Rare French Boy Names

A French form of Benedict that makes a smooth and elegant choice, although the pronunciation may trip people up in an English speaking environment.

Surname of French architect Jean Nouvel that became a given name when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie used it as the middle name of their daughter Shiloh.

Unisex option Dominique peaked for boys at Number 170 in 1991, perhaps due to the popularity of basketball player Dominique Wilkins. It's one of the most truly gender-neutral baby names right now.

Sohan is a modern French invention. It may be related to Jean or a variation of the similar name Yohan.

The name of the great French novelist, author of the timeless The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, would make a surprising middle name choice.

his engaging French saint's name, pronounced like tangy, with a hard 'g,' also has a creative connection to French surrealist painter Yves Tanguy.

This is one you will get tired of explaining.

It's unusual, but that may be its best feature.

Old-timey surname that's been very rarely used.

Breton is the term for the people and language of Brittany, a region of northern France with a distinct culture. Breton also might be thought of as a trendy modern invention, taking the midcentury surfer boy Bret or Brett and adding the current favorite boy's name ending -on and turning it into a name all its own. Bretton is a variation.

Creative surname choice, associated with the great French postimpressionist Edouard Villard.

Geraud, as with many French variations of familiar names, makes the somewhat old-fashioned Gerard sound fresh and dashing. It's pronounced as if it ended with o, another trendy factor, though many English speakers may not get that.

A 7th century Breton saint's name which is the origin of the names Joyce and Jocelyn (both originally masculine). St Judoc was a Breton prince who renounced his power and wealth to live as a hermit. His name would make for a handsome and unexpected alternative to popular Jude.