By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 61 pages
of 61
French form of Amalric
"work power"
Friendlier french form of ancient Germanic royal name Amalric or Emmerich.
Italian variation of Raphaela, Hebrew
"God has healed"
Oh, the many spellings of Rafaella. Those with Fs and double-Ls denote Italian origins, while an F and a single L is Spanish and Portuguese. The original Hebrew form is Raphaela. Rafaela is the most…
French variation of Jean
"God is gracious"
Pronounced just like Jean in the English-speaking world, but as the more unusual zhahn in France, this has sailed away with the first wave of French favorites: Denise, Michelle, et soeurs.
French
"little rock"
While Rochelle may sound like a twist on Rachel, it has a different origin entirely. Rather than having Biblical and Hebrew ties, it comes from the name of a city on the west coast of France, La…
French variation of Lilian
"lily, a flower"
Now that Lily has become hugely popular, parents in love with this flower name are looking further afield for substitutes such as Liliane and Liliana.
French, diminutive of Elizabeth or Lise
"pledged to God"
Lisette, also spelled Lizette, is a dainty,, if somewhat dated, Gallic offshoot of Elizabeth. It reached its U.S. peak of popularity in 1999, then fell off the list in 2001. Lisette Model (born…
French, diminutive of Elizabeth
Whether you spell it Lisette or Lizette, a somewhat dated diminutive that nevertheless retains some charm.
Hebrew
"light for me"
A sweet and simple Hebrew name, also written as Orli, this name blends the elements or meaning "light" and li meaning "to me, for me". As such, it has a shiny, cheerful meaning, connected to…
Teutonic, French, early form of Ludwig or Louis
An aromatic, unconventional name.
French diminutive of Susannah, Hebrew
"lily"
Suzette has a kind of clunky retro charm – so kitsch it's almost cool again.
"sky"
This simple yet evocative French word name was chosen for her daughter by model Niki Taylor. While Ciel may be pronounced in French with two syllables, many will pronounce it as "seal" and there may…
French, feminine variation of Emanuel
"God is with us"
The female version of Emanuel could become more prominent, though for some it still carries a steamy image dating back to a then sensationally erotic French film. Singer and Shameless star Emmy…
French variation of Maximus
Common in France, but could be confused with the feminine Maxine here.
French variation of Yvonne
The I freshens up this name.
Mathieu is the French form of Matthew, a masculine name with biblical origins derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning 'gift of God' or 'gift from Yahweh.' This elegant French spelling…
Silvestre is a masculine name with Latin origins, derived from 'silva' meaning 'forest' or 'woodland.' The name essentially translates to 'from the forest' or 'wild,' conveying a natural, untamed…
"all saints"
Has been used in the past by parents wishing to invoke the blessing and protection of all the saints, also given to boys born on November 1, All Saints' Day.
Feminine form of Oliver, French, Latin
"olive tree"
A feminine form of Oliver and a diminutive of Olive, Olivette could make an interesting choice for those who love Colette and Violette, but also Olivia. It was used in the 19th century French opera…
French From Latin
"russet"
Roux, a color name meaning russet or reddish brown, is a possible middle name for your little auburn-haired babe, though a post-Hunger Games child would more likely be called Rue. Roux is also a…
French variation of Theodoric
"ruler of the people"
A hugely popular choice in France back in the 60s and 70s, Thierry took the number one spot in 1964,though it has since dropped out of the French Top 500. Derived from the Germanic Theodoric (not a…
