According to Retraite Québec, the most popular baby names in Quebec last year were (again) Olivia and Liam.
Here are the province’s top 10 girl names and top 10 boy names of 2020:
Girl Names
- Olivia, 543 baby girls
- Alice, 491 (2-way tie)
- Emma, 491 (2-way tie)
- Charlie, 488
- Charlotte, 449 (2-way tie)
- Lea, 449 (2-way tie)
- Florence, 447
- Livia, 437
- Romy, 338
- Clara, 335
Boy Names
- Liam, 661 baby boys
- William, 644
- Noah, 639
- Thomas, 594
- Leo, 572
- Nathan, 518
- Edouard, 489
- Logan, 478
- Jacob, 468
- Arthur, 461
In the girls’ top 10, Romy and Clara replaced Rosalie and Beatrice.
In the boys’ top 10, Jacob and Arthur replaced Felix, Raphael and Emile.
Below are some of the baby names that were bestowed just once in Quebec last year. (I tried to focus on First Nations names this time around.)
| Unique Girl Names | Unique Boy Names |
| Ange Lumiere, Avanika, Balkissa, Cathy Jaguar, Croyance, Daphka, Ezralene, Framboise, Gaela Olga, Himalaya Fay, Iaely, Jolly-Anne, Julia Uapikun, Katsuak, Kim-Sparkle, Lailah-Waseskon, Lilwenn, Mappaluk, Mekuaushkuan, Meluvia, Nadege Prestige, Nidehina, Nkulu Aimerence, Olizianne, Onyx Mbombo, Ophelia-Darling, Pastel, Pixel, Plamedie, Qullik, Raphdaelle, Richelieu Christina, Rissala, Sikuliaq, Sunrise, Taliittuq, Thanjana, Tuline, Ullusiurvik, Uppialuk, Videluna, Widchelle, Woulimata Hannah, Xiyao, Youvica, Zoe-Zina | Abischai Sardonyx, Alexandre Wapan, Bikyeombe Bienvenue, Bluesun, Chanmonyrith, Charlie Qumanguaq, Crizo, Dalzell, Edwight, Fritzlerson, Guntaz, Heavyd, Ittukallak, Ittuvik, Ivan Appalirak, Justgood, Karthigan, Kasudluak, Lebonheur, Lenny Bruce, Manhattan, Massabiel, Mckeen, Naavalan, New-York, Oceannic Sunchase, Omri-Kyanite, Pacifique, Peter Angutik, Quppapik, Reiki, Ro’nikonhrowa nen, Soho, Surusiluk, Thomas Qautsaalik, Tikwaachin, Tuukak, Upenak, Uyghur, Valmont, Waseskon, Wastuskun, Xandres, Ywaashtin, Zaphly, Zoubert |
Some explanations/associations:
- Aimerence means “love” in French.
- Ange Lumiere means “angel of light”/”light angel” in French.
- Angutik means “male” or “man” in Inuttut.
- Bienvenue means “welcome” in French.
- Croyance means “belief” in French.
- Framboise means “raspberry” in French.
- Heavyd…could it be a reference to rapper Heavy D? (Maybe just a variant of Heaven?)
- Katsuak (or Katsuaq) means “biceps” in Inuit.
- Kyanite is a type of mineral.
- Lebonheur means “happiness” in French.
- Lenny Bruce…is it a reference to comedian Lenny Bruce?
- Mekuaushkuan means “the clouds are red at sunset” in Innu-aimun.
- Plamedie is a contracted form of the French phrase plan merveilleux de Dieu, meaning “wonderful plan of God.”
- Qullik (or Qulliq) means “oil lamp” in Inuit.
- Qumanguaq is a mountain in Nunavut; the name means “the shrugging hill (no neck)” in Inuktitut.
- Reiki is a type of energy healing that was developed in Japan.
- Richelieu…is it a reference to Cardinal Richelieu?
- Ro’nikonhrowa nen (or Ro’nikonhrowa:nen), which comes from a figure in Iroquois folklore, means “he who has ideas.”
- Sardonyx is a type of banded gemstone.
- Sikuliaq (pronounced see-KOO-lee-auk) means “young sea ice” in Inupiaq.
- Soho, Manhattan, New-York — in this order, they form an address :)
- Taliittuq may mean “no arm” in Inuit.
- Tikwaachin means “autumn” in Cree.
- Tuukak…I don’t know the definition, but a character named Tuukak appeared in a mid-2020 episode of the animated kids’ show Molly of Denali.
- Uapikun means “flower” in Innu-aimun.
- Ullusiurvik means “feast day” or “holy day” in Inuktitut.
- Uppialuk means “snowy owl” in Inuktitut.
- Uyghur…the Uyghurs are a Turkic ethnic group in China.
- Wapan means “dawn” in Cree.
- Waseskon may mean “blue” or “sky blue” in Cree. (The very similar Cree word Waseskun has been defined as: “the time just after a storm, when the dark clouds begin to part, the blue sky appears, and the first rays of sunlight shine through.”)
- Ywaashtin may mean “calm” in Cree.
Sources:
- List of Baby Names – Retraite Québec
- Aimun-Mashinaikan Innu Dictionary
- Dictionary of Inuit Names
- Online Cree Dictionary
- Daughters, Sisters, Wives & Mothers – ONLC [pdf]
- University research vessel gets Alaska Native name – SFOS News
- The History, Lessons And Observations Of Waseskun Healing Center
Image: Adapted from Flag of Quebec (public domain)
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