Explain why do the apostles have French first names?

Historical influence of the Christian Church in France

For centuries, the Christian Church has played a super important role in France, not only in terms of religion but also socially and culturally. Since the Middle Ages, Christian communities have quickly organized themselves, with churches multiplying across the country, which greatly influences daily habits and local culture. As children receive their names during baptism, families often directly adopt the names of prominent religious figures like the apostles or saints. Naturally, over time, these names from Latin or Greek gradually evolve to become more familiar and frankly easier for local people to pronounce. This explains why names like Pierre from the apostle Petrus or Jean from Johannes become completely standard over the generations in France.

Biblical translations and linguistic adaptations

Originally, the biblical texts were not written in French but in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Ancient Greek. When these writings arrived in Europe, they were first translated into Latin, as it was the prominent language of the Western Church. And you can imagine that with each transition from one language to another, names like those of the apostles evolved to better fit the local language. Peter, for example, is a French adaptation of the Latin name Petrus, which itself came from the Ancient Greek Petros, meaning "stone." The same goes for James, which comes from the Latin Jacobus, a direct adaptation of the Hebrew Ya'aqov. These successive translations and linguistic adaptations gradually gave rise to the French versions of the apostles' names that we still use today.

Evolution and formation of the French language

French did not form in a day; it slowly evolved from vulgar Latin, the language spoken daily by the inhabitants of Roman Gaul. As the Roman Empire fragmented, each region developed its own dialect derived from Latin, known as the Romance languages. Gradually, these dialects, influenced by the Germanic languages brought by the Franks, took their own paths. In the north, the langue d'oïl (which gave rise to our French) distinguished itself from the langue d'oc in the south. Over the centuries and through exchanges, Germanic visitors, Vikings, and later the adoption of Christianity injected new vocabulary, gradually shaping what would become Old French. It is therefore a joyful linguistic mix, resulting from the blending of peoples and numerous cultural adaptations, that explains why Pierre is called Pierre and not Petrus.

Sociocultural role in the diffusion of French first names

The first names of the apostles in French became popularized thanks to religious narratives and popular culture, particularly through prayer books, religious festivals, and the saints' calendar. At the time, the choice of a child's name was heavily influenced by family traditions and locally respected religious figures. Gradually, these names were adopted in medieval plays, folk tales, and even classical literature. It is not surprising, therefore, to find so many Pierres, Jacques, or Jeans; it has been passed down naturally over time. Even today, these names retain their popularity due to religious history and collective cultural memory.