Chardonnay is of French origin, derived from the word 'chardonnait', meaning 'to chat' or 'to chatter'. It was originally a masculine given name but has become more commonly used as a feminine one in recent times. The name's popularity can be attributed to its association with the Chardonnay grape variety used in many white wines, particularly those from France and California.
"Chardonay was quite popular from 1994 to 1996 with around 7-10 births each year, but its popularity began to decline thereafter, falling to just 5 births in 2002."