Camille is a feminine given name of French origin. It is derived from the male given name Camille, which in turn comes from the Latin word "camillus," meaning "attendant" or "serving boy." The name was originally used as a title for young men who served as attendants to Roman priests.
The female form of the name, Camille, became popular in France during the 17th century. It gained further prominence after the publication of the novel "Camille," written by French author Joseph-Marie de Chamissault in 1802. The novel tells the story of a young woman named Camille who is caught between her love for a man and her duty to her family.
Today, Camille is still widely used as a feminine given name throughout France and other French-speaking countries. It has also gained popularity internationally, particularly in English-speaking countries such as the United States and Canada.
Some notable people with the given name Camille include:
* Camille Claudel (1864-1943), a French sculptor known for her work inspired by Greek mythology
* Camille Pissarro (1830-1903), a Danish-French Impressionist painter
* Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), a French composer and organist known for his compositions "The Carnival of the Animals" and the opera "Samson et Dalila"
* Camille Rowe, a Canadian model and actress born in 1990
Overall, the name Camille has a rich history dating back to ancient Rome. It has since evolved into a popular feminine given name with a strong association with French culture and art.
The name Camille has been quite popular in the United States over the past century, with a total of 970 babies being given this name since 1925.
From 1925 to 1960, the number of births with the name Camille fluctuated between five and ten per year. However, starting in 1961, we see an increase in popularity, with more than ten births occurring annually until 1978. The peak years for this period were 1969 and 1974, with fifteen and thirteen births respectively.
The trend continued into the 1980s, with consistent numbers of babies named Camille each year, ranging from nine to nineteen births per annum between 1980 and 1989. The decade ended with a high of thirty-two births in 1991.
The 1990s saw a slight decrease in popularity, but it remained relatively stable, with numbers ranging from nine to thirty births annually between 1992 and 2000. The turn of the century brought another peak with twenty-five births in 2000.
In the 21st century, Camille has maintained its popularity albeit at varying levels. Between 2001 and 2023, there have been between eight and thirty births each year, with peaks occurring in 2002 (twenty-eight births), 2004 (thirty births), and 2023 (fourteen births). The most recent data shows that eleven babies were named Camille in 2021 and seven in 2022.
In conclusion, the name Camille has had a notable presence in the United States over the past century. Despite fluctuations in popularity, it remains a popular choice for parents, with at least eight babies being named Camille each year since 2019.