Tonette glides onto the scene like a lilting melody, and that’s no surprise—she began life as a pet-name for the French Antoinette before taking on a jaunty rhythm all her own. English speakers pronounce it “toh-NET,” which sounds a bit like the downbeat of a catchy tune, and parents in the late ’60s and early ’70s clearly caught the vibe: Illinois birth records show brief chart-topping cameos in that groovy era. Because it carries the root “ton,” meaning “sound” in French, Tonette often conjures images of music rooms and bright, breezy flutes (there’s even a little plastic instrument called a tonette). Add in the friendly nickname “Toni,” and you have a name that feels both playful and polished—equally at home on a sandbox adventurer or a boardroom strategist. For families seeking something familiar yet delightfully offbeat, Tonette offers a tune you’ll want stuck in your head.
| Tonette Walker - |