User-created list
Prenoms Francais que J'adore
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Camelia
Romanian and Spanish form of Camellia
"camellia flower"
A floral name, used in Romania and popular in Moldova too. Camellia is the English form, while Camélia is used in France. The flower itself is named after botanist George Josef Kamel.
Coralie
French from Latin
"coral"
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:…
Dalila
Arabic
"guide"
Names that sound and/or are spelled like Dalila exist in several languages, from the Swahili Dalili to the Arabic Dalil to the Hebrew Delilah. A beautiful cross-cultural choice.
Desiree
French
"desired, wished"
One of the original French names chosen by midcentury parents for their sophistication and je ne sais quoi , Desiree has since become completely assimilated in the US. It ranked in the Top 1000 from…
Dorothee
Dorothee is a French variation of Dorothy, which originated from the Greek name Dorothea meaning 'gift of God' (from 'doron' meaning gift and 'theos' meaning God). This elegant spelling maintains the…
Eugenie
French form of Eugenia, Greek
"wellborn, noble"
Eugenie enjoyed a major dusting off when Fergie and Prince Andrew chose it for their daughter, restoring a patina of royal sheen it hadn't had since the time of Napoleon III's glamorous empress--who…
Evelyne
Variation of Evelyn, English from French and German,"desired; or water, island"
"desired; or water, island"
Evelyn is becoming so popular that many variations are sure to become more widely used too. But in this case, the third E doesn't add anything and only confuses pronunciation: Is it Eveline?
Fleur
French
"flower"
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…
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…
Jeanne
French variation of Jean
"God is gracious"
Pronounced just like Jean in the English-speaking world, but as the more unusual zhahn in France, this has sailed away with the first wave of French favorites: Denise, Michelle, et soeurs.
Lilou
Occitan pet form of French Liliane, or French compound of Lili and Louise
"lily; lily + renowned warrior"
Sweet, enchanting Lilou is considered both a pet name from the Occitan language (spoken in Provence in the south of France), and a compound name, blending floral Lili with classic Louise. It peaked…
Maelle
French or Breton
"chief or prince"
This feminine form of Mael has the distinctive "aelle" ending found in Brittany. In the French spelling Maëlle, it is a Top 100 girls' name in France.
Maelys
French or Breton
"chief or prince"
Another feminine form of the old saint's name Mael. Spelled Maëlys, it is a very popular name in France today.
Maeva
Tahitian
"welcome"
Though it sounds like a variation of the Irish Maeve, Maeva actually hails from Tahiti, and is currently enjoying a wave of popularity in France, where it ranks in the Top 100, possibly via popular…
Noemie
Noemie is the French variation of Naomi, a name with Hebrew origins meaning 'pleasantness' or 'delightfulness.' In the Bible, Naomi was the mother-in-law of Ruth and a figure of loyalty and…
Oceane
French
"ocean"
Oceane (oh-see-EN) has been one of the chicest names in France for several years, ranking in the French Top 50. This is a sophisticated name that could easily cross the ocean, and is much more…
Seraphine
French from Hebrew
"burning ones"
Seraphine is the Gallic version of the angelic name Seraphina. But while Seraphina has been rising rapidly since Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their second daughter, Seraphine has been…
Zelie
French
"noble"
A cute, zippy French saint's name that's picking up in popularity there, and starting to in the US as well. Zélie originated as a short form of Azélie, thought to derive from Adelaide via the Occitan…
Guenievre
Hyacinthe
Hyacinthe is a feminine name with Greek origins, derived from the name of the purple-blue flower called hyacinth. In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was a beautiful youth beloved by Apollo. The feminine…