Le Viviant
Could anyone tell me the meaning of the last name Le Viviant? I checked www.jtosti.com/noms, but it's in French and my French is rather poor.
Thanks
Cat
Thanks
Cat
Replies
On http://www.jtosti.com/noms I can only find it as a variant of Vivian. This is a 'baptismal name' of Latin origin (Vivianus, vivus, 'alive'), which owes its popularity to the fact that it was used by several saints. The variant Viviant is from the Savoie region.
My French isn't the strongest--I've only had two years worth--but my guess would be "the lively one". It would be a descriptor.
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The Savoy surname Viviant comes from a given name "vivien" which come from the latin "vivianus", in English "vital".
There is also the femininine form Vivienne.
There is also the femininine form Vivienne.
Without consulting my books, I'd say it means something like "the life" since a "bon vivant" is a gourmand.