French Names

An unusual, bird inspired name, Swanna may be considered a feminine form of the French Swann — a well-used name for boys in France — or a compound name, mixing Swan with Anna, and lending it the meaning "graceful swan". It appears in the title of the novel, Swanna in Love by Jennifer Belle, which was likely inspired by the 1984 French movie Swann In Love or Un amour de Swann which led to the popularity of Swann itself.
 
While it has yet to appear in the US stats, it may appeal to those who want a one-of-a-kind alternative to Wrenna, Wrenley, and Wren.

Swanna

The anime-inspired Sylphiette made the charts in a recent year, so how about this intriguing, ballet-inspired alternative?
 
Derived from the French word for sylphs or air spirits, it appears in the name of one of the oldest surviving ballets, La Sylphide, choreographed by Filippo Taglioni in 1832. It was written with his daughter Marie in mind, who, rather scandalously for the time, used to shorten her skirts to show off her impressive pointe work. It was later re-adapted by August Bournonville in 1836 and it is this version that is better known today.
 
While Sylphide might seem like one that hasn't had any real-life usage, it is in fact borne by actress and singer Zizi Strallen, whose full name is Sylphide Charity Vaigncourt-Strallen. It is also occasionally used in French speaking countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti. It is pronounced as SEEL-FEED(-uh), the end sound being very light.

Sylphide

A sleek, arty looking form of Sylvester, this forest-inspired name was fairly popular in France up until the 70s. However, like other Sylv- names, it is currently out of style in its native country, where it may well be considered dated. It is said with two distinct first syllables (SEEL-VEHST), followed by a breathy, quietly there 'R' sound.

Sylvestre

Predominantly used for boys in France and beyond, Thierry has appeared in the US charts for girls sporadically since the 2000s, likely because of its -y ending and visual similarities to Kerry, Terry, Cherry, and similar. Derived from the Germanic Theodoric (not related to the familiar Theodore), it is pronounced as TYEH-REE in French, but sometimes as tee-air-ree in English. 



Thierry

A sweet sounding choice with a strong meaning, Thiette is a diminutive of the 60s French favorite, Thierry. Appealing perhaps to fans of Miette, Liette, Colette, and similar, it may be said as TEE-EHT or TYEHT and is a very rare choice. 

Thiette

A modern French name that's been appearing in the Top 500 in its native country in recent years, the exact origins of Timaël are unknown, though it's possibly a blend of Timéo (or Timothée) and Maël. It could then be interpreted to mean "honored chief", "honored lord", or "to honor the prince".


Timaël

Likely derived from the French surname Valadier or from the phrase de la vallée, Valadie is a melodic and nature inspired choice, similar in sound and style to Valerie and Amelie. Used as a surname, it may also be spelled as Valadié, as in the case of actress Dominique Valadié and artist Jean-Baptiste Valadié.

Valadie

A luxurious and dramatic sounding choice, Versailles is a French place name, best associated with the Palace of Versailles, home to King Louis XIV before the French Revolution. With its strong "EYE" end sound, it shares some of the appeal of Levi or Silas, but with the grandeur of names like Sir, Prince, King, and Valor. 
 
Possibly meaning "to turn around" , "plowed land", or "slope", though this is only speculation, the name entered the US stats for boys in 2024, when it was given to seven babies. It had previously only ranked for girls and is occasionally used as a French surname.

Versailles

Transferred from the surname Vianney, in reference to French saint Jean-Marie Vianney, this name is a diminutive form of Vivian and Vivien, sharing the same spirited meaning. Associated with the patron saint of all priests within the Catholic Church, it is generally used as a masculine name in France, Belgium, Canada, and French-speaking Africa, but in Latin America, it is mainly feminine. 
 
Also appearing as a place name in Quebec, the traditional French pronunciation is VYA-neh, but bya-NAY and vya-NAY may alternatively be heard in Spanish speaker areas. Notable bearers of the name include the philosopher Vianney Décarie, the singer Vianney (Bureau), footballer Vianney Mabidé, and watchmaker Vianney Halter.

Vianney

Ultimately from the Roman Victor, Victorene is a French and Norman feminine form of Victorinus. Less popular than the Victorine spelling which ranked in the French charts in the 2000s, Victorene was occasionally used in the 60s. 

Victorene

A sleek and distinctive variation of Viola, adapted from a Judeo-Italian diminutive, Violine may appeal to those who love Violet, but also Celine, Evangeline, and similar. Less popular than Violaine, it is occasionally used in French speaking regions, notably in Haiti. 
 
Violine appears on a character in the 1903 opera La reine Fiammette by Xavier Leroux and is also used as a color name in French to describe an intense shade of purple. Additionally, it is one of the words for violin in German (pronounced as vee-O-lee-nuh), making it a musical choice too.

Violine

Synonymous with style, Vogue is the name of a global fashion magazine and a word referring to something popular and on trend. Derived from Old French, it originally meant "wave" or "course of success", this sharp, one syllable choice is associated with the current craze, the clothing style of the moment, and a type of dance.
 
Yet to appear in the US stats, it has been notably borne by Irish model, Vogue Williams, whose grandmother suggested her name after an encounter with someone named Vogue. As such, it is used occasionally in the UK, with as many as 25 born back in 2020, while a more recent year saw it given to 11 girls.

Vogue

Derived from Yuriy, the Russian and Ukrainian form of George, Youri is a Dutch and French equivalent of the name. Gentle yet hardy, it has an international feel and was saw some popularity in France and the Netherlands during the 2000s. Pronounced as yoo-ree, in France, both syllables would be emphasized, while in Dutch, only the first would be.
 
Alternative Dutch forms include Joeri and Yoeri, along with Joris and Jurriaan, while in France, the alternative would be Georges.

Youri

Ysabeau is a rare Creole or Medieval French variation of Isabeau, itself a French a charming variant of Isabel. It appeared in the TV series A Discovery of Witches and subsequently made its debut in the US stats in 2024 when it was given to 6 girls.
 
Despite its relation to the uber-popular Isabella, the several degrees of removal make Ysabeau an intriguing, rare alternative. Similar Isabeau is also a distinctive choice, given to only 8 babies in a recent year.

Ysabeau

Zadig is the name of the hero and philosopher in Voltaire's 1747 novella, Zadig, ou la Destinée ("Zadig, or The Book of Fate"), though it may be better associated today with the fashion retailer Zadig&Voltaire whose name was inspired by the classic work.
 
Derived from the Arabic Sadiq, meaning "true, sincere, loyal" or from the Hebrew tzadik, a title for a righteous person, it may also be viewed as an Armenian choice, stemming from the word for Easter. The pronunciation can vary depending on where you are in the world: in French, it would be ZA-DEEK, in Armenian, it would be zah-DEEG; in English, it may be said as ZA-deeg.
 
Recent years have seen it gain attention in modern France as a quirky-chic choice.

Zadig

Similar (but separate) from Amandine, Amantine ultimately comes from the Latin Amantius, meaning "loving", rather than "loveable". It was notably the borne by the novelist Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin, better known by her pseudonym, George Sand.

Amantine

A name with a double meaning: as a French word name, it translates to "improved" (a-mee-lee-or-reh), while as a compound name, it blends Amelie/Amelia with Eliora, which could be interpreted as meaning "my God is my unceasing light" or "my brave God is my light".
 
This flowing and pretty choice was introduced to us by Nameberry User @ashthedreamer during our "Invent a Name" Contest.

Améliore

A bright and elegant unisex possibility, akin to Mirabelle and Bellamy, Mirabeau was the name of a French revolutionary: Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau. While it may traditionally be considered masculine, in an era of surnames-as-first-names, boy-names-on-girls, Mirabeau feels like a fresh and rare option for any gender. 
 
Ultimately derived from the Latin mirabilis, meaning "miraculous", the name has yet to appear in the US stats, though one notable bearer was Mirabeau Lamar Looney, the first female member of the Oklahoma Senate, elected in 1920. She was named after the second president of the (short-lived) sovereign Republic of Texas, Mirabeau B. Lamar, who was himself named for the aforementioned French Revolutionary.

Mirabeau

Abélia is a feminine name of Latin origin, derived from 'Abel', which means 'breath' or 'vapor'. The name was inspired by the botanist Dr. Clarke Abel, after whom the flowering plant genus Abelia was named. While not common in most Western countries, Abélia has a delicate, botanical quality that appeals to parents seeking something unique yet melodic. The accent on the 'e' gives the name a distinctive French flair. Its rarity contributes to its appeal for those wanting an uncommon name with natural associations and feminine elegance.

Abélia

Abelle is a feminine name of French origin, serving as a variant of the more common Abelle or Abella. It derives from the Hebrew name Abel, meaning "breath" or "vapor." The feminine suffix "-elle" adds a delicate, graceful quality to this ancient name. Abelle combines historical depth with melodic beauty, featuring soft sounds that flow elegantly. This name remains uncommon in English-speaking countries, giving it a distinctive quality for those seeking something traditional yet unique. Its rarity may appeal to parents wanting a name with historical roots but not frequently encountered. Abelle carries a gentle, feminine energy while maintaining connections to its biblical heritage.

Abelle

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 46)

French Names (with Meanings and Popularity)