Rare French Boy Names

Phinée

French variation of Phineus or Phineas, Greek, Egyptian

"vulture; Nubian"

With a hint of nickname-y charm but plenty of sophistication, Phinée is a French form of the Biblical Phineas, usually interpreted to mean "Nubian" from its Egyptian roots, or from the Ancient Greek…

Elzéar

French, from Hebrew

"God helps"

A rarer form of Éléazar, the French form of the Biblical name Eleazar. Cutting off one syllable may make Elzéar seem a bit more down-to-earth than its more common variants. Some bearers of this name…

Éloi

French, from the Latin Eligius

"the chosen"

While the Eloi spelling has traditionally been more common, Éloi has recently made appearances in the French Top 500. Its stylish El- beginning and softer sound make it an attractive choice for a…

Alain

French, variation of Alan

Alain gives the midcentury Alan a bit of gallic dash.

Josselin

French, German

"member of the Gauts tribe"

While the Jocelyn spelling has largely shifted into girl name territory in English speaking countries, in France, it remains a masculine option, albeit a slightly dated one, having fallen out of the…

Geraud

French form of Gerard, German

"spear strength"

Geraud, as with many French variations of familiar names, makes the somewhat old-fashioned Gerard sound fresh and dashing. It's pronounced as if it ended with o, another trendy factor, though many…

Amaury

French form of Amalric

"work power"

Friendlier french form of ancient Germanic royal name Amalric or Emmerich.

Anatole

Greek

"from the east, rising sun"

Anatole is one of the unique boys' names with an unusual-ish feel but an uncertain provenance, with a meaning related to sunrise and thus to fire. While it's Greek in origin, it is associated more…