French Name Translation Manual

Author: Translation Department of Xinhua News Agency
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2000-03-02
Features:
1. This manual compiles approximately 90,000 French surnames and given names, suitable for use when translating names in French-speaking countries and ethnic groups (e.g., French-speaking communities in Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, etc.).
2. The surnames and given names in this manual are not categorized and are arranged in mixed alphabetical order. When using the manual, sequentially search for the translated names of each segment of the full name. Use a "·" to separate the segments of the full name. For compound surnames or given names, use a "－" to connect the two components. For example, Pierre Mendès-France (Pierre Mendès-France), where "Mendès-France" is a compound surname.
3. The ethnic composition of current French-speaking countries is complex, such as in France, where, in addition to minority groups, many foreign immigrants have acquired local citizenship. Some of these immigrants have achieved prominence in various fields, and their names frequently appear in news media. This manual has selectively included some of these foreign names. For the Chinese translations of these names, the manual has referred to phonetic materials from name dictionaries and pronunciation dictionaries. For names with obvious ethnic characteristics but lacking phonetic data, they are transliterated according to the original ethnic pronunciation. Others are handled according to general French pronunciation rules.
4. For names that already have established translations in China or for those who have chosen Chinese characters for their names, the principle of customary usage is followed. For example, "Voltaire" is translated as "" and "Ampère" as "."
5. Modern French names consist of a surname and a given name, with the given name preceding the surname. The surname is inherited by sons, and daughters take their husband's surname. For example, in "Fran?ois Mitterrand," "Fran?ois" is the given name and "Mitterrand" is the surname. French surnames are either single or compound. Single surnames consist of one word. Common single surnames include Matin, Bernard, Petit, Dubois, Durand, Moreau, Michel, Richard, etc. Compound surnames consist of two words, connected by a "－." Examples of compound surnames include Mendès-France, Chaban-Delmars, and Bourges-Maunoury. The formation of compound surnames varies, but can generally be summarized into three types: (1) a combination of the father's and mother's surnames; (2) inheritance of a compound surname from ancestors; (3) a woman taking her husband's surname plus her maiden surname after marriage. Some French surnames are preceded by the preposition "de" (e.g., "Couve de Murville"). Initially, surnames with "de" were associated with feudal families who owned estates or domains, making them a mark of noble origin. Later, tenant farmers or commoners living on these estates imitated the nobility by adopting the domain as their surname. Thus, "de" gradually lost its original meaning. To determine whether a person comes from a noble family, one must trace their family history and cannot make conclusions based solely on the presence of "de." Most French people use a single given name, but the number of segments varies. Generally, the first segment of a multiple-part name is given by the parents, the second segment by godparents, and the third segment is the name of a deceased family member, serving as a tribute to ancestors. Any segment can be used alone, but whether the first or second segment is used varies from person to person and follows no pattern. Common given names include Jean, Marie, Pierre, Michel, André, Jeanne, Anne, René, Philippe, etc. Some French people use compound given names, distinguished by a "－" connecting the two segments. For example, the philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Each part of a compound given name is a whole and cannot be used separately. Women generally change their surname to their husband's after marriage, but they may also retain their maiden surname. There are two common writing styles: one is to add "née" (meaning "born into a family" or "maiden surname") between the husband's surname and the maiden surname. For instance, a woman named Marie Queille (·) who marries a man named Louis Cotty (·) would have the full name Marie Cotty née Queille, which can also be written as Marie Cotty. The other is to add a "－" to form a compound surname. For example, the full name of the famous physicist Marie Curie is Irène Joliot-Curie. Joliot is the surname of her husband, Frédéric Joliot, and Curie is her maiden surname. Regardless of the form, it must follow the rule of listing the husband's surname first and the maiden surname second.
6. Some French consonants can be pronounced or unpronounced at the end of a word, with no consistent pattern, making them difficult to master. During translation, we have referred to pronunciation tools for guidance. For names without phonetic data, we have followed the translation guidelines and common suffix tables provided in the "French-Chinese Phonetic Table" at the end of this manual.
7. The entries in this manual primarily come from the translation department's 40 years of accumulated practical experience. During the compilation process, references were also made to: Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de famille et prénoms de France, Dictionnaire de la prononciation fran?aise, Who’s Who in France, Der Gro?e Duden, Webster’s Biographical Dictionary, etc.