French Names for Girls

Domitilla is the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasianus and the mother of the emperors Titus and Domitianus. There is a Santa Domitilla with catacombs in Rome named after her.

The variation Domitille has been heard in modern day France. Domitila is the Spanish and Portuguese version.

Domitilla

Domitille is the French form of the ancient royal name Domitilla. Domitille is used today, and was in the French Top 500 during the 2000s. While English speakers might say it as dom-ih-till or dom-ih-teel, in French, it would be DAW-MEE-TEE. Either way, it could be an interesting way to nickname Dottie. 

Domitille

Also seen as Alyenor and Eleonore, this is an old French name dating back to the Arthurian romances and still heard today.

Alienor

Frostine, best known in the U.S. as the name of the Candyland queen, is newly fashionable in France and is certainly a choice that any little girl the world over would love. Fanciful, if over-the-top, but a perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">name for a winter baby girl</a>.

Frostine

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 even-more-problematic similarity to the word "sexting."  You wouldn't do that to your daughter.

Sixtine

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.

Pomeline

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 lifted by her mother from a romance novel.  As in a romance, Eponine redeems herself by becoming a martyr to love.

Eponine

Raphaëlle

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; when all 120 have been filled, Antinea will sit atop a throne in the centre of the cave and rest forever.



Antinea

A sophisticated <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a> for those attracted to Leona, Leonie and Leonore.

Leopoldine

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, is in love with an impoverished soldier, Lorenzo, but her father wants her to marry the rich old Francesco. Various tragedies and events occur. In the end, Zerline is free to marry her beloved Lorenzo.

Zerline

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 pretty while still having gravitas. It also has great potential for nicknames, with Ally, Lemmi and Mandy being the most obvious.

Allemande

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 syllable may sound unattractive to the modern ear and the last two syllables are the equivalent of intrude. Then there's that rude final syllable. English variant Ermintrude is equally unlikely to find favor. 

 The numbers bear this out: Zero baby girls were named Ermentrude by any spelling last year....or in 1880, 1920, 1950, or 1990.

Ermentrude

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 meaning "yokel", which is now considered a slur for country dwellers, but it may previously have referred to the green woodpecker instead, which is a better meaning. Alternatively, it can be linked to Peter, as Saint Petronilla was said to be Saint Peter's daughter.
 
Pétronille was popular in France in the early 20th century, while Petronille was familiar in Medieval England.

Petronille

Cesarine is the French femininer version of Casear. It is used occasionally in French-speaking countries, including Belgium, Switzerland and Jersey.

Cesarine

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 considered an alternative to the tired Tiffany.

Typhaine

Allaire, a last name in France. could make a first, with its light and airy feel.

Allaire

This unusual form of Alexandra might be seen and pronounced as a combination of Alex and Anne.

Alexane

An elaboration of the French word name, Alouette, this form may reflect the Quebec French pronunciation of the bird name, as heard in the children's song. 

Alouetta

A variation on Emmeline, Ameline has not experienced nearly the same level of success in the US, though it was given to five girls in 2015. Whereas Emmeline lends itself to trendy nicknames Emme and Emmy, Ameline has a clearer path to the dated Amy.

Ameline

French names for baby girls have always had a chic appeal for parents far from Paris. French names for girls are led today by Charlotte, one of the top girl names in the US, French Quebec, the British Isles, Australia, and New Zealand. 

 that rank in the US Top 200 include Eloise and Elodie, Caroline, Claire, Josephine, Natalie, Sophie, Sydney, and Valerie. French names for girls trending in the US include Remi and Remy, Juliet and Juliette, Margo and Margot, Esme, and Adele.

French names popular for baby girls in France

 include Louise — a common middle name in the US — Camille, Manon, and Lilou. Other top French names for girls around the world include Arielle, Belle, Eloise, Gabrielle, Juliette, and Vivienne.

 gaining new attention in the US, France, and internationally include Darcy, Delphine, Fleur, Ottilie, Romilly, and Sylvie.

Browse our full collection of French girl names here. The names are ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry, which is updated monthly.

French names for baby girls, ordered by popularity with meanings, including top French girl names in the US and France such as Eloise and Charlotte along with unique French. names for girls such as Olympiad and Maurelle.  (Page 23)

French Girl Names (with Meanings & Popularity)