1200+ French Names (with Meanings and Popularity)
Across 61 pages
of 61
Leandre
French form of Leander, Greek
"lion-man"
Leandre, the French form of the name of a Greek mythological figure, the doomed lover of Hero, is gaining modern notice in France. Leandre is one of many leonine names, including Leopold, Leo,…
Zelie
French
"noble"
A cute, zippy French saint's name that's picking up in popularity there, and starting to in the US as well. Zélie originated as a short form of Azélie, thought to derive from Adelaide via the Occitan…
Sixtine
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…
Mercer
French occupational surname
"a merchant"
Mercer is one fashionable occupational name that can work as well for girls as boys, perhaps because of the soft c or the conventionally feminine nickname Mercy.
Pomeline
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.
Mailer
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.
Eponine
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…
Solstice
English from Latin
"when the sun stands still"
Solstice graduated from word to official first name when author Lionel Shriver used it for a character in her novel Big Brother . But of course, there were people named Solstice before: 16 baby girls…
Diggory
French
"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…
Raphaëlle
Variation of Raphaela
Antinea
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;…
Leopoldine
French feminine version of Leopold
"brave people"
A sophisticated girls' name for those attracted to Leona, Leonie and Leonore.
Zerline
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,…
Allemande
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…
Ermentrude
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…
Petronille
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…
Cesarine
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.
Abella
French, meaning 'breath'
A pretty name heard in the Louisiana Cajun community, Abella would fit right in with all the other, more familiar, bella names.
Typhaine
French
"epiphany"
Typhaine (sometimes spelled Tiphaine) is an extremely rare girls name used occasionally in France, Switzerland and Jersey. The name derives from the Greek root words for epiphany. Typhaine might be…
Abélia
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…