A. writes:
My husband and I are considering Cozette for a girl’s name. It’s not on the social security website and I’m very curious (worried) as to how people will respond to this name. Any feedback?
Thanks!
According to the Social Security Administration, 17 baby girls were named Cozette in 2010. Another 58 were named Cosette.
For me, the nickname Cozy is a negative—but there’s no reason it should be, since it’s a perfectly pleasant word.
Let’s have a poll over to the right: what do you think of the name Cozette? [Poll closed; see results below.]
Poll results (342 votes total):
I love it! I’d use it! – 17 votes (5%)
I like it! I’d consider it! – 35 votes (10%)
I like it for someone else’s child – 93 votes (27%)
No particular opinion either way – 25 votes (7%)
Slight dislike – 117 votes (34%)
Strong dislike – 55 votes (16%)
What about spelling it “Cosette” like in Les Miserables? I love that book/musical.
I was thinking a similar thing. I’m much more comfortable with ‘Cosette’, but I generally dislike alternate spellings of any bent, so take that for what you will.
I agree with the previous commenters. I voted “slight dislike,” but truthfully it’s just the spelling I dislike. If it were Cosette I’d change my vote to “I love it!”
I like the name Cozette, spelling included. I had a wonderful teacher with the same name, who went by Coco, so it has positive connotations for me! I think the nn Coco and Cozy are sweet for a little girl.
I know an 9yr old Cosette who sometimes goes by “Cozy” but mostly by the full name. When she was born it did seem a bit unusual (but not outrageously so–maybe due to Les Mis!). Now, of course, the name fits her perfectly! I vote for the “s” spelling, though.
All I think of is the jerk on the Bachelorette whose daughter is named Cozette, nn Cozy. And I don’t even watch the Bachelorette. Thanks, cultural osmosis!
we have friends with a baby named cosette. they call her coco. i think it is pretty cute.
I agree with those who suggest using the Cosette spelling. I love it! Beautiful name!
I prefer Colette ….
Maybe this is a dumb question, but when you go that site, how did you find the number of births of Cosette? I typed in the name and it merely said: “Cosette is not in the top 1000 names for any year of birth in the last 50 years. Please enter another name.”
No additional information. :( Am I missing something obvious? Obviously I am, heh.
On the SSA site, in the left-hand-margin menu is “Background Information.” Click that, then choose “Beyond the Top 1000 names” from the new left-hand-margin menu. Then download the forms.
my cossette will turn 1 on sunday!! my kids names rarely come up so i’m excited. :) it’s 2 s’s because it was my grandma’s maiden & my middle. i couldn’t bring myself to change the spelling on a family name. she mainly goes by cossette but her sister is just 18 months older (& i too am not keen on cosy/cozy) so she is also coco or cocobean. we get very positive reactions & clearly i think it is a lovely name. :)
i would like to add that the super french pronunciation is the z sound whereas most everyone say cosette/cossette with a soft s. i really don’t love the z spelling but it would give you a definite pronunciation.
I’m another vote in the like if you spelled it Cosette column. Love the nickname Coco!
I think I prefer Cosette, perhaps because I love Les Mis more than anyone should, really. I love the nn Coco suggested above!
I’m more familiar with Cosette, between Les Mis and having two friends name their daughters Cosette within the past year. It’s a pretty name and I do love French names. I prefer the spelling Cosette, but I agree with the previous poster that the “z” does clarify pronunciation. In that way, it’s a case similar to the Emmaline post, where the spelling that gives you the French pronunciation isn’t necessarily going to be the way it would be spelled in French.
I think Cozette is pretty! Like several others, I slightly prefer the Cosette spelling, but it’s a lovely name either way.
I prefer Cosette to Cozette, but think it’s pretty either way…and I LOVE the nickname Coco.
This is on my list of names, except with the French spelling of Cosette (also thinking of using the nickname Coco). I think that because of the popularity of Les Miserables, if you spell it with a “z” it will be frequently misspelled – something that you might want to consider.
I was very unsure about it until I saw the suggested nickname of Coco! Way cuter then Cozy. Cozette/Cosette still isn’t something I think I would choose, but I think that it would really grow on me if I met a little girl named that . . . I vote go for it :)
As in Les Miserables? I like it (wouldn’t use it myself, but would like it well enough on another person’s child).
Are we concerned about the meaning per Victor Hugo of “Little Thing”?
I would think you could impose some sort of Zette nickname to avoid the Cozy aspect.
I adore the name Cosette. It is an established name, IMO, because of the character from Les Mis. My issue would be with the “z” spelling. “Cosette” is a warm and cuddly name to me, but “Cozette” seems sharp and harsh. If you were to use the “s” spelling I would really, really push for you to use it! Coco, Cosie, Settie are all nn options.
I prefer the Cosette spelling as well. That way, I feel like it’s a lovely timeless French name (like Colette or Camille). But I am not a big fan of creative spellings, so there’s that. Names are so personal, aren’t they?
However, I LOVE the nn Coco for either version! So sweet.
Good luck!
I’m with everyone else – I MUCH prefer the Cosette spelling. I also think Coco is an adorable nickname.
I like Cosette, dislike Cozette, and downright hate Cozy. It’s way too cutesy for my tastes.
I like it a lot. pretty and feminine withou trying too hard, iykwim. It hits that nice spot of familiar but very rare. It never occurred to me that anyone would ever pronounce Cosette with a soft S. I agree that Cozette will get mispelled, so you’ll have to decide whether you’d prefer to live with spelling errors or pronounciation errors. Coco is an adorable nn and Zette or Zetta are equally awesome.
I like Cosette. I don’t really like Cozette.
I think Cosette is fine. It sounds nice, but the association with Les Miserables is SO strong, it overwhelms the name itself, in my opinion. But I strongly DISlike Cozette, which sounds like it should be the name of a small Barcalounger or something. Ugh.
I really like Cosette with optional nicknames of Coco or Cosie. I find the ‘z’ spelling to be a little harsh and confusing, whereas Cosette seems more sweet and delicate.
Cosette immediately called to mind Les Mis in a very positive way. I prefer it with the /s/ spelling, but have no feelings on which pronunciation should be used…not sure I even know how to pronounce it. Coco would be a very chic nickname!
For me, the spelling is really no issue, but the nn really sticks to me. Cozy I don’t love at all, Coco I think is super cute, but my first thought was actually Etta/Etty. Which I like so much it makes me like the name even more.
Never heard of Cosette or Cozette before but I do prefer it with an S. It sounds like a sweet name.
Is it said “Cohz-et” (rhymes with “was”) or “Co-zet” (rhymes with “whoa”)? I’d say it the first way.
For nicknames I like Coco or Zetta. But I can imagine if I was snuggling up on the couch with her I’d call her my Cozy. Just in a really personal way, not an everyday nickname.
I like it! I just heard it on The Bachelor. Unfortunately, it was the “villian’s” daughter’s name. He called her Cozy & through research I discovered it was actually Cozette. I really think Cozy is a cute nickname & have always been fond of Coco. As far as spellings, think of having both and practice writing them with your middle/last name. I thought I preferred one way with a boy name, but the more difficult spelling grew on me.
I LOVE the cozy nickname! I am really surprised other people don’t like it! I think it is sooo cute for a little girl, but then she can go by cozette when she grows up.
I chose the third option, although I don’t care for this spelling of the name at all. But I took the question as including Cosette too. My main concern with Cosette is that for most people it has only one association, the poor, orphan child Cosette in Les Mis. As with Heidi, Cosette could be darling on a little girl, but the name may not grow up well.
I looked at two French baby name websites. The name is very rarely used in France too. The only comment: “I find this name very soft and romantic, much prettier than other ette names which are just like grandma Ginette for example. And in any case Cosette changes in relation to trends from the American soap operas!”
I like Cozette. Cosette reminds me of corsets and casset tapes. The ‘z’ makes the name.
Cozi might be an appealing spelling for a nickname.
I’ll add a vote to being for the spelling with the s instead of the z.
I rarely comment but feel compelled to on this one: my grandmother’s name was Cozette (pronounced co-zet)! Some of her friends called her Cozy, others called her Coco, and others called her Cozette. I think it is a fun and different name! My husband (Pascal!) is French and after living there for six years, I never met/came across someone named Cosette (pronounced co-set). Personally, I prefer Cozette to Cosette (which does make me think of Les Mis) :)
I think it’s a very lovely name but I don’t particularly care for Cozy as a nn.
What about Zetty as a nickname if the “z” spelling is chosen?
I prefer the spelling Cosette, but I am kind of a freak about Les Miserables. :) I would like the nn Cosy, or Cozy, but pronounced with a soft ‘s’. I also like Lisette or Josette.
I vote for Colette instead. Still uncommon, but avoids Cozy.
My mother gave me the name Cozette,(pronounced Co-zette)to me after viewing the film Les Miserables in 1964. Although the pronounciation seems harsh,I have also been called Cozy and Zetty,usually by close friends and family.From the unusual naming of myself, I have given all of my children unusual names to give them their individuality though their middle names have family significance. On many occasions I associate a personality with a name and find it interesting when one’s name is rare.
I adore this name and am seriously considering it for our little girl that will be born in March. I like the Cozette spelling, it sets it slightly apart from Cosette of Les Mis. Yet I like the nickname Cosi more than Cozi. I’m not worried that she wouldn’t be taken seriously with her name – I think a person’s personality shines much stronger than their name. The only people that would really judge are the ones that didn’t know her – which can be said of any person with any name.