Blanche is a feminine given name. It means "white" in French, derived from the Late Latin word "blancus".[1][2] It possibly originated as a nickname or descriptive name for a girl with blonde hair or extremely fair skin. It has been in use since the medieval era, influenced by Blanche of Navarre and her descendants who married into European royal houses.

Blanche
Blanche of Valois was one of several royal bearers of the name.
GenderPrimarily feminine
Origin
MeaningWhite
Other names
Related namesBianca, Blanca, Branca,
Blandine[citation needed], Blandina[citation needed]

Usage

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The name was among the 100 most popular baby names in France between 1900 and 1928, and among the top 500 names for girls at different points between 1929 and 1969, and again between 1995 and 2022. It was among 100 most popular names for girls born in the United States between 1880 and 1919, and remained among the 1,000 most popular names for American girls until 1964. It was also among the 1,000 most popular names for American boys at different points between 1887 and 1908. It was among the top 100 names for girls in Canada between 1920 and 1923. It was also among the top 100 names for girls in England and Wales in 1904.[3]

People

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French royalty

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Other nobility

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Other people

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Fictional characters

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Katsev, Igor (2013). Origin and Meaning of Blanche. MFnames.com, 2013. Retrieved from http://www.mfnames.com/fnames/b/origin-and-meaning-of-blanche.htm Archived 2009-06-21 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ Hanks, Patrick (2006). Blanche. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2006. Print ISBN 9780195081374. Ebook ISBN 9780195188417. Retrieved from http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195081374.001.0001/acref-9780195081374-e-5358?rskey=xQs8Pm&result=5358.
  3. ^ "Meaning, origin and history of the name Blanche".