French Names

The French version of Helios, the ancient Greek sun god, depicted as riding across the sky each day in a chariot drawn by four horses. An approachable mythological name with a bright meaning, Hélios ranks in the Top 350 in France. 

Hélios

Also written as Helviz, Helvis is a Medieval form of Heloise, ultimately from Helewidis, though it has occasionally been used as a form of Elizabeth too. The name has been notably borne by a number of historical figures, including Helvis of Ramla and Helvis of Ibelin, the wife of Barisan the Elder and daughter of Balian of Ibelin respectively.  

Helvis

Derived from the floral Hyacinthus, this is the French form of a mythological Greek name. Considered unisex in France, it ranked in the French Top 400 for both sexes in the early 20th century, though was notably more popular for boys. 
 
While it did fall out of fashion in the 50s, it remains associated with the 17th century painter Hyacinthe Rigaud, noted for his portraits of King Louis XIV and other French nobility. Other bearers have included several archbishops, cardinals and priests, along with composer Hyacinthe Jadin and hockey player Hyacinthe Henri Boncourt "Hy".

Hyacinthe

A distinctive and boldly religious choice, Immaculee is a variation of the Spanish Inmaculada. Used to celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, this form is used (albeit rarely) among French speakers. It may also be spelled as Immaculée, as in the case of Rwandan writer Immaculée Ilibagiza.

Immaculee

A rare French word name, used as a variant of the Spanish Inmaculada, Immaculée is given to celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. Predominantly used in French-speaking countries in Africa, notably Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the name is notably borne by writer Immaculée Ilibagiza.

Immaculée

Jax meets Jacques in this new creation, blending the French form of James with the modern English John/Jack/Jackson offshoot. Pronounced alternatively as JAKS, ZHAKS or ZHAK, it appeared on the Telegraph Birth Announcements for 2025 (also known as the unofficial list of the poshest British names). 

Jacqx

Popular in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries, and in some French regions, José is a variation of the Biblical Joseph. Also written as Jose (which ranks more highly in the charts internationally), this accented form is preferred in France, Portugal, and Uruguay.
 
The pronunciation of the name varies depending on language and location, so you may hear kho-SEH in Spanish, zhoo-ZEH in European Portuguese, ho-ZAY in English, zho-ZEH in Brazilian Portuguese, ZHO-ZEH in French, and ho-SEH in Filipino.

José

While the Jocelyn spelling has largely shifted into girl name territory in English speaking countries, in France, it remains a masculine option, albeit a slightly dated one, having fallen out of the Top 500 in the early 2000s. Josselin is one of the many spelling variations, popular in France between the 70s and 90s, and derived from the name of a Germanic tribe, the Geats or Gauts. 
 
Also appearing as a French place name, Josselin has been notably borne by (retired) tennis player Josselin Ouanna.

Josselin

Derived from the French form of Lazarus, Lazare, ultimately from the Hebrew Eleazar, Lazarie may appeal to those who want a rare, Biblical inspired choice but also enjoy the sounds of Amelie, Avery, Elodie, or Azelie.

Lazarie

Light, sweet, and cheerful, with the potential to feel both sophisticated and sassy, depending on the bearer, Liline is a diminutive name, predominantly used in francophone regions. While the name is associated most closely with Lilian ("pledged to God; lily"), it may also be used as a diminutive of Marceline, Evangeline, and similar.
 
A standout Liline is Liline Jacquemus, the grandmother of the French fashion designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, who was his brand's first ambassador in 2026.

Liline

A melodic and floral choice for boys that feels as upbeat and summery as Elio, Lilio has seen notable use in France in recent years, featuring in the latter end of the Top 500 between 2018 and 2023. Contemporary spelling Lylio has also been finding favor since 2021 and ranked at #371 in a recent year.
 
Ultimately from the Latinate form of English Lily, it remains undiscovered in the US.

Lilio

Predominantly used in Southern Belgium by Walloon speakers, Lilise is a light and airy diminutive of Elise (or similar). Sweet but full of energy, Lilise may be appreciated by fans of Lilou, Lilias, Lisette, and Cerise. 

Lilise

Succinct and simple on the surface, Lin is a surprisingly complex name with a variety of different roots. As a Chinese name, it is a unisex option, connected to the color green. Pronounced as LEEN, it means "forest" or "green gem, fine jade" depending on the characters used.
 
As a Burmese name, it would be said to rhyme with pin or kin, and holds the meaning "clear, bright", while in French, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, and occasionally Spanish, it is a variation of Linus, a Greek name meaning "flax". In this case, it would be said as LOH(n) in French, with that barely there n, while in Russian and Ukrainian, it would be LIHN.
 
Lin may occasionally be used as a spelling of the Welsh Lyn, meaning "lake", while as a feminine name, it has its roots in Korean ("luster of jade), Arabic ("soft, flexible"), and English ("pretty", "soft, flexible"). 
 
A notable male bearer of the name is writer, singer, actor, and filmmaker Lin-Manuel Miranda, famous for Hamilton, Moana and more. He was named for the poem Nana roja para mi hijo Lin Manuel ("Red Lullaby for My Son Lin Manuel") by the Puerto Rican writer José Manuel Torres Santiago, about the Vietnam War.

This nickname-name is very popular in Germany, though Lottie is still the preferred version in the US. The problem, of course, is that you'll have to put up with a lotta jokes. See?

Lotta

A modern name, taken literally from the French word for she-wolf, Louve could also be considered a feminine form of Loup (or Lupus). Similar in sound to Louvre — as in the famous art museum, whose name is said to mean "wolf-den" — it is a rare name that has begun to see more use in recent years. 
 
Music artist Louve (known as UltraLouve) and writer Louve-ch are two bearers of the name, while around 35 girls have been given the name in Belgium in the last five years.

Louve

A rare member of the Luc- family, Lucence ultimately comes from the Latin lucens meaning "shining". A French form of Lucentia, via the Roman Lucentius, in English it may bring to mind the term lucent, used to describe something that's either luminous or clear enough to let light through. Additionally, the related lucency is used in medicine, when reading X-rays.

Lucence

Ludovie can be viewed in two ways: first, as a French feminine form of Ludovic or Ludwig, giving it a strong, battle-ready meaning, and secondly, as a nature name, stemming from a genus of plants first discovered in the 19th century. Similar in rhythm to Elodie, in sounds to Lydia, and with the potential for nicknames Lu, Lula, Dove, Dovie, and Love, Ludovie nevertheless remains rare. 


Ludovie

A rare and stately feeling option, Ludovine may be interpreted in two ways. On one hand, it may have been inspired by Ludivine, Ludwina, or Ludvina, all feminine forms of the Old German name, Leutwin, meaning "people's friend". On the other, it could be an alternative to Ludovie, the French feminine variation of Ludovic (or Ludwig), meaning "famous warrior". 
 
Used occasionally in French speaking regions since the 19th-century, it has also appeared in a collection of fairy-tales known as the Green Fairy Book, in which Andrew Lang translated and collated stories from around Europe. Ludovine is the name of an evil princess in a French fairy-tale called Le Petit Soldat ("The Little Soldier"), written by by Charles Deulin.

Ludovine

More familiar perhaps as Ludivine or Ludwina, this name is the Walloon feminine form of the Old Germanic name Leutwin. With its friendly meaning and a sound that is both clunky and regal, it is used among Walloon speakers, who typically reside in the South of Belgium. 


Ludvina

At first glance, this looks like a name straight from Middle Earth, however, it actually comes from the French phrase, lune et ciel, meaning "moon and sky". Atmospheric and poetic too, Lunéciel, though extremely rare, blends the popular sounds of Luna with those of Lucille, Celia, and Gabrielle into one pretty name.

Lunéciel

French names include many classic names that have ranked highly in the US for its entire history. These

 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, 

 include Andre, Beau, Chase, Remy, and Russell. In France, popular names include Louise, Manon, Jules, and Bastien.

 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.

French names including meaning and popularity for girls and boys such as Beau, Elodie, Sylvie, including baby names popular in France and names of French origin for boys and girls.. (Page 43)

French Names (with Meanings and Popularity)