270+ French Boy Names
Updated Thu Aug 22 2024
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French boy names include some classics that have become widely popular, most notably Charles, Louis, and Dennis. Along with Charles and Louis, the French boys' ranking in the US Top 1000 include Andre, Beau, Blaise, Bruce, Chance, Chase, Curtis, Darrell, Denver, Dion, Josue, Remy, and Royal.
Unique French boy names attracting fresh attention in the US include Dion, Emilien, Florent, Jules, Lionel, Montague, Pom, and Quincy.
In France, the top boy names are Gabriel, Leo, and Raphael. French boy names most popular in France include Mael, Jules and Corentin.
Most popular boy names in other French-speaking countries are a mix of French and non-French choices. Louis and Jules are the only French names among Belgium's list of Top 10 names for boys, which is led by the Hebrew Noah and the Celtic Arthur.
Among French-speaking Swiss parents, Gabriel is the Number 1 boy name, with Louis the only French boys' name in the Top 10. And in French Quebec, Olivier and Antoine are the most popular French boy names.
Browse our complete collection of French boys' names here. The names are ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry, which is updated monthly.
RELATED:
- Harvey
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"battle worthy"Description:
Harvey, which was brought to England by the Normans, is a genial, old-timey name that has been much more popular across the pond in the UK. It was a Top 100 choice in England & Wales from 1997 until 2021, though 2022 saw it fall just slightly.
- Louis
Origin:
German and FrenchMeaning:
"renowned warrior"Description:
Kate and William shocked the world when they announced that they'd named their third child Louis -- Prince Louis Arthur Charles, to be more precise. But we've been predicting a comeback for this classic name for a long time.
- Remy
Origin:
French from LatinMeaning:
"oarsman"Description:
Remy is one of the hottest names today for both boys and girls, sometimes spelled Remi. . It entered the popularity list in 2009 and has quickly become one of the fastest-rising names on the list.
- Jules
Origin:
French form of Latin JuliusMeaning:
"youthful; soft, downy"Description:
Though Jules hasn't been on the US popularity list in fifty years, it is a current hit in its native France—where it's currently in the Top 10—and we can definitely see it making a comeback here, being far more romantic than, say, Jim.
- Beau
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"handsome"Description:
Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.
- Charles
Origin:
French from GermanMeaning:
"free man"Description:
Charles derives from the Germanic name Karl, meaning "man" or "free man", and is a royal name in multiple European countries. A famous early bearer is Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Lombards and then Roman Emperor in the 8th-9th centuries.
- Lucien
Origin:
French form of LucianMeaning:
"light"Description:
Sophisticated Gallic version of Lucian, Lucien may appeal to parents attracted to this meaning over that of Lucas and Luke, which have a different root, and also looking for a more unusual choice.
- Percy
Origin:
French surname from place name Perci-en-AugeDescription:
Percy is an adorable old name that is finally shedding its pampered Little Lord Fauntleroy image in this new era of boys with soft yet traditionally male names like Jasper and Elijah. Originating as an aristocratic Norman name, Percy became fairly widespread in England--and to some extent in the US--as an offshoot of the fame of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.
- Warren
Origin:
English from FrenchMeaning:
"park-keeper"Description:
Long lingering in limbo, Warren suddenly seems to be on the cusp of revival. One of the oldest recorded English surnames, Warren's popularity in the U.S. dates back to the nineteenth century, and by 1921, reached its peak at Number 24.
- Guy
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"wood"Description:
The patron saint of comedians and dancers (also known as St Vitus) has a name that is both the ultimate everyman, and has a hint of British aristocracy. In the States, Guy was most popular in the 1950s. Now he hovers steadily below the Top 1000, in the sweet spot of familiar but not overused. With the meteoric rise of Kai, Guy may have potential with parents looking for a more classic name with a similar sound.
- Blaise
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"to lisp, stammer"Description:
As modern as it sounds, Blaise is an ancient Christian martyr name. In Arthurian legend, Blaise is the name of Merlin the Magician's secretary. Its relation to the word and name Blaze gives it a fiery feel. Amanda Beard named her baby boy Blaise Ray.
- Darcy
Origin:
English from French, d'ArcyMeaning:
" from Arcy"Description:
Though Darcy is the ultimate Jane Austen hero name, it is rarely used for boys today though it's on the upswing for girls. A shame as it's a handsome, roguish kind of appellation that combines elements of French flair, aristocratic savoir faire, and a soft Irish brogue. And in terms of image, it's one of the quintessential English names for boys.
- Lyle
Origin:
Scottish and English from FrenchMeaning:
"someone who lives on an island"Description:
Straightforward single-syllable name, though children named Lyle may get tired of hearing "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile". Lyle was at the height of fashion in the 1920s, which makes him due for a comeback right about now. The double L certainly gives it a fashionable sound.
- Russell
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"redhead, fox-colored"Description:
One of many R- boys’ names that started as a nickname for a redhead, Russell had a measure of popularity from the early twentieth century through the 1950s. But it's now lost much of its color -- except for a few dynamic bearers, actors Russell Crowe and Russell Brand and sports stars Russell Westbrook and Russell Wilson.
- Dennis
Origin:
French from Greek, vernacular form of DionysiusMeaning:
"god of Nysa"Description:
Although it has come to sound Irish, Dennis is one of the most widely-used French names (St. Denis is the patron saint of France) and harks back even further to Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and debauchery. It was introduced to England by the Normans.
- Quincy
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"estate of the fifth son"Description:
Quirky in the way that all Q names are quirky, Quincy was once a buttoned-up, patrician New England name, an image countered in recent years by the talented and ultracool musician Quincy Jones (middle name: Delight; nickname: Q).
- Marshall
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"one who looks after horses"Description:
Marshall is an occupational surname, not having to do with anything military or martial, but stemming from the Norman French for someone caring for horses. It's been used as a first name since the nineteenth century and has been on the Social Security list since it started to publish its data in 1880.
- Bruce
Origin:
Scottish and English from FrenchMeaning:
"from the brushwood thicket"Description:
Bruce is a Norman place name made famous by the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland's independence from England in the fourteenth century. It's perennially popular in Scotland, but has been rarely used here for a generation -- though the impact of Bruces Lee, Springsteen, Dern and Willis, as well as Batman's Bruce Wayne -- still lingers. At one time Bruce was so widespread in Australia, it became a nickname for any Ozzie man. An interesting alternative is Brix, the Normandy place name where the Bruce family originated.
- Bellamy
Origin:
English and Irish from FrenchMeaning:
"fine friend"Description:
Bellamy is a surname name with an admirable meaning and upbeat rhythm, similar to jovial choices like Rafferty, Barnaby and Willoughby.
- Dion
Origin:
Diminutive of Dionysius, GreekMeaning:
"child of heaven and earth; of Zeus"Description:
A variation of Greek Dionysius, itself derived from the name of the god of wine, revelry, and dance, Dion gives a nod to mythology while also having historical ties to a student of Plato, to a Greek mathematician and to 1st century writer and historian.
As a contemporary name, it came into popular use in the late 1950s and remained in the Top 1000 until 2006. It has dipped in and out of the charts since then, and is still given to a not insignificant 200 boys each year.