Boy names from French Literature

Joseph

Hebrew

"Jehovah increases"

Joseph is one of the most classic names in American nomenclature, popular with parents from many ethnic backgrounds and having dual-religious appeal. The warm and friendly nickname Joe is the…

Christian

Greek or English from Latin

"anointed one or follower of Christ"

The name Christian has fallen a bit from its 90's and 00's heights, but it's still quite popular. Once considered overly pious, Christian is now seen as making a bold statement of faith by some,…

Felix

Latin

"happy, fortunate"

Felix is one of those ancient but nontraditional names for boys that have come into favor over the past few decades, a favorite of parents who want a masculine name with history and heft that breaks…

Colin

Diminutive of Nicholas or Irish and Scottish

"people of victory; pup"

Thanks to its dashing Anglo-Irish image — due partly to Colins Firth and Farrell — and its C-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin and its cousin Collin have enjoyed a long run of popularity, reaching…

Cesar

Latin

"head of hair"

Cesar is the sleeker version of Caesar, as in emperor Julius, used in the US most frequently by Hispanic parents who put the emphasis on the second syllable. With ancient Roman names back in vogue,…

Roland

German

"famous throughout the land"

Roland is a chivalrous old name made famous by the supposedly eight-foot-tall romantic hero and nephew of Charlemagne, celebrated in medieval poetry and song. It is more widely heard in the US now in…

Julien

French from Latin

"youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"

Julien is the handsome French form of Julian, which derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis , meaning "youthfu"; Greek…

Claude

French from Latin

"lame; enclosure"

Claude is a soft-spoken French name that conjures up the pastel colors of Monet and harmonies of Debussy. In France, it is used for girls as well, in fact in the Tracy Chevalier novel Lady and the…

Lucien

French form of Lucian

"light"

Sophisticated Gallic version of Lucian, Lucien may appeal to parents attracted to this meaning over that of Lucas and Luke, which have a different root, and also looking for a more unusual choice.…

Jacques

French variation of James and Jacob

"supplanter"

Regal and ancient feeling, Jacques has been declining in popularity in its native France, but in the UK, it saw a surprising revival in 2022. Jumping from somewhere around the #2500 mark straight to…

Octave

French form of Octavius, Latin, or English word name

"eighth; musical and poetry term"

Octave shortens Octavius to a more manageable length, keeping the "eighth" meaning. In English speaking countries, however, people could easily confuse this with the musical and poetrry term octave .…

Marius

Latin, from a Roman family name related to Mars, the god of war

Marius, frequently heard in Germany and France, is a slightly fusty yet accessible name that has (Les Mis) to Anne Rice. With the rise in interest in such Latin names as Maximus and Atticus, Marius…

Edmond

English

"wealthy protector"

The sophisticated Edmond and its nearly-identical twin Edmund are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. Parents looking for an alternative might…

Gil

Hebrew

"happiness"

Pronounced zheel, it's a dashing conquistador; as gill, it's the nice and slightly boring guy down the street.

Landry

French and English

"ruler or king of the land"

St. Landry was a seventh century bishop of Paris, founder of the city's first hospital, though in the US, it may be better connected with legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, an association…

Abelard

German

"noble, steadfast"

Abelard brings to mind Peter/Pierre Abelard, the great twelfth century Breton scholastic philosopher and theologian, who was equally celebrated for his tragic love affair with Heloise--one of the…

Aramis

French literary name

One of Dumas' swashbuckling Three Musketeers, now better known as a men's cologne.

Candide

French from Latin

"naive"

French saintly name, used for both boys and girls. Although not common in France, it has been used in small numbers for boys in the 2010s and 2020s. Candide, in its sense as the French word for…