French Names

A modern spin on Liana, and Leanne, possible inspired by the Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire character Lyanna Stark too. Relating back to the climbing plant, the liana, or to the compound Leanne meaning "meadow grace", Lyanni makes a playful, modern twist.
 
The name Lyanni shot up the stats in 2024 when it was given to 43 girls, having only ever appeared in the charts on two other occasions, in 2017 and 2011, when it was given to 6 girls. One possible influence could be Portuguese singer Luciana Abreu and footballer Yannick Djaló, who have a daughter called Lyanni, who has had more of a presence on her mother's social media in recent years.

Lyanni

A quietly used name among French speakers, Lydwine is a variation of Lidwina, itself a feminine form of Ludwin and Leutwin. These names are usually interpreted as meaning "friend of the people" or "people's friend", however, sometimes the first element is interpreted to mean "famous" instead. 
 
Pronounced as LID-WEEN in French (and as lid-WEE-nuh elsewhere), the name is associated with a 15th century Dutch saint and mystic, Lydwina of Schiedam, patron saint of chronic pain and ice-skating.

Lydwine

Bright, contemporary and melodic, Lylio is a floral choice for boys, notably used in France as a variation of Lilio, a masculine form of Lilia. It recently ranked in the French Top 400 and has been featuring in the charts there since 2021. 
 
Similar in sound to Leo, Elyo, and Ilyas, it has a modern yet gentle vibe.

Lylio

An alternative spelling of the sweet French Lilou, used as both a diminutive of Liliane and as a compound name, blending Lili- with Louise. This variation made the French Top 100 in the 2010s, though more recently, it has fallen back down the charts, sitting just within the Top 500. 
 
Other alternative spellings include Liloo and Leelou, both of which appeared in the French charts in the 2000s and 2010s, and the rarer Leeloo.

Lylou

A contemporary variation on Livio, itself an Italian form of the ancient Livius, Lyvio is familiar in France, having entered the name charts back in 2021. While the "envious" meaning may put some parents off, it could also be a unique spin on the likes of Leo, Levi, Oliver, or Liam. 


Lyvio

A warm and stylish name, Maëlle is currently in the Top 150 in both France and Belgium. The feminine form of the even more popular Maël, it traditionally means "prince, lord", though this variant could be interpreted as meaning "lady", "chief", "ruler", or "princess" if you prefer. 
 
The traditional Maël was borne by a 5th century Breton Saint whose feast day is celebrated on May 13th, making this all the more apt for a May baby. Alternative variations of the name include Maelle, Maëly, Maëlys, Maëlya, and Maëllie, which all ranked in the French Top 500 in a recent year. Maella and Maela are additional Breton forms.

Maëlle

This gallicized spelling of Mazhe, itself a Breton version of Matthew, is currently popular for baby boys in France, where it ranks in the Top 100. But this is one European name that probably will not translate for English speakers, who may not be able to wrap their tongues around the subtleties of its pronunciation.

Mahé

A rare compound name, mixing the classic, grounded Marie with the celestial and wordy Lune, Marilune could give you the poetic means of "beloved moon", "drop of the sea and moon", or perhaps "Mary of the moon", in reference to the Virgin Mary. Similar in flow to Marilyn, Marianne, and Madeline, it could make an undiscovered choice, especially in the middle spot.
 
Mariluna is a similar choice, and more popularly used in Latin America and The Philippines.

Marilune

Opulent French place name Versailles has been catching parents' attention in recent years, and Marseille, located in Southern France, is a similar feeling option. Reminiscent of other familiar choices like Marcelle, Marcy, Marisol, and Marlow, Marseille was given to 5 girls in the last year.
 
One of the oldest cities in France, it was originally called Massalia by the ancient Greeks, and while the exact meaning of the name is unknown, theories include that it could come from mas meaning "spring" or from masson and </hals to mean "city on the far end of the sea", which may relate to its long history as a trading port.

Marseille

Maurin comes from the ancient Roman Maurus, which literally means 'Moorish.' This name was traditionally given to people with darker complexions or those from North African descent. 

Throughout history, Maurin has maintained a consistent yet modest presence in French-speaking regions, particularly in southern France and Switzerland. While not widely used globally, the name carries a sophisticated sound and historical depth. Warning for English speakers: Playground bullies might pronounce it "moron".

Maurin

Historically, the name gained significance in the Netherlands through Maurice of Nassau (Maurits van Nassau), a key military leader during the Dutch Revolt against Spain in the 16th-17th centuries. While primarily found in the Netherlands and occasionally in Flemish-speaking parts of Belgium, Maurits remains a name with strong Dutch cultural associations. Though less common than international variants like Maurice, Morris, or Moritz, the name continues to be used in Dutch families, often to honor family traditions or historical connections.

Maurits

A sleek and pretty French name, that can be one of two things: a place name, borrowed from a commune in the south of France or a compound name, blending Marie and Lys. As a place name, it likely means "mother lily" from mair and lys, however as a smoosh name, it could mean "beloved lily", "bitter lily", or possibly "sea lily" too.
 
Familiar in France, it was particularly popular in the 90s and 2000s, peaking in 2007 when it reached the Top 200. While it has now fallen out of favor, the similar Maëlys (the feminine form of Maël meaning "chieftain, lord") is still in the charts.

Maylis

A light and lovely variation of Melina, in the French Top 500 since the 90s. Most popular between 2004 and 2014, around the same time Melina came into style in the US. Mélinne is an alternative spelling. 

Méline

More popularly appearing as Méline, which has ranked in the French charts since the 90s, Mélinne is a pretty variant of Melina, with the same honey sweet meaning. Pronounced as MEH-LEEN, it is notably borne by footballer Mélinne D'Oria.  




Mélinne

Ultimately derived from Greek elements meaning "song" and "to sing", Mélodie is the French form of the tuneful name. In and and out of the French Top 500 since the mid-1980s, it also appears as Melodie in the US and Canada. 

Mélodie

Murielle emerged as a distinctively French elaboration, adding the feminine '-elle' suffix to create a more melodious version of the classic name. Though less common in English-speaking countries, Murielle has maintained steady popularity in France and French-speaking regions. The name carries an air of sophistication and Old World charm. 

Murielle tends to conjure images of refinement and grace, making it appealing to parents seeking a name with European flair that remains relatively uncommon yet historically established. Mother name Muriel, which peaked in the 1920s, may be due for a comeback, which could revive Muriell as well.

Last year in the US, about 50 baby girls were named Muriel and none named the arguably more attractive Murielle.

Murielle

Sometimes used as a diminutive of Myrtle, Myrtille is also the French word for "blueberry". As such, this name has a fun and zippy feel from its "berry" meaning, but also plenty of sophistication and vintage charm. 

Myrtille

Popular in France where it ranks in the Top 350, Naëlle is a feminine form of the (even more) popular boy name Naël. As such, it may also be considered a nickname for Gwenaëlle ("blessed and generous") and a feminine variation of Nathanaël ("gift of God").
 
Occasionally spelled without the accent too, it has been notably used by content creators David and Logan Klein.

Naëlle

Boyish nicknames are back in style for girls, and Nate is one of the more unusual entries in the Billie & Frankie club. While a short form of Natalie would more likely be Nat, Nate can definitely work.

Nate

An anglicized form of the French Nicodème, this is variation of the grand and Biblical Nicodemus, ultimately borrowed from the Ancient Greek Nikodemos. Appearing in the New Testament as one of the men who helped to entomb Jesus following his crucifixion, it could make an interesting alternative to Nicolas, and a rare way to nickname Nico. 

Nicodeme

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 44)

French Names (with Meanings and Popularity)