Camille

The name Camille is a girl's name of French origin meaning "young ceremonial attendant". At one time just the sound of the name Camille could start people coughing, recalling the tragic Lady of the Camellias, the heroine played by Greta Garbo in the vintage film based on a Dumas story, but that image has faded, replaced by a sleek, chic, highly attractive one. Among its namesakes are Camille Claudel, a French sculptor and Camille Paglia, a feminist writer and critic. Princess Stephanie of Monaco is the mother of a Camille, and it is the middle name of both Nicole Richie and Willow Smith. Camille is a unisex name in France, where distinguished male bearers include the composer Saint-Saens and the painter Pissarro.