Most of the older old garden roses have French names. This is not hard to believe because the French were the premier rose breeders at the time. So it goes without saying that the roses have French names.

This article will translate many of these French names so you have a better understanding of the rose or what the rose name means.

The most common is Madame. It is abbreviated as Mme. Madame means the same as Mrs., it is the title of a married woman. The French word for Miss is Mademoiselle, often abbreviated as Mlle. Examples include Mlle Annie Wood, Mlle Scorpion Cochet, Mme Caroline Testout (a fashion designer), and Mme Isaac Pereire (the wife of a French Banker). Mons is short for the French mister, monsieur ¹.

Another common French word that is used for roses is Souvenir, which is often abbreviated as Souv. Souvenir means in “memory of.” We have adopted the word as a meaning of a trinket that recalls a place we have been. The French have used the word as in memory of a person or a place. Examples include Souv de la Malmaison (memory of Malmaison, the house that belonged to Napoleon and Josephine), Souv de Victor Hugo (a writer), and Souv de Mme Levet (the wife of another hybridizer).

There are several names that are Titles of nobility, which are commonly used. Roi means King, Reine means Queen, Marchioness and Marquis are the same words, Duchesse and Duc for Duchess and Duke, Comtesse and Comte for Countess and Count, Baronne and Baronesse for Baron and Baroness, Archiduchesse and Archiduc for Archduchess and Archduke, and Impératrice (Empress) ².

Some of the rose names are for family members, such as Papa and Père (Dad / Father), Maman and Mère (Mom / Mother), Grandmère (Grand-mother), Frere (Brother), and Soeur (Sister, also for Nuns).

Several roses were simply named for a friend, spouse, children, or themselves, such as Mme Hardy, Francis Dubreuil, Mme Soupert, etc.

Even common names of people are not commonly seen in English, such as Scipion, Leontine, Leonie, Leon, Jeanne, Jacques, Henri, Francois, Ferdinand, Eugene, Eugenie, Emile, Elisa, Desiree, Clothilde, Clemente, Clementine, Auguste, Victor, Rene, Philippe, Norbert, Maurice, Lucien, Jules, Jean, Georges, Gaston, Gabriel, Edouard, Ernest, Constance, Camille, Andre, Antoine, Abel, Agathe, Adolphe, Marthe, Alphonse, Claude, Gustave, Philemon, Pierre, and Prosper.

Roses are often named after top military officials, such as Marechal (Marshal) Niel, an 1864 noisette, Commandant, Commandeur ³, Capitaine, Aviateur (Pilot) and Sergent (Sargeant). Also government officials as President (President), Directeur (Director), and Senateur (Senator) and common professions such as Docteur (Doctor) and Professeur (Professor).

Colors are often used for rose names such as Rouge (Red), Rose (Pink), d’Or (Golden), Jaune (Yellow), Blanc or Blanche (White), Peche (Peach), Argent (Silver), Noir (Black), Feu (Fire), Crème (Cream), Couleur (Color) and Cerise (Cherry).

French cities are pretty easy to figure like Paris (Pompon de Paris), Lyon (Etoile de Lyon), and Dijon (Gloire de Dijon). Two old rose classes, gallicas and centifolias, were once named for two French regions, Provins and Provence.

There are several other French names that are associated with roses that are not a person’s name but have other meanings. Other French words that are used for roses.

Ami – friend Beaute – beauty Belle – beau Biche – doe Bon(ne) – good Bordure – border Boule – ball Bouquet – bunch Candeur – ingenuousness Centenaire – 100 years Centfeuilles – hundred petals Charmant – charming Château – house Clos – enclosed field Coeur – heart Coq – rooster Coquette – flirt Cramoisi – crimson Dame – lady De – of Étoile – star Félicité - bliss (also a proper name) Fete – party Fleur, fleuri – flower, flowering Flocon – flake Inconstante - fickle Jardins – gardens Les – the Marbree – marbled Marne – marl (also a proper name) Merveille – marvel, wonder Nouveau – new Nuit – night Oeillet – carnation Pactole – gold mine Panachée – striped Parfait – perfect Parfum – perfume Perle – pearl Perpétuel -perpetual Petite – small Quatre Saisons – four seasons Rayon – ray Rêve – dream Réveil – waking up Roseraie – rose garden Rosier – rose bush Siecle - century Supérieur – superior Triomphe – triumphant Ville – town

Originally published in the November/December 2004 issue of “Rose Ecstasy,” bulletin of the Santa Clarita Valley Rose Society, Kitty Belendez, Editor. Copyright 2005 Steve Jones, all rights reserved.