Minou (given name)
 A Girl With a Kitten by Jean-Baptiste Perronneau, 1743. | |
| Gender | Feminine |
|---|---|
| Language(s) | French, Persian |
| Origin | |
| Meaning | French “kitten”, “pussy”; Persian “paradise”, “heaven”; diminutive of various names |
Minou or Minoo is a feminine given name with multiple, unrelated origins and a hypocorism for various names. It is also a French affectionate term for a kitten and a French vernacular slang term for vulva or vagina, akin to the double meaning of the English “pussy”.[1] Alternate spelling Minoo (Persian: مینو) is a Persian feminine given name meaning “paradise”, “heaven” in use in Iran, South Asia and Central Asia.[2] Minou is also a French surname with different origins, sometimes originating as a spelling variation of other French surnames such as Mignot, Minaud, Minot and variants.[3]
Women
[edit]- Minou Drouet (born Marie-Noëlle in 1947), French poet, musician, and actress
- Minou Reeves (born 1946), Iranian writer, translator, and former politician
- Minou Tavárez Mirabal (born Minerva in 1956), Dominican philologist, professor and politician
- Minou Toussaint (born 1983), Dutch cricketer
References
[edit]- ^ Charbonneau, Karen (March 17, 2023). American Baby Girl Names: 1587-1920s. Post Falls, Idaho: A Ship's Cat Book. p. 676. ASIN B0BYTTGH3L.
- ^ https://www.behindthename.com/name/minoo
- ^ https://www.houseofnames.com/minou-family-crest