Sometimes an accent can change everything, even the story of a first name! This is confirmed by Stéphanie Rapoport, author of the first name official (First editions).
The choice of first name is often reflected long before birth. If some have a ready -made idea before becoming parents, most couples establish a list during pregnancy, inquiring about the history of the first name, its origin, its meaning and even the character that children carry it. But sometimes a small detail can change everything, as Stéphanie Rapoport, author of the official first names (First editions), explains.
Indeed, a simple accent on an e or an A, and this is the story of a first name or its origin which is transformed. This is particularly the case for a female name carried by an old Miss France, and which is synonymous with elegance, reports the specialist in first names. Rather in decline in recent years, it has still been awarded to 1290 children in 2023. He also experienced a peak in 2010 with 4951 births and was one of the most trendy first names in 2025. “Inès at the start, was a rather elegant first name, of inspiration inès de la Fressange “ specifies Stéphanie Rapoport. This derivative of the first name Agnès is today “Disposed in all social classes“.
But when the emphasis is removed, it has a completely different connotation: “Ines is – without accent – given by mixed couples, who seek a resonance in Arabic, because Ines without accent is an Arabic name”she adds.
Ines without accent to its derivatives: Iness, Inas or Enas and means “sympathetic” but also “generous”. A first name in the air that should appeal to many parents. Short and easy to pronounce internationally, this female name without accent also makes followers in Spain, Italy, or Latin America. Soft, modern, with gentle sounds, the first name Inès is among the 20 most given names to girls this year.
