Baptiste
Popularity rank in the US: Not ranked.
Meaning: Herald, precursor, baptist
Baptiste means "baptist" in French and refers to John the Baptist, who announced the coming of Christ. The word comes from the Greek "bapto," meaning "to dip," and commemorates the immersion in water that blessed early converts and is still central to Christian tradition today. Because of this connection Baptiste may stand alone or be paired with Jean, for Jean-Baptiste, a saint and herald to bless your baby boy.
Amede
Popularity rank in the US: Not ranked.
Meaning: Lover of God
Amede is a heart-centered French-inspired name from the same roots as Amadeus and Amedee. The Latin verb "amare" means to love, and "deus" is the word for God. Amede might be a precocious little boy, like his namesake Wolfgang Amadeus — the German version — or the artist Amedeo Modigliani — Italian for Amede. Pronounce the Creole name: AH-meh-DEH.
Edwige
Popularity rank in the US: Not ranked.
Meaning: Combat, battle, war
Edwige — also spelled Edwidge, Edvige or Hedwige, is a French name that belonged to two female medieval saints and comes from the German Hadewig — "hadu" for combat or battle and "wig" for war. Edwidge Danticat is an award-winning Haitian-American author whose stories about her native land have won her praise and topped bestseller lists. Pronounce the girls' name without the "d" — Eh-WEEJ.
Ophelie
Popularity rank in the US: Not ranked.
Meaning: Helper
Ophelie is the French form of Ophelia, which comes from the Greek "ophelos," "to help," and was a poetic name before Shakespeare loved it enough to create his doomed lover of Hamlet. The name is conspicuously romantic, evoking a pure heart and a giving soul of delicate beauty.
Sebastien
Popularity rank in the US: #34
Meaning: Venerable
Sebastien is the French spelling and pronunciation for Sebastian, a boy's name that means "venerable." Latin Sebastianus designates "a person from the Asia Minor town of Sebaste" and is also the name of a Roman third-century Christian martyr. The saint was popular in medieval Europe and the name, while not topping any current charts, continues to find its fans. The French sound is nasal and open-ended, not clipped like the English or Latin. Say it: say-bas-TYAW.
Etienne
Popularity rank in the US: Not ranked.
Meaning: Crown
Etienne is "Stephen" in French, a name derived from the Greek "stephanos," which means "crown." Stephen was the first Christian martyr, stoned to death and afterward worshiped as a courageous and steadfast believer. Kings, popes and later saints took up the name, but the more musical Etienne is as likely to belong to an artist today. Haitian writer, playwright and filmmaker Franketienne has been nominated for a Nobel Prize, and Etienne can be found in the baptism registers of New Orleans' oldest families.
Remy
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #621
Meaning: Rower, oarsman
Remy has a ring of the modern — it does rank in the longer list of current U.S. baby names. But the name is really a French version of Latin Remigius and that came from "remigis," the word for an oarsman or rower. Naturally, there was a saint in the progression of Remys; in the fifth century Saint Remy, a Catholic bishop, baptized the Frankish king Clovis. Remy is a short, snappy boy's name for a baby destined to be at home on the water — very handy in places like New Orleans and the Caribbean.
Manon
Popularity rank in the US: Not ranked.
Meanings: Wished-for child, beloved, sea of bitterness, rebellious
Manon is a beloved nickname for the French Marie or Marianne. It has been used so widely in film, fiction and opera that Manon is now a distinct name on its own. Traced back to the risque 18th-century novel "Manon Lescaut," set in France and Louisiana, Manon is the heroine of an enchanting tale of innocence, passion and forbidden romantic love. Say it with the merest emphasis on the second syllable: mah-NOH.
Calixte
Popularity rank in the US: Not ranked.
Meaning: Most beautiful, wine cup
Calixte just begs for the terrific nickname "Cal" and will stand out in a sea of Emmas and Sophias. The Creole girl's name is the French for Calixtus, a variation on the Roman Callistus, probably influenced by the Latin word "calix" for "winecup." But it also hails from the Greek "Kallistos," or"most beautiful." So Calixte hits all the bases. Give it that open "eee" sound when you say it: kah-LEEX-tah.
Amelie
Popularity rank in the U.S.: #667
Meaning: Hardworking, industrious
Amelie is a crossover name, starting to show up in the U.S., mostly after a romantic French film of the same name. Amelie is a French version of the British name Amalia, which in turn evolved from the Latin for the German name Amala, which translates to. "work." Amelies are hardworking, industrious and altruistic, if a bit dreamy. Say her name: AH-meh-LEE.
