from the Berber, Titwan, meaning, “the eyes.” There is a district in Madrid that was named in reference to the town, Tétuan.

Titouan‘s popularity is also probably a mix of the recent interest and revival of regional cultures in France: that of the Basque, Breton, Alsatian and Occitanian. This and several other Breton and Occitanian names appear in the French top 500.

As of 2010, Titouan was the 51st most popular male name in France.

An Occitanian feminine for is Titoana, and obscure French feminine form is Titouane.

Charlene, Charlène

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: French
Eng (shar-LEEN); Fre (shahr-LEHN)

Charlène is a French feminine form of Charles.

In the United States, Charlene first appeared in the U.S. top 1000 in 1907. The highest she ever ranked was in 1949 when she was the 100th most popular female name. She has not appeared in the top 1000 since 2000.

As of 2010, Charlène was the 313th most popular female name in France.

A notable bearer is South-African born Charlene Wittstock Grimaldi, princess of Monaco (b.1978)

Tristan

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Celtic
Meaning: “tumult; riot.”
Eng (TRIS-ten)

The name is derived from an ancient Pictish name, Drust, which is derived from the Celtic element, drest, meaning, “tumult; riot.”

The name later came to be associated with the Latin tristis (sad) and hence often took on the meaning of “sorrowful.”

Drust was borne by several Pictish kings, including the last King of the Picts, Drust X. Historically, the name is often latinized as Drustanus.

In medieval legend, the name was borne by an envoy of King Mark of Cornwall, who ends up falling in love with Isolde, the King’s betroved.

Currently, Tristan is the 87th most popular male name in the United States, (2011). His rankings in other countries are as follows:

  • # 35 (Canada, BC, 2010)
  • # 47 (Denmark, 2010)
  • # 52 (Belgium, 2008)
  • # 56 (France, 2010)
  • # 75 (Slovenia, 2010)
  • # 147 (the Netherlands, 2011)

Other forms of the name include:

  • Tristan (Breton/Dutch/English/French/German/Icelandic/Norwegian/Polish/Slovene/Swedish/Welsh)
  • Trystan (Cornish/Welsh)
  • Dunstan (English)
  • Tristram (English)
  • Tristano (Italian)
  • Tristaino (Italian)
  • Drustanus (Late Latin)
  • Drest/Drust (Pictish)
  • Tristão (Portuguese)
  • Tristán (Spanish)
  • Drystan (Welsh)

Feminine forms include the English Trista, the Italian Tristana and the obscure French, Tristane.

Sources

  1. http://www.behindthename.com/php/find.php?name=tristan
  2. http://www.askoxford.com/firstnames/tristan?view=uk

Hortense

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “garden.”
Eng (HORE-tense); Fre (or-TAWNS)

In the English-speaking world, she is considered being one of the most hated baby names, on par with Bertha and Beulah; but at one time, Hortense was very much-loved in the United States, and she is still favored abroad.

Hortense appeared in the U.S. top 1000 between 1880 and 1941. The highest she ranked within those years was at # 375 in 1903. By 1942, she disappeared from the U.S. top 1000 never to be seen again.

Though the sound in contemporary English may not be so pleasant, Hortense has many redeemable qualities. She is derived from the Roman family name, Hortensius, which is derived from the Latin, hortus, meaning, “garden.” Hence horticulture! Her Latin derivative shares its name with the scientific designation of the hydrangea plant. Hortensia is also the name of a type of pear.

Hortense sounds completely different in French, in fact, it sounds rather pleasant. She appears in the French top 500 coming in as the 335th most popular female name in 2010.

Other forms of the name include:

  • Hortenzie (Czech)
  • Hortense (French/English)
  • Hortensia (German/Latin/Romansch/Portuguese/Spanish)
  • Hortenzia (Hungarian/Romanian/Slovak)
  • Ortensia (Italian)
  • Ortenzia (Italian)
  • Ourtense (Poitvin)
  • Hortensja (Polish)

Notable bearers include:

  • Hortensia (circ. 4th-century BCE) the daughter of Quintus Hortensius Hortalus she is known for her gifted speech which she gave before the Roman Triumvirate regarding  the taxation of wealthy Roman women.
  • Hortensia von Moos (1659-1715) a Swiss female doctor known for her early philosophical writings on women. Today she is a symbol of the modern Swiss Women’s Movement.
  • Hortense Mancini (1646-1649), a mistress of King Charles II of England .
  • Hortense de Beauharnais (1783-1837), daughter of Josephine Bonaparte and step-daughter of Napoleon Bonaparte.
  • Hortense Haudebourt-Lescot (1784-1845) a French painter.
  • Hortense Schneider (1833-1920), a famous French soprano.