Names that sound Canadian? (live, celebrity, Australian)

[Fred Derf]

Originally Posted by Robynator

Reginald?

I've never met a Reginald in Canada, ever.

I know one guy called "Reg".

Do Americans have as many Liams as we have in Canada? It seems that every elementary class has AT LEAST one Liam.

[Arny]

There are a few surnames which are quite common in Quebec but not that much in France. So they sound very Canadian to me (in case it's not clear for everyone yet, Quebec IS and will remain a part of Canada ) :

TREMBLAY
NADEAU
DESJARDINS
LEMIEUX
DION
VILLENEUVE
LEVESQUE
LATENDRESSE
LAVOIE
... and many more

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Arny

There are a few surnames which are quite common in Quebec but not that much in France. So they sound very Canadian to me (in case it's not clear for everyone yet, Quebec IS and will remain a part of Canada ) :

TREMBLAY
NADEAU
DESJARDINS
LEMIEUX
DION
VILLENEUVE
LEVESQUE
LATENDRESSE
LAVOIE
... and many more

There are a few reasons for this. The main one is that people in France were just starting to officially take on surnames at the time that the colonists were coming to New France. So often when a person left France for Canada, the name left with them and never got the chance to spread across France.

Another factor are the various influences on surnames that were different in New France/Quebec than they were in France. Here the external influences were mostly Anglo-Irish. So you have names like Phaneuf (Farnsworth), Riel (Riley), Tisdelle (Teasdale), Foulem (Fulham), which are virtually non-existent in France.

You also get aboriginal influences in names in Quebec that you wouldn’t necessarily find in France. Evocative and original surnames in French like Beausoleil and Mercredi are probably the francophone equivalent to names like "Coon Come" and "Two Rivers" that you will find in first nations communities elsewhere in North America.

But still, I would still say that a majority of francophone surnames are common to Quebec and France, with Moreau, Gauthier, Fournier, Dupont, etc. found in great numbers on both sides of the Atlantic.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Acajack

There are a few reasons for this. The main one is that people in France were just starting to officially take on surnames at the time that the colonists were coming to New France. So often when a person left France for Canada, the name left with them and never got the chance to spread across France.

Another factor are the various influences on surnames that were different in New France/Quebec than they were in France. Here the external influences were mostly Anglo-Irish. So you have names like Phaneuf (Farnsworth), Riel (Riley), Tisdelle (Teasdale), Foulem (Fulham), which are virtually non-existent in France.

You also get aboriginal influences in names in Quebec that you wouldn’t necessarily find in France. Evocative and original surnames in French like Beausoleil and Mercredi are probably the francophone equivalent to names like "Coon Come" and "Two Rivers" that you will find in first nations communities elsewhere in North America.

But still, I would still say that a majority of francophone surnames are common to Quebec and France, with Moreau, Gauthier, Fournier, Dupont, etc. found in great numbers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Speaking of the surnames you mentioned, one sticks out, Riel. There is a famous Canadian by the name of Louis Riel, who lead the Metis Rebellion.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Fred Derf

I know one guy called "Reg".

Do Americans have as many Liams as we have in Canada? It seems that every elementary class has AT LEAST one Liam.

Might have something to do with the "finding one's Irish roots" thing that's very much in fashion in North America and elsewhere.

As for Reginald, I've never met any English-speaking Canadians with that name.

There is a Black Québécois hockey player by the name of Réginald Savage:
Reginald Savage - player profile and career stats

Savage is of Haitian origin I believe.

The short form of Reginald, pronounced "Redj", is widely heard in Quebec, but it's almost always in reference to Réjean (more rarely spelled Régent), which is a very common given name for mean over 50 here.

I've never met or heard of anyone from France named Réjean.

[Robynator]

Originally Posted by Fred Derf

I know one guy called "Reg".

Do Americans have as many Liams as we have in Canada? It seems that every elementary class has AT LEAST one Liam.

Liam's just a new baby name trend that started in the past few years... which is why elementary schools are full of them (and Aidan's, and Jaydens and whatevers). It's a name fad, I don't think it's necessarily Canadian though.

[jtur88]

Gordon and Heather.

In Newfouindland, two of the most common mens names are Wilfred and Dermot. Wilf and Derm.

When I watch a movie, and they roll the closing credits, I can always tell the pictures that were filmed in Canada by the names of the crew.

[YtownGuy]

I mentioned a Canadian named Michael Sheffield, and people in the States have commented on how Canadian the name sounds. It never struck me that way.

[Mouldy Old Schmo]

How about "Garth" and "Gord"?

[BIMBAM]

Originally Posted by Mouldy Old Schmo

How about "Garth" and "Gord"?

More typical of Canada fourty years ago, I don't know any young people with those names.