Since 1900, the First Name FileINSEE
Each year follows the first names declared in the civil registry in mainland France and in the overseas territories, including Mayotte. In these tables constructed from the RNIPPmost first names remain visible from one year to the next. But an old feminine first name turns into a real ghost: some years, no line appears, as if no little girl received it anymore.
This ghost name is Theolinealso written
Theoline. Of Greek origin, it is related to
Theodoreitself derived from ancient Greek
Theodoros which means “gift of God”, with a feminine ending “-line” of French influence. INSEE data lists only 165 births bearing this first name between 1900 and 2024, including 5 in 2024.
Greek origin and meaning of the first name Théoline
The first name Theoline results from a mixture of cultural influences rather than a well-established tradition. It remains absent from great legends or religious texts, even if its root linked to a “gift from God” gives it a spiritual tone. The soft ending in “-line”, close to Caroline or Aline, places it in the family of old feminine first names with a delicate sound.
Specialized sites report that no major personality wearing Theoline has really left its mark on the culture, which reinforces this impression of a discreet first name. This first name is however linked to a saint: Saint Théoline
celebrates October 11. For parents, this duo of spiritual meaning and extreme rarity creates an unusual combination on the vintage name scene.
Insee statistics: a first name sometimes missing from the tables
According to theINSEEthe First Name File, published on July 16, 2026, brings together the first names registered in the civil registry in mainland France and in the overseas territories from the National Identification Directory of Natural Persons. The institute reminds that an absence of first name for a year does not necessarily mean zero births: below or equal to two occurrences, the numbers are hidden to respect the
statistical secrecy.
For Theolinethis effect can be seen very well. There are 97 years without visible data between 1900 and 2024, while the total reaches 165 births over the period. In 2024, only 5 little girls have received this first name. The site estimates that around 119 women in 2026 will wear it today, making it a true ultra-minority first name.
Théoline, spelling variants and the appeal of rare first names
Writing without accent Theoline represents 63.6% of births, compared to 36.4% for Theoline. Between the search for originality and administrative constraints, some parents today choose this old feminine first name precisely because it almost never appears in the lists. The INSEE curves, with their “blank years” linked to statistical secrecy, then tell a simple thing: to wear Théoline is to belong to a very small circle.