Juliette

How to say it

/ʒuː.liˈɛt/

What it means

French diminutive of Julia, from Latin Iulia (feminine of Julius). Shakespeare's Juliet of Romeo and Juliet (English form) is the literary anchor; Juliette Binoche the French actress is the modern French-form anchor.

Juliette is the French diminutive of Julia, from the Latin Iulia (feminine of Julius — the same root family as Julian and Julia). The English form Juliet was used by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet (c. 1595), which set the name's romantic-tragedy archetype for the next four centuries. The French Juliette retained the original spelling with the silent final E. Juliette Binoche (the French actress, The English Patient Oscar) is the strongest English-language anchor for the French form. The English-speaking US has used Juliette in earnest since the 2010s. It entered the US top 200 in 2015. Common shorts: Jules, Etta.

Heads-up notes

• Spelling

  Juliette (French, with the silent E) and Juliet (English, anchored by Shakespeare) are the same name. Pick by tradition.

Who's worn it

Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.

• Juliet Capulet Shakespeare's heroine in Romeo and Juliet
• Juliette Binoche French actress, The English Patient (Oscar) and Chocolat

Spelling variants

• Juliet
• Julieta

Names with the same feeling

• Julia Youthful, of the Julii
• Isabella God is my oath
• Victoria Victory
• Vivienne Alive, lively
• Claire Clear, bright

See Juliette from another angle