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My Favorite Name Origins - French

  1. Amelie

    • Origin:

      French variation of Amelia

    • Meaning:

      "work"

    • Description:

      Emily gets a Bohemian spin and a French accent when it becomes Amelie. This favorite among French girl names has been gaining notice here thanks to the charming 2001 French film Amelie; it entered the American popularity list in 2002 and is now solidly established in the Top 1000.
  2. Ansel

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "with divine protection"

    • Description:

      Ansel, primarily associated with the great western photographer Ansel Adams, famed for his magnificent photographs of the Yosemite Valley, could make a creative artist-hero choice. For Adams it was a family name – he was named after his uncle, Ansel Easton. And, in turn, Adams was the namesake of young heartthrob Ansel Elgort, son of a photographer.
  3. Adeleine
    • Baron

      • Origin:

        English word name

      • Meaning:

        "a lord of the realm"

      • Description:

        If you're going to choose a noble word name, why not aim higher and pick Duke, Prince...or King. The Donald Trumps picked the Barron spelling for their little princeling.
    • Bellamy

      • Origin:

        English and Irish from French

      • Meaning:

        "fine friend"

      • Description:

        Bellamy is emerging as an up-and-coming girls' name, an Irish surname-y riff on the super-popular Bella series of names. While the Bella connection makes Bellamy sound a little trendier and more popular than it really is, we see the name possibly rising through the ranks for both genders in the coming years.
    • Belle

      • Origin:

        Short form of Isabelle or French

      • Meaning:

        "beautiful"

      • Description:

        Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of the most familiar and usable names that mean beautiful. Though it has been overshadowed by the Twilight-influenced Bella and longer forms like Isabella and Annabella, Belle has its own Southern charm and would make a pretty choice as a first or middle name.
    • Charlotte

      • Origin:

        French, feminine diminutive of Charles

      • Meaning:

        "free man"

      • Description:

        Charlotte, the name of the young Princess of Cambridge, is the latest classic name to join Sophia, Emma, Olivia, and Isabella at the top of the popularity list. It is now among the most popular girl names in many English-speaking and European countries.
    • Colette

      • Origin:

        French, short form of Nicole, feminine variation of Nicholas, Greek

      • Meaning:

        "people of victory"

      • Description:

        Like the French author with whom the name is most closely associated, Colette is a chic and charming name that is being rediscovered. After disappearing for nearly 30 years, Colette rejoined the Top 1000 in 2012 at Number 659 and has continued to rise since then.
    • Coralie

      • Origin:

        French from Latin

      • Meaning:

        "coral"

      • Description:

        Coralie is a French name not often heard here, though she's gaining some recognition via Neil Gaiman's similar sounding spooky and lovely children's book, Coraline. Other literary appearances: Coralie is the stage name of an actress in Balzac's Lost Illusions, and a French girl in an 1850 Thackeray novel.

        Coralie is currently very popular in French-speaking Quebec, and there is a contemporary French singer named Coralie Clement.

    • Cosette

      • Origin:

        French literary nickname

      • Meaning:

        "little thing"

      • Description:

        Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables. In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some etymologists believe it's a spin on Colette, originally a female short form of Nicolas.
    • Elodie

      • Origin:

        French, variation of Alodia, German

      • Meaning:

        "foreign riches"

      • Description:

        The lyrical and melodious Elodie, a Nameberry favorite, is starting to rise through the US popularity charts for the first time since the 1880s. It's a uncommon member of the trending El- family of names, which includes Ella, Eloise, and Eleanor.
    • Esme

      • Origin:

        French

      • Meaning:

        "beloved"

      • Description:

        Esmé comes from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer, meaing "to esteem" or "to love." It can also be considered a derivative of the Spanish name Esmeralda, which means "emerald".
    • Estee

      • Description:

        Estée is a feminine name with French origins, most famously associated with cosmetics entrepreneur Estée Lauder, whose birth name was actually Josephine Esther Mentzer. The name is believed to be a stylized form of Esther, a biblical name meaning 'star' in Persian. Estée has an elegant, sophisticated quality with its French accent mark and simple, melodic sound. Though relatively uncommon as a given name, it carries associations of beauty, entrepreneurship, and luxury due to the Lauder connection. The name's brevity makes it distinctive yet accessible, combining classical roots with a modern, cosmopolitan feel. Estée provides a graceful alternative to more common names like Esther or Estelle.
    • Evonna

      • Description:

        Evonna is a feminine name that likely developed as a variant of names like Yvonne or Evonne, with roots in the Germanic name element "iv" meaning "yew" (a type of tree associated with eternity). This uncommon name has a soft, flowing quality with its three syllables and melodic sound. While never having achieved widespread popularity, Evonna occasionally appears in birth records throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, particularly in the United States. The name carries a subtle vintage charm while still feeling contemporary. Some may also see it as a creative variation of Eva or Evon. Its rarity makes it appealing to parents seeking a name that sounds familiar and feminine but isn't frequently encountered. The name has a certain elegance without being overly elaborate.

    • Fleur

      • Origin:

        French

      • Meaning:

        "flower"

      • Description:

        Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur Delacour, a French witch and the Beauxbatons champion for the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter.
    • Granger

      • Origin:

        English and French surname

      • Meaning:

        "worker of the granary; farmer"

      • Description:

        If you're seeking a solid but underused occupational name with a warm, friendly sound, and an earthy feel, Granger is one to consider. Associated with faming, grain, and the outdoors, it fits in with the likes of Colton, Sawyer, and Cooper, with a hint of classic George about it too.
    • Joyelle
      • Leon

        • Origin:

          Greek variation of Leo

        • Meaning:

          "lion"

        • Description:

          Currently overshadowed by the bright and lively Leo, Leon feels a slightly more serious, more quietly confident than its short and trending counterpart.
      • Leona

        • Origin:

          Latin

        • Meaning:

          "lioness"

        • Description:

          A Top 100 name from 1896 to 1921, Leona reached as high as Number 72. Since then, Leona had seemed to be one of the most unfashionable of the pride of lion names, but singer Leona Lewis has done a lot to rejuvenate it. Leona returned to the Top 1000 in 2009 after decades of being away.
      • Liana

        • Origin:

          Short form of -liana names, Portuguese, Italian, Georgian, French

        • Meaning:

          "to climb like a vine"

        • Description:

          Liana is a pretty, graceful and simple name that doesn't fall flat. The name of a flowering tropical vine that grows in forests, it's an international gem that works well in multiple languages.
      • Lorraine

        • Origin:

          French

        • Meaning:

          "from the province of Lorraine"

        • Description:

          Sweet Lorraine might just be old enough to be ripe for reconsideration. This French place name has moved in and out of fashion in the few hundred years it's been used as a girls' first name, somewhat influenced by the alternative name of Joan of Arc--Saint Joan of Lorraine. It was quite popular from the 1920s to the fifties, but has pretty much been in limbo since then.
      • Louis

        • Origin:

          German and French

        • Meaning:

          "renowned warrior"

        • Description:

          Kate and William shocked the world when they announced that they'd named their third child Louis -- Prince Louis Arthur Charles, to be more precise. But we've been predicting a comeback for this classic name for a long time.
      • Luc

        • Origin:

          French

        • Meaning:

          "man from Lucania"

        • Description:

          Luc is the sleeker Gallic cousin of Luke, and if you want to know the difference between their pronunciations, just watch Kevin Kline's hilarious description in the film French Kiss. Peter Gabriel and Sean Patrick Thomas picked this version for their sons.
      • Marielle

        • Origin:

          Dutch and French diminutive of Mary

        • Meaning:

          "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"

        • Description:

          Mariel Hemingway made us aware of the more abbreviated spelling of this charming name, which dates back to the nineteenth century.
      • Mirabelle

        • Origin:

          French

        • Meaning:

          "marvelous"

        • Description:

          If you're looking for a fresher belle name than Isabelle, Mirabelle is lovely, and we also like the extra flourish of Mirabella. And if you want a nature tie, Mirabelle is also the name of a delicate French plum.
      • Noelle

        • Origin:

          French

        • Meaning:

          "Christmas"

        • Description:

          Noelle is the feminine variation of Noël, a masculine given name derived from the French word for "Christmas." As a word, Noël originated as a variant of nael, which evolved from the Latin natalis, meaning "birth." Noelle and Noel have traditionally been given to children born around Christmastime, particularly in the Middle ages.
      • Olivier

        • Origin:

          French

        • Meaning:

          "olive tree"

        • Description:

          More and more frequently heard as the Gallic version of Oliver, Olivier could be seen as a tribute to the great British actor, Sir Laurence O.
      • Remi

        • Origin:

          Variation of Remy, French

        • Meaning:

          "oarsman"

        • Description:

          Remi is an adorable name that's fashionable and keeps gaining momentum. Remi entered the US Top 1000 in 2013 and is now approaching the Top 100.