1200+ French Names (with Meanings and Popularity)

Pacome is a French saint's name rarely heard in this country, but currently being revived in its native France.

Some variants are Pacomi, Pacomio and Pacomius.

Madelynn is the fourth most popular variation of this durably popular name, with Madelyn ranking first in the Top 100, Madeline dropping to the Number 2 spot, the French Madeleine taking third place, and Madelynn coming in fourth but still ranking in the Top 500.

Once exclusively male name, Daryl Hannah made the Darrell spelling just as appropriate for girls -- and maybe even more feminine than masculine these days.

In Pierre Benoit's novel, Antinea is a beautiful and charming queen with a hideous secret: She has a cave wall with 120 niches carved into it, one for each of her lovers. Only 53 have been filled; when all 120 have been filled, Antinea will sit atop a throne in the centre of the cave and rest forever.

Pleasant-sounding word that could morph into a unique Sunday-picnic-type name.

That extra a adds a world of grace to this name.

Often spelled Gauthier, this could make a distinctive way to honor Grandpa Walter, but first syllable pronounced 'goat' might be a problem.

If you're seeking a French artist name that goes beyond Monet and Manet, Daumier -- known for his revealing caricatures -- makes a rich, sophisticated choice.

Dariela may have a not-quite-authentic provenance, but it's a pretty name and an unusual choice in the girly Isabella-Gabriella group.

Fur names. We don't think so.

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

Has the two-syllable sound so popular for boys, though adding an apostrophe -- and turning it into D'Anton -- changes the name entirely.

Wildly popular name in France that could easily cross the Atlantic.

Octave shortens Octavius to a more manageable length, keeping the "eighth" meaning. In English speaking countries, however, people could easily confuse this with the musical term octave.