International Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
French form of Millicent, German
"strong in work"
This old-time fairy tale name is rarely heard in the modern English-speaking world, but it's so, well, mellifluous, that it would make a lovely choice for a twenty-first century girl--a romanticized…
French
"wonderful, miraculous"
The grandiose name of a French revolutionary – in full: Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau. Mirabeau likely derives from Latin mirabilis , making it a masculine cousin of Mirabelle.
French and English, diminutive of Ottolie
"prospers in battle"
Curiously appealing, in a hoop-skirted, wasp-waisted way, Ottoline has recently entered the realm of modern possibility, especially since Sienna Miller chose it as the middle name of her daughter…
Feminine variation of Perry or Peter, English or Greek
"dweller near a pear tree or rock, stone"
Five girls were given the name Perrine last year. Other feminine Perry or Peter alternatives are Perrin, Perry, or even Petra.
French feminine variation of Petronius, Latin
"yokel, woodpecker, stone"
So many names sound better with a French accent, and Petronille is one of them: it feels unusual in an elegant way. Usually spelled as Pétronille, it is derived from the Latin Petronius, possibly…
French surname
"sparrow"
Possible musical tribute name to the waiflike, husky-voiced midcentury French singer who was given this last name because of her birdlike quality.
French, related to "apple"
"apple"
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.
Fruit name
Prune is a fruit name loved by the French, for whom it's a Plum equivalent. In the U.S., Plum works, but Prune is not a name we'd want to inflict on a child. Prunella is slightly more plausible.
"a Roman"
The feminine version of the newly-stylish Roman -- and the longer form of the also-newly-stylish Romy -- would make a girls' choice that achieves that near-impossible balance of being both original…
French variation of Alexandra, Greek
"defending men"
Sophisticated French choice. Or toxic petrochemical, as Ross on Friends famously joked when Rachel suggested it for their fictional daughter.
French, feminine variation of Severus; Latin
"stern"
This long-popular name in France sounds fresh, elegant and unusual here. Severine is the name of the most recent gorgeous James Bond Girl in the film Skyfall . Students of film history will associate…
Feminine variation of Zephyr, Greek
"west wind"
Zephyr may not be a name often heard in the U.S., but its variations are used throughout Europe. Zephyrine, a cousin in sound and feel if not in fact to such lovely names as Severine and Seraphina,…
Feminine form of Gwenaël, French, Breton
"blessed and generous"
Also spelled Gwénaëlle and Gwenaelle (outside of France), Gwenaëlle is the feminine form of Gwenaël, made up of the elements gwenn meaning blessed, and hael meaning "generous". While it fell out of…
French form of Fiammetta, Italiam
"little flame"
Used by composer Xavier Leroux in his 1903 opera, La reine Fiammette , this fiery name is the French form of Fiammetta, itself an artistic variant of the Italian Fiamma.
French form of Maxellendis, Saint name
"greatest"
A rare saint's name, Maxellende was a 7th-century martyr, associated with the French Catholic church. She is invoked to cure eye diseases and is more generally the patron saint of the visually…
Variation of Maxellende, French
A sleek, more elaborate alternative to Maxine, Maxeline is a rare name of French origin, derived from the saintly name Maxellende. St. Maxellende is the patron saint of the visually impaired and…
French, English, Italian
"little spark; a short, witty play, book, or piece of music; shade of blue"
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…
Combination of Lys and Anne, French
"lily + grace; pledged to God + grace"
Popular in France in the mid-20th-century, Lysiane is a sweet but sharp compound name blending the French Lys and the classic Anne. The name has a double meaning because Lys is both a short form of…
French form of Hosanna, Hebrew
"praise the Lord; deliver us"
Also spelled Osanne, Ozanne is a French form of Hosanna, the exclamation given by those around Jesus when he first entered Jerusalem in the New Testament. It was notably born by Ozanne-Anne Achon,…
Also spelled as Ozanne, this is the French form of Hosanna, the exclamation given by those around Jesus when he first entered Jerusalem in the New Testament. Ozana and Osanna are the Romanian and…
