French Word Names
- Boheme
Origin:
French word nameDescription:
"Girls Gone Child" blogger Rebecca Woolf made Boheme a first name when she gave it to one of her twin daughters (the other one's name is Reverie). La Boheme -- "The Bohemian" -- is a Puccini opera that was transmogrified into the modern play Rent. Boheme means a literary or artistic person who lives outside conventional society.
- Reine
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"queen"Description:
This regal French name is a descendant of the Latin Regina, as is the Spanish Reina. Reine is also a male name in Scandinavia.
- Basile
Origin:
French variation of BasilMeaning:
"regal"Description:
Herby and aristocratic Basil remains a tough sell, but we’d like to introduce you to Basile, the delightful French version. It retains all of Basil’s charm, but sheds some of the pesto linkage.
- Bleu
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"blue"Description:
The middle name of the Travoltas' Ella, this French color alternative hasn't caught on with many other parents.
- Victoire
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"victory"Description:
Adds French flair to Victoria, though many Americans would find pronunciation a challenge.
- Avril
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"April"Description:
The French Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne put the spotlight on this name when she made the charts with "Sk8er Boi". It is simply the French form of April, the fourth month of the year, whose name might derive from the Latin aperire meaning "to open" in reference to the start of spring in the Northern hemisphere. Other sources suggest it comes from the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite.
- Solaire
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"solar"Description:
An intriguing French word and surname, Solaire has a hint of aristocratic ruggedness and plenty of flair. Translating to "solar", it is unlikely to be used within France itself, however, it has seen usage with the Francophone Democratic Republic of Congo, and in the US where it was given to 12 boys and 5 girls in 2023. It was also used for a character in the video game Dark Souls.
- Miel
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"honey"Description:
A sweet way—literally—to honor a Melissa or a Pamela.
- Lune
- Cherie
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"darling"Description:
The kind of French name that seemed daring -- and darling -- in the sixties.
- Ambre
Origin:
French variation of Amber, English word nameDescription:
In the US Amber is stuck in the '80s, while Ambre is a fresh choice in France.
- Bluette
Origin:
French, English, ItalianMeaning:
"little spark; a short, witty play, book, or piece of music; shade of blue"Description:
A word name in several languages, Bluette is an arty sounding and colorful name. In French, it comes from beluette, translating to "little spark". It can then refer to a brief flash, a trace of something, an unimportant thing, or a short, straight forward novel. In Italian, it is a shade of blue, somewhere between electric and sky blue, while in English, it is occasionally used to refer to a book, a play, or a piece of music that is short, but witty and brilliant.
- Miette
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"crumb"Description:
Originally used as a diminutive of Marguerite, this French term of endearment is super-rare as a given name in France, but could make for a sweet alternative to Mia in English-speaking countries. A variation is Mietta.
- Pomme
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"apple"Description:
Une amie for Gwyneth's little girl.
- Lumière
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"light"Description:
Innovative French word name, suggesting illumination and clarity.
- Terre
Origin:
French word nameMeaning:
"earth"Description:
An intriguing but challenging choice, because of possible confusion with all the Terry-type names.
- Aurore
- Solitaire
Origin:
French, EnglishMeaning:
"solitary, alone; a single jewel in a piece of jewelry"Description:
Derived from the French word for "alone", Solitaire could have potential as a bold word name, thanks to its use on a character in the James Bond franchise and its similarity to the names Sol, Blair, and Adair. While some may be put off by the potential loneliness in the meaning, others might associate it with independence instead.
- Etoile
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"star"Description:
This French word for star sounds like even more of a celebrity-worthy choice than Star or Esther or Estella or Stella. But count on English speakers who never took high school French to stumble over the pronunciation.
- Baptiste
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"baptist"Description:
Traditionally used by the ultrareligious, the French boys' name Baptiste comes from the Greek word meaning "to dip". Baptiste is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France.