girl's name
Fernande
fair-NAHND (French)
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Births on record 85,546
Fernande is the French feminine of Ferdinand, meaning bold journey, and it is one of two faded names in this group — it peaked at 3,140 French births in 1920 and now ranks nowhere at all.
- Fernande is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1920, when 3,140 babies were given the name.
- It has largely dropped out of use in France.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Fernande Over Time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 1990s.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 23,030 |
| 1910s | 21,980 |
| 1920s | 22,660 |
| 1930s | 10,615 |
| 1940s | 4,200 |
| 1950s | 1,795 |
| 1960s | 535 |
| 1970s | 175 |
| 1980s | 30 |
| 1990s | 5 |
What Fernande Means
Fernande means bold journey, or brave voyager. The Germanic joins a word for a journey to one meaning bold, so the compound describes courage in traveling.
Where Fernande Comes From
Fernande is the French feminine of Ferdinand, from a Germanic compound read as fardi, a journey, joined to nand, bold. It is Visigothic rather than Spanish in origin — the Goths ruled Iberia for three centuries — and became the royal name of Castile and Aragon before traveling back north into French and German. Fernand, its masculine, is written up separately and birth records mark that one reviving while this one has faded.
Fernande in Use
Fernande peaked in France in 1920, when 3,140 babies were registered, and is one of two names in this group birth records mark faded rather than falling. It no longer ranks in any market, across 85,546 lifetime births. Its masculine Fernand is marked reviving, so the two forms of one name are moving in opposite directions.
How Popular Is Fernande?
In 1994, Fernande was given to 5 babies in France. It was given to fewer than five babies in the most recent year of published figures for France.
Where Fernande Is Used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Fernande
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Fernande Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Fernande over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Fernande
- French fair-NAHND /fɛʁ.nɑ̃d/
Fernande in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- French
- Fernand
- Italian
- Fernanda
- Portuguese
- Fernanda
- Spanish
- Fernanda
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Ferdinande
Sibling Names for Fernande
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Fernande — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Fernande
What does the name Fernande mean?
Bold journey — the Germanic fardi, a journey, joined to nand, bold.
Is Ferdinand a Spanish name?
Visigothic in origin. The Goths ruled Iberia before it became a royal name of Castile and Aragon.
Is Fernande related to Fernand?
The feminine of it — and birth records mark Fernand reviving while Fernande has faded.
Does Fernande still rank?
Not in any market, despite a 1920 French peak of 3,140 births.
How popular is the name Fernande?
In 1994, Fernande was given to 5 babies in France. It was given to fewer than five babies in the most recent year of published figures for France.
Is Fernande a girl's or a boy's name?
Fernande is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Fernande?
Fernande has 2 syllables.
When was Fernande most popular?
Fernande peaked in 1920, when 3,140 babies were given the name. It has largely dropped out of use.