User-created list
Awesome French Names
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Lydie
Lydie is a feminine name with French origins, representing the French form of Lydia. The name traces back to ancient times, derived from the historic region of Lydia in Asia Minor (modern Turkey).…
Maëlle
Maëlys
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…
Manon
French, diminutive of Marie
"bitter"
Manon is an endearing French pet name for Marie or Marianne; it has the international yet straightforward feel that makes it a viable import. Manon of the Spring was a gorgeous French film, Manon…
Marc
French, Welsh and Catalan variation of Mark
Designer (as in Marc Jacobs) form of Mark. An international classic, but long falling in popularity as a boys' name.
Marguerite
French variation of Margaret; also a flower name
"pearl; daisy"
Marguerite is a classic French name with a remnant of old-fashioned Gallic charm; and is also a variety of daisy. Chic again in Paris, it's definitely ripe for revival here. Another reason you might…
Mari
Variation of Maria or Mary, Basque, Japanese
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved; gift, mother; truth, genuine, villlage"
Mari enjoyed some mid-century popularity as a nicknameish version of Mary, but now deserves a second look as a multicultural classic. Popular in Norway and Armenia as a variation of Marie, it is also…
Marianne
French combination of Marie and Anne
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved + grace"
A midcentury Catholic classic that's not chosen by many parents today. Leonard Cohen fans might think of the beautiful song So Long, Marianne , named for his lover and muse Marianne Ihlen. The…
Mariette
French diminutive of Marie
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
A less-popular alternative to Juliette, perhaps – although it feels rather more dated. The meaning of Marie is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam…
Marilène
Marion
English and French diminutive of Marie
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
An underused classic that has proved surprisingly unisex over the last few decades, being given to roughly the same number of baby girls and boys in the US from the 1970s to the 2000s. For a girl,…
Marlène
Martine
French
"warlike"
Sleek and sophisticated.
Mathilde
French; Norwegian; Danish; Dutch; German, variation of Matilda
"battle-mighty"
Mathilde is even more popular in France than Matilda, a hipster favorite thanks to Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger, is here. And the French pronunciation, while confusing to English speakers,…
Maximilien
French, from Latin
"greatest"
Like Maximilian, but with an attractive French twist.
Mélanie
Mélanie is the French form of Melanie, derived from the Greek name Melania, meaning 'black' or 'dark.' With its elegant accent mark, Mélanie carries a distinctly French sophistication while…
Mélisande
French, from Greek
"honeybee"
Romantique French name invoking Debussy's haunting score for the opera Pelléas and Mélisande.
Mélissa
Mélissa is the French form of Melissa, a name derived from the Greek word 'melissa' meaning 'honeybee.' In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who discovered and taught the use of honey, and the…
Mickaël