In France, this first name for boys is quite famous thanks to an actor, but elsewhere, it is much less common. Be careful, it could well find itself among the top 10 first names in the years to come.
Do you know a child or person with a rare first name? In general, when we try to look for one, it is quite complicated to come up with an answer quickly, because nowadays, many parents are inspired by the first names of our ancestors or those from various cultures around the world to choose the name of their future child. As a result, certain first names which were forgotten or little known a few years ago, in France or abroad, are gradually becoming more popular. This is the case of a male first name which, for cinema lovers, immediately evokes an actor.
If we tell you The Sicilian Clan or The Quai des Brumes, you inevitably think of the French actor Jean Gabin. For this case, it is not the first name Jean that we will remember, but the first name Gabin. According to the guide The Official First Names 2024 (First editions), written by Stéphanie Rapoport and Claire Tabarly Perrin, the actor would have played a role in the popularity of this first name. Indeed, Gabin experienced new growth in France, shortly after the star’s death in the 1980s. Before his death, Gabin was best known in Great Britain in another form: Gawain, which was the equivalent of Gawain, the nephew of the legendary King Arthur. Today, it is in the form of Gabin that the first name is widely recognized.
In recent years, in France, this old first name has appeared in the top 20 nationally and, according to specialists in The Official First Names, it could even soon enter the top 10 within a few years. Proof of this is that it was until now not very widespread in other countries, but it is already starting to break through in Switzerland and Wallonia, the French-speaking region in the south of Belgium. French statistics also confirm this: Gabin is the 37th most given first name in France since 2000. Currently, almost one boy in 140 is given that name. So, if you are looking for a name for a future child, Gabin is an excellent option which has three advantages: it is a short, classic and very charming name.