Baby named Paris? Now that’s hot
The city — not socialite — inspired name choice
They were two University of Toronto students who had a couple of classes together — but they first met and fell in love in France while on a study exchange.
So when Kirby Szeto and Jane Tsui married and started a family, they wanted their children’s names to have a French connection.
“We were based in Nice, on the southern edge of France; we wanted names to reflect those days,” says Kirby. “But Nice is not a nice name, so we chose Paris.” The couple had spent time in the City of Light.
“One thing we both have is an interest in Greek mythology and history, so we really liked that Paris was the prince of Troy — and the fact that it’s not a common name for boys anymore.”
It does cause some confusion: “When we say ‘Paris’ people automatically assume it’s a girl,” says Kirby. (Yes, he sometimes jokes that he named his son after socialite Paris Hilton.)
“The name is something different that we hope he’ll grow up and appreciate.”
Paris Claude Szeto was born July 5, 2008, at North York General Hospital, weighing 8 pounds, one ounce. Claude was inspired by French impressionist painter Claude Monet.
When baby No. 2 came along, Kirby and Jane found it a lot more difficult to keep their theme. “We wanted another French name. It took a while to find a name that matched with our theme,” says Kirby. They scoured atlases of French cities and towns, eventually coming across St. Etienne. Etienne Auguste, also born in North York, turns 2 on April 8. Auguste is inspired by French artist Renoir and sculptor Rodin. “We are both into art history, and especially the impressionist era,” Kirby adds. Just in case either set of grandparents had any objections, the couple gave them free rein over the boys’ Chinese names. When they’re out, people expect them to speak French; Kirby and Jane aren’t fluent, but can get by. Did you give your child an interesting or unusual name? Tell your family story by emailing krushowy@thestar.ca