French Last Names

Charismatic surname name borne by French explorer, conservationist, scientist, inventor and author Jacques-Yves Cousteau, who devoted his life to the study of the sea and all forms of life in water.

Cousteau

The least usable of the Three Musketeers names. 

D'artagnan

Dapper-sounding choice with old American roots (Dabney Cosby was a 19th century Virginian architect who worked with Thomas Jefferson on some of that state's most iconic buildings). Dabney Montgomery was Martin Luther King Jr's bodyguard, giving this name yet more American history depth. Dab is a sweet nickname option for this name.

Dabney

A rarer spelling of Dashiell, a handsome route to the nickname Dash. Neither variation is common for girls — Dashiell, at its peak, was given to six baby girls in a single year — but actress Milla Jovovich chose this spelling for her daughter, born in 2015.

Dashiel

If you're seeking a French artist name that goes beyond Monet and Manet, Daumier -- known for his revealing caricatures -- makes a rich, sophisticated choice. 

Daumier

This is an energetic dance of an Irish surname, great for both genders. Could also be spelled Delancy.

Delancey

DeLorean is an Anglicized variation of the French surname Deslauriers, originally used for someone who lived near laurel. 

DeLorean is best known as the name of a 1980s sports car, ingrained in the public consciousness from its role as the time machine in the Back to the Future movies. It bore the surname of creator John Zachary DeLorean, whose last name was an anglicized version of his family's original Romanian surname.

Delorean

Descartes

Disney will forever be associated with The Walt Disney Company, bringing to mind classic animated movies, Mickey Mouse, the Disneyland castle, Disney Channel, theme parks, and the likes of Frozen, The Avengers, Moana, and Toy Story. The multinational, mass media company has plenty of massive fans, a number of whom have honored their love for Disney by bestowing it on their daughters. It first appeared in the US charts back in 1989 and has been given to a small number of girls most years since then.
 
The name Disney itself is a surname, derived from the French d'Isigny, referring to someone from the Norman town of Isigny. Isigny may be etymologically related to the Germanic name Iso, possibly meaning "ice" or "iron".
 
Given to 6 girls in a recent year, influencer Aubree Jones, known for her out-there baby name choices (Trendy, Eclair, Truly), selected Disney Mae for her daughter, born in 2025, which may just encourage other Disney-loving parents to go for it too.

Disney

Scottish actor Dougray (born Stephen) Scott made us aware of this name when he took on his French grandmother's surname as his stage name. 

Dougray

Dozier means a person who lives near the willows or reeds. It may be an occupational name referring to a basket maker.

Dozier

Rhythmic and energetic, Drury is of French origin, with the wonderful meaning of "dear one, sweetheart."

Drury

Dubois, which can also be stylized as DuBois or Du Bois, is a surname derived from bois, the French word for "forest." A notable, namesake-worthy bearer is W. E. B. Du Bois (who actually pronounced his surname doo-BOYSS), civil rights activist and a founder of the NAACP. A familiar fictional wearer is Blanche DuBois, protagonist of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Dubois

The name of the great French novelist, author of the timeless The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, would make a surprising middle name choice.

Dumas

This French last name is often written as Dupont, but can also be rendered as Du Pont, DuPont, duPont, or du Pont. In the US, it's commonly associated with the du Pont family — one of the wealthiest old money American families whose fortune arose from manufacturing gunpowder.

Dupont

Durand

Durant's meaning signifies staying power, a good quality to impart to your child. Notables with the surname Durant include Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Will and Ariel Durant, most famous for their eleven-volume The Story of Civilization, and William Crappo Durant, co-founder of General Motors and Chevrolet.

Durant

Old-timey surname that's been very rarely used.

Duvall

Fabre

And this sounds like the synthetic fabric washed with Fabrice. 

Fabron

. The pool of surname names is dominated by those with English origins, but French surnames including Dashiell, Laramie, and Thayer are breaking through.

 is Martin, which ultimately is Latin rather than French. Durand is the most common surname with French origins in France. The

is Lambert, which is not that common at all — sitting outside of the Top 300 most popular surnames.

 come from given names, such as Clement, Blaise, and Adrien. You may recognize some famous French last names on this list, including Balzac, Dior, Matisse, and Thoreau.

Search our comprehensive list of French last names below.

French last names as first names including popular French surnames in the US and France, with origins, meanings, and popularity (Page 8)