1200+ French Names (with Meanings and Popularity)
French names include many classic names that have ranked highly in the US for its entire history. These classic names with French origins include Anne and Louis, Charlotte and Charles, and Josephine and Curtis (though it may surprise you to learn that Curtis is not only French, but perennially popular!).
French names in the US Top 200 for girls include Annabelle, Charlotte, Claire, Josephine, and Sophie. For boys, French names in the US Top 500 include Andre, Beau, Chase, Remy, and Russell. In France, popular names include Louise, Manon, Jules, and Bastien.
Unique French baby names attracting fresh attention in both France and beyond include, for girls, Capucine, Darcy, Delphine, Elodie, Maribel, Oceane, Ottilie, Quincy, Romilly, and Sylvie. For boys, Dion, Emilien, Florent, Julius, Lionel, Montague, Pom, and Quincy.
Here are all the French names for girls and boys on Nameberry, ordered by their current popularity with our visitors.
RELATED:
- Abélia
- Abelle
- Abrial
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"open, secure, protected"Description:
This unique baby name is stronger, more distinctive than April or Avril.
- Adette
- Adeline
Origin:
French, diminutive of AdeleMeaning:
"noble, nobility"Description:
Adeline has a lovely, old-fashioned "Sweet Adeline" charm, but has become so popular in the US under so many spellings and variations -- with Adalynn and Adalyn also popular -- that considered together it is far more popular than it first seems. Adorable nickname Addie is also pervasive.
- Adélaïde
- Adele
Origin:
French diminutive of AdelaideMeaning:
"noble, nobility"Description:
Credit the award-winning single-named British singer for taking the girls’ name Adele from a quiet semi-retirement back into currency. Adele reentered the US Top 1000 popular baby names in 2011 and has remained there ever since.
- Adelyn
Origin:
Variation of AdelineMeaning:
"noble, nobility"Description:
Adeline in all its forms, including Adelyn, is rocketing up the list, but we do prefer the original to the variations. Or you might consider varying it yet further to Adelia, Adele, or Adelaide. Or lengthen it to Madeline/Madelyn.
- Dory
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
A Dorothy nickname name with a measure of nostalgic charm. Kids will associate it with the funny fish character voiced by Ellen DeGeneres in the Pixar animated instant classic Finding Nemo.
- Agate
Origin:
French, a semiprecious stone, or variation of AgathaDescription:
Though it's French, most Americans would pronounce it as the stone.
- Anaise
Origin:
Variation of AnaisDescription:
Anais, the name forever attached to the daring French-born American novelist and diarist Anais Nin, is unusual and French enough without appending an e, though some may think it clarifies pronunciation.
- Aimée
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"beloved"Description:
Whether you pronounce it like the original Amy or the Frenchified Ay-may, this form adds considerable elan to an old favorite.
- Anne
Origin:
French variation of English Ann and Hebrew HannahMeaning:
"grace"Description:
The name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 but Anne is still among the most classic names for girls, although others are more likely to choose the original Hannah, the Anna variation, or even Annabel or Annabella.
- Albane
- Albertine
Origin:
French feminine variation of AlbertDescription:
Albertine and Alberta are old-fashioned feminizations ala Geraldine and Roberta. This is the kind of name that sounds very dowdy until a hip celebrity chooses it, at which point we don't know how we missed its coolness all this time.
- Auberte
- Alexandrine
Origin:
French and German variation of AlexandraMeaning:
"defending men"Description:
Alexandra is a name with many international variations, elaborations and short forms, and Alexandrine is one of the more unusual. Another, Alexandrina, was the first name of Queen Victoria.
- Alizée
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"trade wind"Description:
This glamorous name of a hot young French singer is catching on. Tessa and Barron Hilton used it as a middle name for their daughter Milou.
- Allura
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"to entice, attract"Description:
Sounds like a princess -- or an enticingly evil witch -- in a fairy tale.
- Abella
Origin:
French, meaning 'breath'Description:
A pretty name heard in the Louisiana Cajun community, Abella would fit right in with all the other, more familiar, bella names.