Beyoncé’s Name to Be Included in French Dictionary: ‘American Singer of R&B and Pop’

The singer is one of 40 people – including LeBron James and Cate Blanchett — who will be added to the new edition of the Larousse dictionary

Beyoncé’s name is about to go down in French history.

According to U.K. newspaper The Times and French outlet France 24, the “Break My Soul” singer, 42, is one of 40 people to be included in the Larousse dictionary, with her name highlighting her Louisiana Creole heritage.

Listed as a proper noun in the dictionary, Beyoncé’s entry reads, “American singer of R&B and pop.”

According to The Times, she is one of the several French and foreign personalities selected for 2024’s update of encyclopedic dictionary Petit Larousse Illustré, which was first published in 1905.

Beyoncé performs at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in July 2023.KEVIN MAZUR/WIREIMAGE

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The names are drawn up by a jury, who drafts up a yearly list of 150 words and individuals who are known amongst French-speaking communities.

More than 150 new words have been added this year, according to Sky News.

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.”

Per The Times, Girac-Marinier also said that it was important the people matched the “values of the Petit Larousse — excellence and promotion of French culture.”

Beyoncé at the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles in April 2024.MICHAEL BUCKNER/BILLBOARD VIA GETTY

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

Beyoncé’s name was originally spelled “Beyincé” as it was the surname of her maternal grandparents. However, her mother Tina Knowles’ maiden name was spelt as “Beyoncé” after the hospital misspelled it on her birth certificate and refused to change it.

“I think me and my brother Skip were the only two that had B-E-Y-O-N-C-E,” Knowles said in an episode of In My Head with Heather Thomson in 2020.

“It’s interesting — and it shows you the times — because we asked my mother when I was grown. I was like, ‘Why is my brother’s name spelled B-E-Y-I-N-C-E? You know, it’s all these different spellings,’ ” she added. “And my mom’s reply to me was like, ‘That’s what they put on your birth certificate.'”

“So I said, ‘Well, why didn’t you argue and make them correct it?’ ” Knowles continued. “And she said, ‘I did one time. The first time, and I was told be happy that you’re getting a birth certificate because, at one time, Black people didn’t get birth certificates.”