Ariane

Ariane is a feminine given name of Greek origin, derived from Ariadne. It is used in France and many other countries, often as a standalone form or as a variant of Ariadne or Arianna.

Notable people named Ariane include French actress Ariane Labed, known for roles in European cinema, and French theatre director Ariane Mnouchkine, founder of the Théâtre du Soleil.

Ariane is also the name of a family of European orbital launch vehicles. Developed by CNES with the European Space Agency and manufactured by Arianespace, the rockets are named after the Greek myth Ariadne. The program began with Ariane 1 in 1979 and evolved through Ariane 2, 3, 4, and 5; a newer generation, Ariane 6, is designed to reduce costs and improve competitiveness. Launches take place from the Guiana Space Centre near Kourou, French Guiana, and the system provides Europe with independent access to space for a wide range of satellite missions.