The French word bichon comes from Middle French bichon ('small dog'), a diminutive

of Old French biche ('female dog', cognate with English bitch), from Old English
bicce, and related to other Germanic words with the same meaning, including Old
Norse bikkja, and German Betze.[1][2] Some speculate the origin of bichon to be the
result of the apheresis, or shortening, of the word barbichon ('small poodle'), a
derivative of barbiche ('shaggy dog'); however, this is likely impossible, since
the word bichon (attested 1588) is older than barbichon (attested 1694).[3][4]
While the English name for the breed, Bichon Frise, is derived from the French
bichon à poil frisé meaning 'curly haired small dog