Chantal

From Namespedia - Names Meaning and Origins

Name: Chantal

Gender: Feminine

Origin: Europe

Language: French

Thematic: Unknown Thematic

Meaning: Mountain, rocky height.

Comments: Chantal derives from the surname of St Jeanne-Francoise de Chantal, a pious widow whose husband was killed in a hunting accident and who in 1610, with the support of her spiritual director and best friend St Francois de Sales, founded the Order of the Visitation of Our Lady. Chantal is one of the rare cases in France of a surname becoming a first name - something that is far more common in the English-speaking world. The meaning of Chantal is sometimes given as 'stone' or 'rock', but although the name comes from a pre-Indo-European root with that meaning, it is actually a place name and designates someone from Chantal, meaning 'mountain' or 'rocky height'. In the 1950s Chantal was one of the most popular feminine names in France, but today it is more popular in English-speaking countries. Part of its charm comes from the 'chant' in its first syllable, which makes it sound like a name that 'sings'. Famous people named Chantal include the French historian and novelist Chantal Thomas, the French singer Chantal Goya, the French designer/stylist Chantal Thomass, the Belgian film director Chantal Akerman, and the Canadian singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk.