Mireille

Mireille is the French form of the Provençal name Mirèio. It derives from the Provençal word mirar for 'to admire' and means 'the Admirable' or 'the Wonderful'.

What does the name Mireille mean?

Mireille is the French form of the Provençal name Mirèio. It derives from the Provençal word mirar for 'to admire' and means 'the Admirable' or 'the Wonderful'. The original name Mirèio comes from literature. The French writer Frédéric Mistral (1830-1914) used it for his main character Mirèio in the eponymous poem (1859), which he wrote in Provençal, a dialect of the Occitan language. In 1863, the French composer Charles Gounod adapted the work under the title 'Mireille' as an opera, which significantly contributed to the popularity and spread of this first name. The girl's name Mireille is still very popular and widespread today, particularly in France and Switzerland. Notable bearers of the name include the French actress Mireille Darc († 2017), the American actress Mireille Enos, and the French singer Mireille Mathieu. Variants of Mireille include Mireia, Mirela, Mirella, Mirelle, Mireya, and Myrell.

Where does the name Mireille come from?

Etymology Mireille is a feminine first name of Occitan and Provençal origin meaning 'the Admirable' or 'the Wonderful'. Occitan Provençal

How do you pronounce Mireille?

Sound & pronunciation of Mireille: Mireille is two to three syllables and is pronounced as 'Mi-reille' [miˈʁɛj] or [miˈʁɛjə]. The bright i-sound at the beginning gives the name lightness. The rolled or guttural r adds resonance, while the diphthong -eille creates a shimmering, elegant sound note. Mireille sounds stylish and melodic - soft in flow and finely tuned in sound.

Popularity

Mireille is a rare first name in Germany. Currently, it ranks 5,884th in the list of the most common female baby names. Its best ranking was in 1969 at 193rd place. In the last ten years, Mireille has been given as a first name about 40 times, placing it 3,920th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 2,823rd.

Nicknames & pet names

Milli / Mimi / Mira / Miri / Mirli

Similar first names

Famous people

• Mireille Aigroz (French actress)
• Mireille Astore (photographer from Australia)
• Mireille Balin (Monegasque actress)
• Mireille Bauer (musician from France)
• Mireille Best (French writer)
• Mireille Darc (actress)
• Mireille Delannoy (French television presenter)
• Mireille Delunsch (singer from France)
• Mireille Drapel (Swiss badminton player)
• Mireille Enos (actress from the USA)
• Mireille Gigandet-Donders (Swiss athlete)
• Mireille Guiliano (French writer)
• Mireille Hartuch (French singer)
• Mireille Hassenboehler (American ballet dancer)
• Mireille Havet (French writer)
• Mireille Laurent (French badminton player)
• Mireille Marokvia (French writer)
• Mireille Mathieu (French singer)
• Mireille Nguimgo (American sprinter)
• Mireille Perrier (French actress)