In French maternity wards, some parents are getting tired of the ultra-common first names and are turning to the registers of yesteryear. On TikTok, influencer Jenn Ficarra sparked a craze with her videos on these updated grandmother’s names: “I love grandmother names with a modern nickname. They’re classic, simple, timeless, chic, fun, and they’re fashionable“, she explains, speaking of “vintage maximalism”. In this wave, an old feminine Latin first name, carryinghonor and of dignityreturns slowly.
This first name is Honorine. Honorine comes from the Latin first name Honoria and the term honoratus, associated with the idea of honor and dignity. This feminine first name, present at the beginning of the 20th century then relaunched between 1980 and 2000, crosses generations. Today it attracts parents who want a rare choice, French and easy to pronounce, without necessarily seeking the top of the rankings.
Why the first name Honorine is slowly returning to maternity wards
Honorine was very given between 1900 and 1930, before fading away, then timidly returning between 1980 and 2000. This “old first name steeped in history” retains its discreet shine. The current return of retro first names opens a new window for it, especially among families who like family stories and nods to a grandmother.
From the INSEE first name file – First name file, Honorine experienced a recent peak in 2000 with 208 births in France. The same site lists 8,271 births since 1900 and 45 little girls named Honorine in 2024.
Origin and meaning of the first name Honorine
In terms of meaning, Honorine clearly stands out. This feminine first name comes from the Latin honor and honoratus, with the idea of being “worthy of honors”. This lexical field of honor, righteousness and respectability speaks to parents who wish to transmit a strong value from the civil status, without renouncing a tender, almost flowery sound.
The first name owes a large part of its notoriety to
Saint HonorineNorman martyr of the 4th century. His body was apparently thrown into the Seine before being collected by the faithful, then transferred to Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, in the Paris region. This ancient cult keeps the first name alive, whose feast day is celebrated on February 27, and gives it a strong anchor between Normandy, Seine and religious heritage.
Honorine, between cultural heritage and modernity
Honorine also has a literary touch. The novel
Honorine by Honoré de Balzac, published in 1843 and included in La Comédie humaine, places this first name at the heart of a sentimental drama, according to the Maison de Balzac.
French actress Honorine Crosnier gives the first name an artistic image. To update it, some parents consider it with a short nickname, in the spirit of Jenn Ficarra.