Will Beyoncé’s name be added to the French dictionary?

Beyoncé’s name will reportedly be added to the French Le Petit Larousse dictionary.

In a report published by a UK newspaper many timesBeyoncé is listed as a proper noun in the dictionary and its entry reads, “American singer of R&B and pop.”

The outlet reported that the singer is among 40 French and foreign celebrities chosen for the 2024 update of the encyclopedic dictionary Petite Larousse Illustre, which was first published in 1905.

The list of names is selected by a jury, which has prepared an annual list of 150 words and persons who are well known among French-speaking communities.

Carine Girac-Marinier, head of dictionaries and encyclopedias at Larousse, told French news magazine Le Point that many of the words “reflect concerns, developments or strong movements this year”.

Carine also said, “It was important that people matched the values ​​of Petit Larose – excellence and promotion of French culture.”

Meanwhile, other names included in the new update include actress Cate Blanchett, NBA player LeBron James and Oppenheimer director Christopher Nolan.

For those unaware, Beyoncé’s name was originally spelled “Beyonce” because that was her maternal grandparents’ surname.

Interestingly, the singer’s mother Tina Knowles’ first name was spelled “Beyoncé” because the hospital misspelled it on her birth certificate and refused to change it.

Tina recalled, “I think me and my brother Skip were the only two people who had Beyoncé.” In My Head with Heather Thomson In 2020.

Tina noted, “It’s interesting – and it shows you the time – because we asked my mother when I was growing up. I said, ‘Why is my brother’s name spelled BEYINCE? You know, These are all different spellings. And my mother answered me, ‘That’s what they wrote on your birth certificate.'”

“So, I said, ‘Well, why didn’t you argue and ask them to correct it?’ And she said, ‘I did that once,'” Tina continued.

Meanwhile, Tina said, “For the first time, and I was told to be happy that you’re getting a birth certificate, because at one time, black people didn’t get birth certificates.”