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Chimene

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Chimene

Pronounced shee-MEN /ʃiːˈmɛn/Medium

Meaning: Chimene may derive from Chimène, the noble heroine of Corneille's 1637 tragedy 'Le Cid' — a name of Spanish origin (Jimena) that French drama made famous. As an American given name it is very rare, and the literary tie, while plausible, is not certain.Low

In 30 seconds: Chimene may come from Chimène, heroine of Corneille's 'Le Cid'; otherwise it is a rare coinage. It crested around 1970.

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Origin LowFrench

MeaningChimene may derive from Chimène, the noble heroine of Corneille's 1637 tragedy 'Le Cid' — a name of Spanish origin (Jimena) that French drama made famous. As an American given name it is very rare, and the literary tie, while plausible, is not certain.

U.S. rank (1989)#12770 ↘ Falling

1989 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1970

Total births (all-time)≈ 224

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Chimene is a very rare American girl's name whose most plausible source is Chimène, the heroine of Pierre Corneille's 1637 tragedy 'Le Cid.' That name is itself the French form of the Spanish Jimena, borne by the wife of the historical El Cid. As an American name it appears only faintly, cresting around 1970; the literary connection, though likely, cannot be confirmed for every family who used it.

Chimene was genuinely scarce, borne by only a couple of hundred girls in all before it slipped from the records by the late 1980s. A Chimene from her peak is now in her fifties. The name keeps an elegant, French-literary air but has not revived, and its origin remains partly a matter of inference.

Did you know? Chimene's likeliest source is the stage: Chimène is the devoted heroine of 'Le Cid,' Corneille's celebrated 1637 French tragedy, whose name is the French form of the Spanish Jimena.

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Chimene — possible literary source Chimène ('Le Cid', 1637); French form of Jimena; flagged uncertain

Variations

ChimereXimenaChimena

Nicknames

ChiMene

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Chimene…

Simone— a same French-flavored girl's name of the era

Jimena— the Spanish name behind the literary Chimène

Charmaine— a like soft French-sounding name

Cherie— another French-derived girl's name of the period

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By themefrench literary 1970s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Chimene mean?

Chimene likely comes from Chimène, the heroine of Corneille's 'Le Cid,' a French form of the Spanish Jimena; the tie is probable but not certain.

How do you pronounce Chimene?

It's said shee-MEN /ʃiːˈmɛn/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Chimene a boy or girl name?

Chimene is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Chimene?

Chimene was always very rare, with a faint crest around nineteen-seventy before it fell from use.