Blanche
Blanche comes from the Old French "blanc" (white), which derives from the Germanic "blank" — shining, white, fair. The name originally referred to someone with very light skin or hair. It entered English with the Norman Conquest and was used by medieval royalty. Blanche of Castile was queen of France in the 13th century and regent during her son Louis IX's minority. In the 19th century, Blanche had a revival in English literature. Blanche Ingram is a character in Charlotte Brontë's "Jane Eyre" (1847). But the name's defining cultural moment is Tennessee Williams's "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1947), where Blanche DuBois is the fading southern belle destroyed by her own illusions. The name has carried a faint tragic charge ever since. Blanche has been outside the US top 1000 since 1964. The "bl" consonant cluster gives it an unusual sound — there are very few English female names that start with "Bl." I find the name has a faded elegance, like furniture in an old hotel. It is the kind of name that comes back when the vintage cycle reaches the 1890s. Blanche is a female name of French / Germanic origin that means "White, fair". Faded, elegant, and a little melancholy. The name sounds like an old hotel. Blanches tend to be theatrical. US outside top 1000 since 1964. Rare. Well-known people named Blanche include Blanche DuBois (fictional, Streetcar), Blanche of Castile (Queen of France), Blanche (Golden Girls character), Blanche Lincoln (politician). Common variations and related forms of Blanche include Bianca (Italian), Blanca (Spanish), Branka (Slavic), Blanch (older English).