Classsic french names for boys

Lucas

Latin form of Luke

"man from Lucania"

Lucas is a Top 10 boys' name with a slightly-less-popular almost-identical twin brother, Luke. Like Elijah and Elias, Lucas and Luke come from the same root and have the same meaning and so feel even…

Thomas

Aramaic

"twin"

A solid classic with plenty of history, Thomas strikes the balance between strength and gentleness. A favorite in the UK, a staple in France, and Australia, and never absent from the US Top 100,…

Arthur

Celtic

" bear"

Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals.…

Nicolas

French and Spanish variation of Nicholas, Greek

"people of victory"

Nicolas is the French and Spanish form, or streamlined spelling, of Nicholas, popularized by actor Nicolas Cage. Nicolas has been consistently on the charts since Social Security began releasing…

Victor

Latin

"conqueror"

Victor is one of the earliest Christian names, borne (as Vittorio) by several saints and popes, symbolizing Christ's victory over death. It has been quietly in the Top 200 since 1880, but just…

Oscar

English or Irish

"God spear, or deer-lover or champion warrior"

Oscar is one of the most stylish Old Man Names of our era. While it's softened slightly in popularity over the past 20 years, that may be considered a very good thing. In the nineties and the…

Louis

French, German

"renowned warrior"

Kate and William shocked the world when they announced that they'd named their third child Louis, or Prince Louis Arthur Charles, to be more precise. But we've been predicting a comeback for this…

Paul

Latin

"small"

Paul is an ancient name for boys -- popular in Roman and medieval times -- that's not very fashionable now, which can work in its favor, scarcity balancing simplicity. To the thousands of girls who…

Valentin

French, German, Russian, Czech, Scandinavian variation of Valentine

"strength, health"

Romantic name used throughout Europe, though sure to lead to pronunciation problems here. Though it's never been too widely used in the US, it's quite popular in Switzerland, France, Austria, and…

Adrien

French variation of Adrian, Latin

"man of Adria"

This spelling variation of Adrian was popular in France and Belgium during the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, peaking in 1991 when it reached the Top 20 in France. While it has since declined in use, it…

Augustin

Greek variation of August

This form and its German variant Augusten are moving up fast as the preferred long forms of the trendy Gus.

Gabin

French form of the Latin Gabinus

"of Gabium"

Fans of the classic French film actor Jean Gabin might want to consider this one. Gabin is also a harmonica-playing character in the manga and anime series "Mirmo!"

Jules

French form of Julius, Latin

"youthful; soft, downy; sky father"

Though Jules hasn't been on the US popularity list in fifty years, it remains a hit in its native France where it's currently in the Top 10 — and has been in the Top 500 nearly every year since the…

Mathieu

Mathieu is the French form of Matthew, a masculine name with biblical origins derived from the Hebrew name Mattityahu, meaning 'gift of God' or 'gift from Yahweh.' This elegant French spelling…

Maxime

French variation of Maximus

Common in France, but could be confused with the feminine Maxine here.

Pierre

French variation of Peter

"rock, stone"

One of the most familiar — if not stereotypical — Gallic names. Pierre was a Top 5 name in France from the 19th century through 1940 and is now on a steady decline in its native land. In the US,…

Thibault

French from German

"courageous people"

Pronounced TEE-bow, this version, which is also a very common surname in France, has a lot more charm than the name it derives from — Theobald. A variant spelling is Thibaut. Trivia tidbit:…

Antoine

French variation of Anthony

"priceless one"

Antoine is a venerable French name that is still stylish in its native habitat, where it is in the Top 30. In the US, it was most popular in the 1970s and '80s, reaching Number 262 in 1985. There…