User-created list
Unusual French names actually used in France
Across 2 pages
of 2
About this list
The names
Gael
Breton
"Gaelic"
This cross-cultural name, found in Wales, Brittany, and Spain, is a surprise star in the U.S in recent years, largely thanks to actor Gael Garcia Bernal. Also written as Gaël, it's a popular choice…
Aglae
Aymeric
Blandine
Clotilde
Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese
"famous in battle"
A romantic rarity, derived from the Old German name Chlotichilda, meaning "famous in battle." Saint Clotilde was a Frankish queen, wife of Clovis I, who played a role in the spread of Christianity.
Clovis
Teutonic, French, early form of Ludwig or Louis
An aromatic, unconventional name.
Colombe
Colombe is a delicate French feminine name meaning 'dove,' symbolizing peace, purity, and gentleness. Derived from the Latin 'columba,' this name has been used in France since medieval times, often…
Constance
English version of Latin Constantia
"steadfastness"
Constance is one of the more subtle of the virtue baby names , but still has quite a prim and proper image. One impediment to its revival has been the decidedly dated nickname Connie, though modern…
Celestine
Latin
"heavenly"
Celestine is a pretty, crystalline extension (actually a diminutive) of Celeste that would make a choice that is both delicate and strong. It is also a popular name in France, though typically…
Eglantine
French and English botanical name
"sweetbriar"
This name for the sweetbriar shrub is a bit too reminiscent of eggplant, but it does have literary creds, having appeared in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales . The French form Églantine appeared in the…
Eulalie
French form of Eulalia, Greek
"sweetly speaking"
Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia. "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name…
Enguerrand
Felicie
Felicie is a charming feminine name of French origin, serving as a variation of Felicity. Derived from the Latin 'felicitas' meaning happiness or good fortune, it carries the beautiful meaning of…
Ghislaine
French from German
"pledge"
Ghislaine still sounds unusual to us, even though in France this name is dated. It can also be spelled Ghislain. In the US, it is best known through association to Ghislaine Maxwell, the…
Heloise
French from German
"healthy; wide"
Heloise is an ancient name related to sleek, peppy classic Eloise. Both ultimately derive from the Germanic name Helewidis, which became Helewis in medieval England. In the twelfth century, the name…
Hilaire
French from Latin
"cheerful"
Hilaire, a name that has rarely been exported out of its native France, was originally bestowed in honor of the fourth century bishop and theologian St. Hilaire of Poitiers.
Honorine
French from Latin
"honor"
The pure, simple HONOR--as chosen by Jessica Alba, is perfect as it is. It does have some literary cred though--Henry James created a character called Honorine for his novel The Tragic Muse.
Hortense
Latin
"of the garden"
Hortense is actually the French feminine form of Hortensia, the name of a strong, politically active early Roman woman. Hortense began to be used in the English-speaking world in the nineteenth…
Isaure
Isaure is a feminine French name with ancient origins, possibly derived from the name Isaura, which referred to someone from Isauria, a region in ancient Asia Minor (now part of Turkey). The name has…
Isolde
Welsh, German
"ice ruler"
Sleek, sharp, and soulful, Isolde is the German form of Iseult, the fabled lover of Tristan in the Arthurian romances. First appearing in the 12th-century, the name was fairly popular in the form of…