Chanel

Chanel is a French surname associated with a canal or someone living near one. Its use as a given name is especially recognizable through the surname of fashion designer Coco Chanel, but that modern association does not replace the older surname meaning. The name therefore has both a linguistic history and a prominent cultural reference.

The French ch sound differs from the usual English ch in words such as chair, so a spoken introduction may help unfamiliar readers. Chanel is not a longer form of Coco: that was the designer’s familiar name, not a literal component of the surname. Families can choose Chanel while understanding those two names separately.