By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 72 pages
of 72
Short form of Lafayette, French
"faith"
Short form found in historical records, feels a tad feminine for modern times.
Italian feminine diminutive of Roman family name Domitius, Latin
"tamed"
Domitilla is the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasianus and the mother of the emperors Titus and Domitianus. There is a Santa Domitilla with catacombs in Rome named after her. The…
French feminine variation of Roman family name Domitius, Latin
Domitille is the French form of the ancient royal name Domitilla. Domitille is used today, and was in the French Top 500 during the 2000s. While English speakers might say it as dom-ih-till or…
French, meaning unknown
Also seen as Alyenor and Eleonore, this is an old French name dating back to the Arthurian romances and still heard today.
French
"freezing"
Frostine, best known in the U.S. as the name of the Candyland queen, is newly fashionable in France and is certainly a choice that any little girl the world over would love. Fanciful, if…
"cove"
Name of Faulkner's great emotional villain in As I Lay Dying , Anse is not ordinarily used as a first name. It literally means cove in French, though the element ans means God in Old German and is…
French from Greek
"of strong nature, or, pacifier"
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.
French feminine variation of Sixtus
"sixth-born"
While Sixtine is a name with ancient roots that's popular in modern-day France, it's hard to imagine it gaining hold in English-speaking lands, given its similarity to the number sixteen and its…
French, related to "apple"
"apple"
A rarely heard--even in France--name, most prominent as the third name of Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi, the daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco and granddaughter of Grace Kelly.
Occupational name, English or French
"enameler"
Mailer is one of the more unusual of the on-trend occupational surnames. Recommended for fans of the macho writer Norman Mailer.
French literary name
Eponine is attracting new notice via the movie of Les Miserables, based on the book by Victor Hugo. Eponine is the spoiled daughter of Cosette's foster parents whose name, according to the story, was…
"Lost one"
This buoyant name has the same bouncy rhythm as Rafferty and Barnaby, but is virtually unused. It has plenty of literary cred, too: characters in The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter and Thomas…
Variation of Raphaela
French after the Greek name for the Queen of Atlantis
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;…
French feminine version of Leopold
"brave people"
A sophisticated girls' name for those attracted to Leona, Leonie and Leonore.
French variant of Zerlin and Zerlina
"beautiful dawn"
Although a variant of the operatic Zerlina, Zerline has her own theatrical tale. She is the star character of the opera Fra Diavolo by Daniel Auber. Zerline, daughter of the innkeeper of Terracina,…
Word name
"German Dance"
An Allemande is a renaissance musical form meaning 'German dance" - Handel composed many famous allemandes. As a name, Allemande has the advantages of being unusual whilst still having a history, and…
French version of Germanic Ermendrud
"universal strength"
Ermentrude was the name of two medieval queens of France. Despite these distinguished beginnings, this antique name is unlikely to catch on with contemporary parents, perhaps because the first…
French feminine variation of Petronius, Latin
"yokel, woodpecker, stone"
So many names sound better with a French accent, and Petronille is one of them: it feels unusual in an elegant way. Usually spelled as Pétronille, it is derived from the Latin Petronius, possibly…
French feminine version of Caesar
Cesarine is the French femininer version of Casear. It is used occasionally in French-speaking countries, including Belgium, Switzerland and Jersey.
