1200+ French Names (with Meanings and Popularity)
Across 61 pages
of 61
Bechet
French surname
Woody Allen used this name for his daughter to honor jazz hero Sidney Bechet -- and it could work for a boy as well.
Amaury
French form of Amalric
"work power"
Friendlier french form of ancient Germanic royal name Amalric or Emmerich.
Aurélien
French form of Aurelius, Latin
"golden"
A glowing and sophisticated choice, Aurélien is the French form of the Roman Aurelius, ultimately from aureus meaning "gold, gilded". This form ranked in the French Top 30 back in the 80s and…
Emilien
French form of Emil
"friendly"
Might make a worthy masculine spin on either of the uber popular Emma or Emily.
Gabin
French form of the Latin Gabinus
"of Gabium"
Fans of the classic French film actor Jean Gabin might want to consider this one. Gabin is also a harmonica-playing character in the manga and anime series "Mirmo!"
Mael
French or Breton
"chief or prince"
The name of a fifth century Breton saint, Mael is a popular boys' name in contemporary France, though it is usually spelled with a diaeresis or umlaut - Maël. Mael is the Breton spelling, and the…
Maxence
French form of Latin Maximus
"greatest"
A cute and fresh way to get to Max, this was the name of a sixth century saint. Maxence is a Top 100 boys' name in France, but largely unknown in the US where it is given to only a handful of baby…
Nouvel
French
"new"
Surname of French architect Jean Nouvel that became a given name when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie used it as the middle name of their daughter Shiloh.
Nouvel
French
"new"
Shot to fame as the middle name of Brangelina's daughter Shiloh Nouvel, after French architect Jean Nouvel.
Aquitaine
French place name
If you're looking for a really untouristed place name, Aquitaine could be it. Aquitaine is a region of France that includes both Bordeaux and Biarritz and is famous for such food and drink as its…
Minuet
French, dance term
Minuet is delicate, dancey, and lacy, with a Masterpiece Theatre feel. Is Minuet a real name? Not really, though similar-sounding French names such as Minette and Manette are.
Seraphine
French from Hebrew
"burning ones"
Seraphine is the Gallic version of the angelic name Seraphina. But while Seraphina has been rising rapidly since Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their second daughter, Seraphine has been…
Desiree
French
"desired, wished"
One of the original French names chosen by midcentury parents for their sophistication and je ne sais quoi , Desiree has since become completely assimilated in the US. It ranked in the Top 1000 from…
Saison
French
"season"
A French word name that could be a fresh spin on Summer or Autumn.
Cecile
French feminine form of Cecil
"blind"
Cecile is a fairly common French saint's name, scattered throughout classic French literature--in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, in Balzac's Cousin Pons, and Zola's Germinal. Cecile, Cecily and Cecilia…
Fate
Short form of Lafayette, French, English word name
"faith; predestined, destiny, chance"
Briefly in the US Top 1000 in the late 19th century, Fate likely emerged as a short form for the old French name, Lafayette. In the contemporary landscape however, it may well be perceived as a word…
Elie
Yiddish diminutive of Elijah and Eliezer, Hebrew
"Yahweh is God; God helps"
Strongly connected to Elie Wiesel — Holocaust survivor, Nobel laureate, and author of the influential book Night .
Chaney
French
"oak tree"
An appealing surname-name that sounds perfectly feminine, unless you consider the association to Vice President Dick.
Rene
French
"reborn"
Though it's used for boys, most non-French people would hear it as a girls’ name . Most would be surprised to learn that Rene has always charted in the US Top 1000 for boys.
Rene
Variation of Renee
"reborn"
This name is hanging on as Renee, thanks to Ms. Zellweger, and in newer forms Renae and Renny.