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220+ French Cat Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

  1. Mercer

    • Origin:

      French occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "a merchant"

    • Description:

      Mercer is an attractive possibility which is an occupational name that doesn't sound like one. Mercer and its cool, sophisticated short form Merce project a super creative image via their artistic namesakes.
  2. Pomeline

    • Origin:

      French, related to "apple"

    • Meaning:

      "apple"

    • Description:

      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.
  3. Valentin

    • Origin:

      French, German, Russian, Czech, Scandinavian variation of Valentine

    • Meaning:

      "strength, health"

    • Description:

      Romantic name used throughout Europe, though sure to lead to pronunciation problems here. Though it's never been too widely used in the US, it's quite popular in Switzerland, France, Austria, and Romania.
  4. Antoine

    • Origin:

      French variation of Anthony

    • Meaning:

      "priceless one"

    • Description:

      Antoine is a venerable French name that is still stylish in its native habitat, where it is in the Top 30. In the US, it was most popular in the 1970s and '80s, reaching Number 262 in 1985.
  5. Yvette

    • Origin:

      French, feminine of Yves

    • Meaning:

      "yew tree"

    • Description:

      This French name has the elegance of other '-ette' names such as Colette and is a botanical name without being too obvious about it.
  6. Ila

    • Origin:

      Scottish, Hindi, Hungarian, Finnish

    • Meaning:

      "from the island; earth, sacred speech; shining light; joy"

    • Description:

      A simple name that's rising fast in the US, likely inspired by the popularity of Isla and Ayla. This streamlined form might appeal to those who like Ana, Ivy, and Ada, and it brings a multicultural element to the name.
  7. Ciel

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "sky"

    • Description:

      This simple yet evocative French word name was chosen for her daughter by model Niki Taylor. While Ciel may be pronounced in French with two syllables, many will pronounce it as "seal" and there may be confusion with Celia and sister Ceil.
  8. Marianne

    • Origin:

      French combination of Marie and Anne

    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + grace"

    • Description:

      A midcentury Catholic classic that's not chosen by many parents today. Leonard Cohen fans might think of the beautiful song So Long, Marianne, named for his lover and muse Marianne Ihlen.
  9. Andre

    • Origin:

      French and Portuguese variation of Andrew

    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"

    • Description:

      Andre is one of the international forms of Andrew that has been familiar in the English-speaking world for decades without any need to be overly Anglicized - though round the world, it is more likely to be written as André.
  10. Luis

    • Origin:

      Spanish variation of Louis

    • Meaning:

      "renowned warrior"

    • Description:

      Luis has long been one of the most popular Hispanic names in America — it was in the Top 100 every year from 1980 to 2014, though it's dropped a bit in popularity. It's familiar, yet would add a worldly touch to a basic surname.
  11. Lune

    • Description:

      Lune is a delicate feminine name derived from the French word for 'moon.' With Latin origins in 'luna,' this name carries celestial associations and evokes images of moonlight and nighttime serenity. Though rare in English-speaking countries, Lune has occasional usage in France and among parents drawn to French-inspired names. The name's single-syllable simplicity belies its rich poetic qualities and mythological connections—the moon being associated with feminine energy in many cultures. Lune offers a subtle alternative to the more common Luna while maintaining the same ethereal qualities. Its brevity, elegant sound, and meaningful connection to the night sky make it appealing for parents seeking something both simple and evocative.

  12. Remi

    • Origin:

      French, variation of Remy

    • Meaning:

      "oarsman"

    • Description:

      Makes the jaunty Remy a little more nicknamey and feminine. Remi is on the rise for both girls and boys, having entered the Top 1000 for boys in 2019.
  13. Jolie

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "pretty"

    • Description:

      Jolie is as pretty as its literal meaning; nowadays it is also seen as a girls’ name, via Angelina for whom Jolie was originally her middle name.
  14. Chandler

    • Origin:

      English from French occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "candle maker"

    • Description:

      For a generation, this name will always be linked to 1990s hit TV series Friends. Whether this is a positive or a negative will depend on your fondness for the show, and character Chandler Bing, but this name deserves consideration beyond these connotations: Chandler is a fresh take on the professional surname names.
  15. Blanche

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "white"

    • Description:

      Blanche, which originated as a nickname for a pale blonde and then became associated with the notion of purity, was in style a century ago, ranking in the double digits until 1920. She then had to fight the stereotype of faded Southern belle, a la Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and Blanche Devereaux in TV's Golden Girls. Now all three of the Golden Girls--Blanche, Rose and Dorothy--could be ready for revival, with Blanche sounding like a stronger, simpler alternative to Bianca.
  16. Geneva

    • Origin:

      Swiss place-name or French

    • Meaning:

      "juniper tree"

    • Description:

      Unlike its somewhat formal Swiss city namesake, this is a lively and appealing place-name that also has a real history as a female name.
  17. Florin

    • Origin:

      French and Romanian

    • Meaning:

      "flower; flourishing"

    • Description:

      Florin is one of the legion of names derived from the root word for flower, most of them like Flora and Florence used for girls. But the boys' form Florin is among the popular French names for boys, along with sister name Fleur for girls. There was a ninth century Swiss St. Florin. The related Florian was the name of a second century Roman saint.
  18. Leroy

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "the king"

    • Description:

      Leroy's heyday was in the early twentieth century, when it was in the US Top 100 until 1949. As a result, it's now more frequently seen as a father or grandfather name. Nevertheless, it remains in the latter end of the US Top 1000, perhaps passed down from father to son, or similar enough to popular Levi that it still appeals.
  19. Lilou

    • Origin:

      Occitan pet form of French Liliane

    • Meaning:

      "lily"

    • Description:

      Lilou is a charming, rarely heard import. Occitan is a language spoken in Provence, in the south of France, in which the suffix "ou" denotes a pet form — thus, Lilou as a short form of Liliane or its Occitan form Liliana or Liliano. Its popularity in France--where it's currently Number 12--can be traced to the 1997 film The Fifth Element.
  20. Helene

    • Origin:

      French variation of Helen

    • Meaning:

      "bright, shining one"

    • Description:

      Whether it's pronounced with an "een" or an "aine" or an "enn" sound at the end, Helene doesn't feel as current the more forthright Helen or the airier Helena. Helene reached a high of Number 228 in the US in 1916, when ene, ine and een names were all the fashion, and stayed in the Top 500 until 1962, making a final exit in 1970. It still ranks well in its native France, and even more in Norway (#70). Model Heidi Klum's daughter 'Leni' has Helene on her birth certificate.