French word for names

If you’re on a quest for truly distinctive French names beyond Charlotte and Charles, we recommend looking toward French words for inspiration. International word names combine two of today’s coolest trends and can give your child a one-of-a-kind identity. Of course, you could also go with a classic French word name such as Belle or Beau, which both mean «pretty» or «beautiful.»

Along with Belle and Beau, other French word names in the US Top 1000 include Elle, Jolie, Maison, and Talon. In France, word names such as Ambre, Victoire, Baptiste, Basile, and Océane are among the top baby names.

We combed our own dictionnaires for French words that could make perfectly appropriate, attractive baby names. But no reason to stop here—consider words from the language of your own ethnic background, be it Czech or Chinese, and add them to the list of your personal possibilities.

Here, some French baby names fashioned from French words for your consideration:

Aaron m English, French, German, Finnish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אַהֲרֹן (‘Aharon), which is most likely of unknown Egyptian origin. Other theories claim a Hebrew derivation, and suggest meanings such as «high mountain» or «exalted». In the Old Testament this name is borne by the older brother of Moses. He acted as a spokesman for his brother when they appealed to the pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Aaron’s rod produced miracles and plagues to intimidate the pharaoh. After the departure from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, God installed Aaron as the first high priest of the Israelites and promised that his descendants would form the priesthood.… [more]

Abraham m English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Dutch, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Biblical, Biblical Latin
This name may be viewed either as meaning «father of many» in Hebrew or else as a contraction of Abram 1 and הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning «many, multitude». The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see Genesis 17:5). With his father Terah, he led his wife Sarah, his nephew Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son Ishmael.… [more]

Adélie f French
Elaborated form of Adèle. Adélie Land in Antarctica was named in 1840 by the French explorer Jules Dumont d’Urville in honour of his wife Adèle (who was sometimes called Adélie).

Aimé m French
From Old French Amé, the masculine form of Amée (see Amy).

Alan m English, Scottish, Breton, French
The meaning of this name is not known for certain. It was used in Brittany at least as early as the 6th century, and it possibly means either «little rock» or «handsome» in Breton. Alternatively, it may derive from the tribal name of the Alans, an Iranian people who migrated into Europe in the 4th and 5th centuries.… [more]

Alban m German, French, Albanian, English (Rare)
From the Roman cognomen Albanus, which meant «from Alba». Alba (from Latin albus «white») was the name of various places within the Roman Empire, including the city Alba Longa. This name was borne by Saint Alban, the first British martyr (4th century). According to tradition, he sheltered a fugitive priest in his house. When his house was searched, he disguised himself as the priest, was arrested in his stead, and was beheaded. Another 4th-century martyr by this name was Saint Alban of Mainz.… [more]

Albert m English, German, French, Catalan, Polish, Russian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Romanian, Hungarian, Germanic
From the Germanic name Adalbert meaning «noble and bright», composed of the elements adal «noble» and beraht «bright». This name was common among medieval German royalty. The Normans introduced it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Æþelbeorht. Though it became rare in England by the 17th century, it was repopularized in the 19th century by the German-born Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria.… [more]

Aldric m French (Rare), Germanic
From a Germanic name, derived from the elements alt «old» and rih «ruler, king». Saint Aldric was a 9th-century bishop of Le Mans.

Alexandre m French, Portuguese, Galician, Catalan
Form of Alexander in several languages. This name was borne by the 19th-century French author Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870), who wrote The Three Musketeers.

Alexandrine f French
French diminutive of Alexandra. This was the name of a Danish queen, the wife of King Christian X.

Alexis m & f French, English, Greek, Spanish, Ancient Greek
From the Greek name Ἄλεξις (Alexis) meaning «helper» or «defender», derived from Greek ἀλέξω (alexo) meaning «to defend, to help». This was the name of a 3rd-century BC Greek comic poet, and also of several saints. It is used somewhat interchangeably with the related name Ἀλέξιος or Alexius, borne by five Byzantine emperors. In the English-speaking world it is more commonly used as a feminine name.

Alfred m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Polish, Dutch
Means «elf counsel», derived from the Old English name Ælfræd, composed of the elements ælf «elf» and ræd «counsel, advice». Alfred the Great was a 9th-century king of Wessex who fought unceasingly against the Danes living in northeast England. He was also a scholar, and he translated many Latin books into Old English. His fame helped to ensure the usage of this name even after the Norman Conquest, when most Old English names were replaced by Norman ones. It became rare by the end of the Middle Ages, but was revived in the 18th century.… [more]

Alice f English, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Czech, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch
From the Old French name Aalis, a short form of Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name Adalheidis (see Adelaide). This name became popular in France and England in the 12th century. It was among the most common names in England until the 16th century, when it began to decline. It was revived in the 19th century.… [more]

Aline f French, Portuguese (Brazilian), English
Medieval short form of Adeline. As an English name, in modern times it has sometimes been regarded as a variant of Eileen. This was the name of a popular 1965 song by the French singer Christophe.

Alison f English, French
Norman French diminutive of Aalis (see Alice). It was common in England, Scotland and France in the Middle Ages, and was later revived in England in the 20th century via Scotland. Unlike most other English names ending in son, it is not derived from a surname.

Alix f & m French
Medieval French variant of Alice, also sometimes used as a masculine name. This is the name of the hero (a young Gaulish man) of a French comic book series, which debuted in 1948.

Anaëlle f French
Created in the 20th century, probably modelled on Breton names such as Gaëlle and Maëlle.

Anaïs f French
Possibly a French variant of Anahita. A famous bearer was the French writer Anaïs Nin (1903-1977), known for her diaries.

Ange m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Angelus (see Angel).

Anne 1 f French, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, German, Dutch, Basque
French form of Anna. It was imported to England in the 13th century, but it did not become popular until three centuries later. The spelling variant Ann was also commonly found from this period, and is still used to this day.… [more]

Annette f French, English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch
French diminutive of Anne 1. It has also been widely used in the English-speaking world, and it became popular in America in the late 1950s due to the fame of actress Annette Funicello (1942-2013).

Antoinette f French
Feminine diminutive of Antoine. This name was borne by Marie Antoinette, the queen of France during the French Revolution. She was executed by guillotine.

Antonin m French
French form of Antoninus. This name was borne by the French playwright Antonin Artaud (1896-1948).

Apollinaire m French (Rare)
French form of Apollinaris. It was adopted as a surname by the Polish-French poet Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918), who based it on his Polish middle name Apolinary.

Ariel m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means «lion of God» in Hebrew, from אֲרִי (‘ari) meaning «lion» and אֵל (‘el) meaning «God». In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare used it as the name of a spirit in his play The Tempest (1611), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film The Little Mermaid (1989).

Armel m Breton, French
Breton and French form of the Old Welsh name Arthmail, which was composed of the elements arth «bear» and mael «prince, chieftain». This was the name of a 6th-century Welsh saint who founded abbeys in Brittany.

Astrid f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, English
Modern Scandinavian form of Ástríðr. This name was borne by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), the author of Pippi Longstocking. It was also borne by a Swedish princess (1905-1935) who became the queen of Belgium as the wife of Leopold III.

Audrey f English, French
Medieval diminutive of Æðelþryð. This was the name of a 7th-century saint, a princess of East Anglia who founded a monastery at Ely. It was also borne by a character in Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It (1599). At the end of the Middle Ages the name became rare due to association with the word tawdry (which was derived from St. Audrey, the name of a fair where cheap lace was sold), but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).

Azélie f French (Rare)
Perhaps a form of Azalaïs. It was borne by Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877), also called Zélie, the mother of Thérèse of Lisieux.

Babylas m Late Greek, French (Rare)
Derived from the name of the ancient Mesopotamian city of Babylon. Saint Babylas was a 3rd-century patriarch of Antioch who was martyred during the reign of the Roman emperor Decius.

Baptiste m French
Means «baptist» in French, originally deriving from Greek βάπτω (bapto) meaning «to dip». This name is usually given in honour of Saint John the Baptist, and as such it is often paired with the name Jean.

Barbara f English, Italian, French, German, Polish, Hungarian, Slovene, Croatian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late Roman
Derived from Greek βάρβαρος (barbaros) meaning «foreign». According to legend, Saint Barbara was a young woman killed by her father Dioscorus, who was then killed by a bolt of lightning. She is the patron of architects, geologists, stonemasons and artillerymen. Because of her renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world in the Middle Ages. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, but it was revived in the 19th century.

Barbe f French
French form of Barbara. In modern times it is usually only used in reference to the saint, while Barbara is more common as a given name.

Benjamin m English, French, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name בִּנְיָמִין (Binyamin) meaning «son of the south» or «son of the right hand», from the roots בֵּן (ben) meaning «son» and יָמִין (yamin) meaning «right hand, south». Benjamin in the Old Testament was the twelfth and youngest son of Jacob and the founder of one of the southern tribes of the Hebrews. He was originally named בֶּן־אוֹנִי (Ben-‘oni) meaning «son of my sorrow» by his mother Rachel, who died shortly after childbirth, but it was later changed by his father (see Genesis 35:18).… [more]

Bernadette f French, English, German, Dutch
French feminine form of Bernard. Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879) was a young woman from Lourdes in France who claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary. She was declared a saint in 1933.

Bernard m English, French, Dutch, Polish, Croatian, Slovene, Czech, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element bern «bear» combined with hart «hard, firm, brave, hardy». The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Beornheard. This was the name of several saints, including Saint Bernard of Menthon who built hospices in the Swiss Alps in the 10th century, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, a 12th-century theologian and Doctor of the Church. Other famous bearers include the Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) and the British World War II field marshal Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976).

Bertrand m French, English, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements beraht meaning «bright» and rant meaning «rim (of a shield)». From an early date it has been confused with Bertram and the two names have merged to some degree. Saint Bertrand was an 11th-century bishop of Comminges in France. Another famous bearer was the English philosopher Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).

Blaise m French
From the Roman name Blasius, which was derived from Latin blaesus meaning «lisping». A famous bearer was the French mathematician and philosopher Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).

Blanche f French, English
From a medieval French nickname meaning «white, fair». This word and its cognates in other languages are ultimately derived from the Germanic word *blankaz. An early bearer was the 12th-century Blanca of Navarre, the wife of Sancho III of Castile. Her granddaughter of the same name married Louis VIII of France, with the result that the name became more common in France.

Blandine f French
French form of the Roman name Blandina, which was the feminine form of Blandinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen Blandus. Saint Blandina was a 2nd-century slave from Lyons who was martyred by being thrown to wild beasts.

Boniface m French, English (Rare)
From the Late Latin name Bonifatius, which meant «good fate» from bonum «good» and fatum «fate». This was the name of nine popes and also several saints, including an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (originally named Winfrið) who is now regarded as the patron saint of that country. It came into use in England during the Middle Ages, but became rare after the Protestant Reformation.

Boris m Bulgarian, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, German, French
From a Bulgar Turkic name, also recorded as Bogoris, perhaps meaning «short» or «wolf» or «snow leopard». It was borne by the 9th-century Boris I of Bulgaria who converted his realm to Christianity and is thus regarded as a saint in the Orthodox Church. To the north in Kievan Rus it was the name of another saint, a son of Vladimir the Great who was murdered with his brother Gleb in the 11th century. His mother may have been Bulgarian.… [more]

Brice m French, English
From the name Bricius, which was probably a Latinized form of a Gaulish name meaning «speckled». This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a disciple of Saint Martin of Tours.

Brigitte f French, German, Dutch
French and German form of Bridget. A famous bearer is the French model and actress Brigitte Bardot (1934-).

Bruno m German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Croatian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Latvian, Germanic
Derived from the Old German element brunna meaning «armour, protection» (Proto-Germanic *brunjǭ) or brun meaning «brown» (Proto-Germanic *brūnaz). Saint Bruno of Cologne was a German monk of the 11th century who founded the Carthusian Order. The surname has belonged to Giordano Bruno, a philosopher burned at the stake by the Inquisition. A modern bearer is the American singer Bruno Mars (1985-), born Peter Gene Hernandez.

Camille f & m French, English
French feminine and masculine form of Camilla. It is also used in the English-speaking world, where it is generally only feminine.

Candide m & f French (Rare), Literature
French form of Candidus or Candida. The French philosopher and author Voltaire used this name for the main character (a male) in his satire Candide (1759). In French candide also means «naive», which is descriptive of the book’s protagonist.

Capucine f French
Means «nasturtium» in French. This was the stage name of the French actress and model Capucine (1928-1990).

Carmen f Spanish, English, Italian, French, Romanian, German
Medieval Spanish form of Carmel influenced by the Latin word carmen «song». This was the name of the main character in George Bizet’s opera Carmen (1875).

Casimir m English, French
English form of the Polish name Kazimierz, derived from the Slavic element kaziti «to destroy» combined with miru «peace, world». Four kings of Poland have borne this name, including Casimir III the Great, who greatly strengthened the Polish state in the 14th century. It was also borne Saint Casimir, a 15th-century Polish prince and a patron saint of Poland and Lithuania. The name was imported into Western Europe via Germany, where it was borne by some royalty.

Cassandra f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
From the Greek name Κασσάνδρα (Kassandra), derived from possibly κέκασμαι (kekasmai) meaning «to excel, to shine» and ἀνήρ (aner) meaning «man» (genitive ἀνδρός). In Greek myth Cassandra was a Trojan princess, the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was given the gift of prophecy by Apollo, but when she spurned his advances he cursed her so nobody would believe her prophecies.… [more]

César m French, Spanish, Portuguese
French, Spanish and Portuguese form of Caesar. A famous bearer was the American labour organizer César Chávez (1927-1993).

Chantal f French, English, Dutch
From a French surname that was derived from a place name meaning «stony». It was originally given in honour of Saint Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal, the founder of the Visitation Order in the 17th century. It has become associated with French chant «song».

Charles m English, French
French and English form of Carolus, the Latin form of the Germanic name Karl, which was derived from a word meaning «man» (Proto-Germanic *karlaz). However, an alternative theory states that it is derived from the common Germanic name element *harjaz meaning «army».… [more]

Charlotte f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
French feminine diminutive of Charles. It was introduced to Britain in the 17th century. It was the name of a German-born 18th-century queen consort of Great Britain and Ireland. Another notable bearer was Charlotte Brontë (1816-1855), the eldest of the three Brontë sisters and the author of Jane Eyre and Villette.… [more]

Christian m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
From the medieval Latin name Christianus meaning «a Christian» (see Christos 1 for further etymology). In England it has been in use since the Middle Ages, during which time it was used by both males and females, but it did not become common until the 17th century. In Denmark the name has been borne by ten kings since the 15th century.… [more]

Claire f French, English
French form of Clara. This was a common name in France throughout the 20th century, though it has since been eclipsed there by Clara. It was also very popular in the United Kingdom, especially in the 1970s.

Clara f German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, French, Catalan, Romanian, English, Swedish, Danish, Late Roman
Feminine form of the Late Latin name Clarus, which meant «clear, bright, famous». The name Clarus was borne by a few early saints. The feminine form was popularized by the 13th-century Saint Clare of Assisi (called Chiara in Italian), a friend and follower of Saint Francis, who left her wealthy family to found the order of nuns known as the Poor Clares.… [more]

Claude m & f French, English
French masculine and feminine form of Claudius. In France the masculine name has been common since the Middle Ages due to the 7th-century Saint Claude of Besançon. It was imported to Britain in the 16th century by the aristocratic Hamilton family, who had French connections. A famous bearer of this name was the French impressionist painter Claude Monet (1840-1926).

Clémentine f French
French feminine form of Clement. This is also the name of a variety of orange (fruit).

Clotilde f French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish
French form of Chrodechildis, the Latin form of a Frankish name composed of the elements hruod «fame, glory» and hilt «battle». Saint Clotilde, whose name was originally recorded in forms such as Chrodechildis or Chrotchildis in Latin sources, was the wife of the Frankish king Clovis, whom she converted to Christianity. It was also borne by others in the Merovingian royal family. In the Middle Ages this name was confused with Chlodechilda, in which the first element is hlut «famous, loud».

Clovis m History, French
Contemporary spelling, via the Latinized form Clodovicus, of the Germanic name Hludwig (see Ludwig). Clovis was a Frankish king who united the Franks under his rule in the 5th century. The name was subsequently borne by two further Merovingian kings.

Colette f French
Short form of Nicolette. Saint Colette was a 15th-century French nun who gave her money to the poor. This was also the pen name of the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873-1954).

Constance f English, French
Medieval form of Constantia. The Normans introduced this name to England (it was the name of a daughter of William the Conqueror).

Coralie f French
Either a French form of Koralia, or a derivative of Latin corallium «coral» (see Coral).

Coraline f Literature, French
Created by the French composer Adolphe Adam for one of the main characters in his opera Le toréador (1849). He probably based it on the name Coralie. It was also used by the author Neil Gaiman for the young heroine in his novel Coraline (2002). Gaiman has stated that in this case the name began as a typo of Caroline.

Corentin m Breton, French
Possibly means «hurricane» in Breton. This was the name of a 5th-century bishop of Quimper in Brittany.

Corinne f French, English
French form of Corinna. The French-Swiss author Madame de Staël used it for her novel Corinne (1807).

Cosette f French, Literature
From French chosette meaning «little thing». This is the nickname of the illegitimate daughter of Fantine in Victor Hugo’s novel Les Misérables (1862). Her real name is Euphrasie, though it is seldom used. In the novel young Cosette is the ward of the cruel Thénardiers until she is retrieved by Jean Valjean.

Cynthia f English, French, Greek Mythology (Latinized)
Latinized form of Greek Κυνθία (Kynthia), which means «woman from Cynthus». This was an epithet of the Greek moon goddess Artemis, given because Cynthus was the mountain on Delos on which she and her twin brother Apollo were born. It was not used as a given name until the Renaissance, and it did not become common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century. It reached a peak of popularity in the United States in 1957 and has declined steadily since then.

Cyriaque m French
French form of Cyriacus. This name is currently most common in parts of French-influenced Africa.

Cyril m English, French, Czech, Slovak
From the Greek name Κύριλλος (Kyrillos), which was derived from Greek κύριος (kyrios) meaning «lord», a word used frequently in the Greek Bible to refer to God or Jesus.… [more]

Cyrille m & f French
French form of Cyril, sometimes used as a feminine form.

Danielle f French, English
French feminine form of Daniel. It has been commonly used in the English-speaking world only since the 20th century.

Denis m French, Russian, English, German, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Romanian, Croatian, Albanian
From Denys or Denis, the medieval French forms of Dionysius. Saint Denis was a 3rd-century missionary to Gaul and the first bishop of Paris. He was martyred by decapitation, after which legend says he picked up his own severed head and walked for a distance while preaching a sermon. He is credited with converting the Gauls to Christianity and is considered the patron saint of France.… [more]

Diane f French, English
French form of Diana, also regularly used in the English-speaking world.

Dieudonné m French
Means «given by God» in French, used as a French form of Deusdedit. It is currently much more common in French-speaking Africa than it is in France.

Dorian m English, French, Romanian
The name was first used by Oscar Wilde in his novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1891), which tells the story of a man whose portrait ages while he stays young. Wilde may have taken it from the name of the ancient Greek tribe the Dorians.

Edgar m English, French, Portuguese, German
Derived from the Old English elements ead «wealth, fortune» and gar «spear». This was the name of a 10th-century English king, Edgar the Peaceful. The name did not survive long after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 18th century, in part due to a character by this name in Walter Scott’s novel The Bride of Lammermoor (1819), which tells of the tragic love between Edgar Ravenswood and Lucy Ashton. Famous bearers include author and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), French impressionist painter Edgar Degas (1834-1917), and author Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).

Edmond m French, Albanian
French and Albanian form of Edmund. A notable bearer was the English astronomer Edmond Halley (1656-1742), for whom Halley’s comet is named.

Éliane f French
Probably from Aeliana, the feminine form of the Roman name Aelianus, which was derived from the Roman family name Aelius. This was the name of an early saint and martyr.

Elouan m Breton, French
Possibly from a Breton word meaning «light». This name was borne by an obscure 6th-century saint who is now venerated mainly in Brittany and Cornwall.

Émile m French
French form of Aemilius (see Emil). This name was borne by French author Émile Zola (1840-1902).

Emma f English, French, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Dutch, German, Hungarian, Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names that began with the element irmin meaning «whole» or «great» (Proto-Germanic *ermunaz). It was introduced to England by Emma of Normandy, who was the wife both of King Ethelred II (and by him the mother of Edward the Confessor) and later of King Canute. It was also borne by an 11th-century Austrian saint, who is sometimes called Hemma.… [more]

Emmanuel m Biblical, French, English
From the Hebrew name עִמָּנוּאֵל (‘Immanu’el) meaning «God is with us», from the roots עִם (‘im) meaning «with» and אֵל (‘el) meaning «God». This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings Emmanuel and Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings Manuel and Manoel).

Of all the things you have to learn in French, names seem like one of the easiest. If you’re familiar with names in Western culture, you should be fine, right?

That’s mostly correct, but when it comes to names in French, there are a few things that might surprise you – and some rules you should know.

But first let’s discover the most popular French names!

The most common French first names

Here are the ten most common first names for men and women in France.

Keep in mind that unlike many lists of most popular first names, this one doesn’t just cover baby names (we’ll get to those later on), but rather the names of the entire population, from the very young to the very old.

This means that some of these names were popular in older generations but may seem a bit outdated today. Interestingly,  this includes Monique, a first name that many Anglophones consider sexy.

The most common French men’s names

• Jean
• Michel
• Pierre
• Philippe
• Alain
• Dominique
• Nicolas
• Patrick
• Bernard
• Claude

The most common French women’s names:

• Marie
• Nathalie
• Dominique
• Isabelle
• Catherine
• Monique
• Sylvie
• Françoise
• Martine
• Jacqueline

The most popular French baby names

The previous lists of common French first names were based on the entirety of the current French population. But what are the first names that have been chosen for the latest generation of French people?

According to Parent magazine, the ten most common French baby names in 2019 (the most recent year with information available) were:

The most common French girls names

• Emma
• Jade
• Louise
• Alice
• Lina
• Chloé
• Rose
• Léa
• Mila
• Ambre

The most common French boys names

• Gabriel
• Léo
• Raphaël
• Arthur
• Louis
• Lucas
• Adam
• Jules
• Hugo
• Maël

As you can see, French baby names today are a mix of traditional and more modern or unusual, and there is definitely a global, as well as proudly local influence (notably, Maël is a name from the Breton language, of the Brittany region).

If you’d like to see more French baby names, this site features an extensive list, plus a cool search feature that lets you choose things like a beginning letter or the overall length of a name.

French middle names

If you can’t decide which French name you like best, there’s good news: Many French people have at least three!

That is, in addition to their first name, French people may also have multiple middle names. The usual number is two middle names, which is what my French husband has. But you can add others if there’s a reason for it. For instance, our son has three middle names.

Keep in mind that compound names like Jean-Luc count as a single name, so a French person could have even more French names than you’d expect!

As in many Anglophone cultures, some French people may prefer to go by one of their middle names.

Most French last names go back centuries, possibly even further. They may find their roots in things like place names and geographical features, or a physical feature, job, or family member’s name.

These are things French last name have in common with many other cultures.

But  here are a few specific things to know about French last names:

French last names always begin with a capital letter, and in some situations may be written entirely in capital letters.

Like first and middle names in French, French last names always begin with a capital letter. Some official documents or correspondence (including some written addresses) will ask for or include a last name in all capitals, sometimes also preceding the first name.

For instance, when signing something, you might see a pre-typed statement such as Je soussigné, Jean DUPONT,….  (I, the undersigned, Jean Dupont), or even Je soussigné DUPONT Jean….

But in everyday use, the last name always comes last.

Although it’s common, married French women aren’t required to change their last name to their husband’s.

French children can take the name of their father, mother, or both parents.

Until 2005, French children were required to take the last name of their father. If the father was unknown, they could take their mother’s last name. Fortunately, today all families have the choice and can also hyphenate their child’s last name.

In many cases, de/du/de la in a French last name is a sign of nobility.

In the past, most French nobles’ and aristocrats’ family names included de – “of”, referring to the land they owned or to their famous family.

For instance, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa, one of my favorite French nobles, has a last name that refers to the different lands and family groups his ancestors came from.

Some noble or aristocratic names are even longer, while others were shorter. But like Henri, who usually went by the (relatively) shorter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, many other French people of this social class kept it simple in everyday life. For instance, Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette was often referred to, simply, as La Fayette.

After the many revolutions of the late 18^th through the 19^th centuries in France, it became somewhat unfashionable or even dangerous to have a noble last name, so in some cases, families changed or modified them. For instance, Toulouse-Lautrec greatly admired the artist Edgar Degas, whose real family name was written “de Gas.” Degas chose to change his name to make it less grandiose.

On the other hand, some French people of yore, perhaps out of ambition or just a high opinion of themselves, did the opposite, adding a “de” where there never was one before. The writer Honoré de Balzac is an example of someone who did this.

That said, a de/du/de la in a French last name doesn’t necessarily mean a person has noble or aristocratic blood. Some non-noble French names may include a de or du because they refer to geography. Dubois (“Of/From the forest”), one of the most common French last names, is an example of this.

The most common French last names

Here are the ten most common last names in France today:

• Martin
• Bernard
• Thomas
• Petit
• Robert
• Richard
• Durand
• Dubois
• Moreau
• Laurent

You can find a list of the 200 most popular last names currently in use in France thanks to this very interesting Wikipedia article.

French name vocabulary

Knowing the most popular French names is great but it won’t be of much help if you go to France so let’s now discover the most important name-related French words.

I’ll use famous (and in my opinion, delightfully cheesy) French ‘60’s and 70’s pop singer Claude François to help us out.

• un nom – a general word for name, but can specifically refer to a last name (surname).  Ex: Le nom de ce chanteur est Claude François.
• un prénom – a first name. Note that on some forms, you may see this word pluralized – in this case, it’s asking for your first and middle name(s). Ex: Son prénom est Claude.
• un deuxième prénom – a middle name. Note that many French people have more than one middle name, so you could also see the phrase troisième prénom or quatrième prénom!  Ex: Son deuxième prénom est Antoine et son troisième prénom est Marie.
• un nom de famille – a last name (family name/surname). Sometimes this is shortened to nom. Ex: Son nom de famille est François.
• le nom d’usage – preferred name (a name one goes by). Ex: Son nom d’usage est Claude François.
• le nom de jeune fille – maiden name. Note that in France, a woman isn’t required to change her name if she gets married.
• le nom d’épouse – married name (for women). Note that in France, a woman is not required to change her last name when she gets married.  Also note that some people find this term outdated and will substitute nom d’usage, since the woman has chosen (or not) to use her spouse’s name.
• un surnom/un sobriquet – a nickname (funny name not related to your actual name).
• un diminutif – (In this context) a shortened form of one’s first name. Ex: Le célèbre diminutif de Claude François est CloClo.
• un pseudonyme – an alias, pen name, fake name, or in some cases, a handle (like an old chatroom name online). In the latter case, it’s often shortened to pseudo.
• s’appeler – to call oneself/to be named.  Ex: Je m’appelle Alysa, comment tu t’appelles-tu ? (My name is Alysa. What’s your name?) / Il s’appelle Claude François. (His name is Claude François.)

Now that we’ve got those important words down, let’s look at how French names work.

How French first names are formed

Most French names have roots in Latin, Greek, or centuries-old European history.

As in many languages, French names often have a masculine and feminine version. In general, male names in France are the root, and the female version has a feminine suffix. These include -ie,  -ine, -que, -elle, -ette, and -anne,

For instance, a boy could be named Martin and a girl could be named Martine. Or a boy might be named Jules and a girl could be named Julie, or Antoine and Antoinette.

You may come across a traditionally female name, Marie, in a man’s name. This was done to honor the Virgin Mary. It’s a pretty old-fashioned custom, so you may not see it in more recent French names.

There are a few traditional French names that are unisex. These prénoms mixtes include Dominique, Maxime (although this name is most often masculine), and the common diminutif Alex.

French first name rules

French first names may seem pretty straightforward so far, but for people from certain other cultures – very much including my fellow Anglo-Saxons – they’re kind of hardcore.

In most Anglophone cultures, we tend to be pretty relaxed when it comes to first names. A parent can call their child just about anything. There are very few restrictions and rules, as long as they avoid blatant controversy or something that’s impossible to write.

But the French are a lot stricter when it comes to first names. In 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte signed a law, known as la loi  du 11 Germinal, an XI (The Law of April 1, 1803 by our modern, non-Revolutionary calendar), which declared that French children’s names could only be chosen from an approved list of saints’ names or from antiquity or classical literature.

Despite revolutions and dramatic changes in ideas, the Germinal law stayed in place in France for nearly two hundred years! It was only abolished in 1993 – but it wasn’t replaced by total freedom.

Today, French parents have more leeway when naming their children. For instance, they can choose foreign names or pop culture-inspired ones. But all names have to be approved by government officials, and there is an explicit understanding that a child’s name can’t be controversial or likely to cause them embarrassment.

So that’s why you won’t see a French kid named Pilot Inspektor or Mini Cooper (a rejected first name one couple of French Anglophiles submitted for their child). But the law can sometimes seem a bit too arbitrary.

For instance, some French children are named Cerise (Cherry) or Prune (Plum), but as this fun article about rejected French names explains, officials draw the line at Fraise (Strawberry), since this particular fruit is a part of idiomatic phrases like ramener sa fraise (to butt in/show up) that could be used to tease the child.

(Of course, most of us know that no matter what your first name, if someone wants to tease or bully you, they’ll probably find a way to do it….)

Another rejected name the article mentions is Joyeux (Happy). This actually could be a name that could cause mockery – imagine if Joyeux is a grouchy person in general or is just having a bad day. But in this case, the government rejected the name because it was “too whimsical”.

So, if you’re planning to have a child in France, be aware that you may not be able to name them anything you want!

French nicknames and shortened names

Of all the specific things about French names, the one that I’ve personally found the most surprising is the way French people shorten names.

Although there are always exceptions, as a general rule French people will play upon the first syllable or first syllable plus the vowel that follows it to create a shortened version of a name.

So you may see something like Alex for Alexandre, Alexandra, Alexie, and so on. Or you might see something like Benji for Benjamin.

On the other hand, it seems like the French don’t generally like to make names super-short. For instance, while the shortened name (diminutif) Tom exists in French, it’s not as common as it is in English.  Sometimes, I’ve even seen “shortened” versions of a name that simply change the last letter(s). For example, my neighbor’s name is Marcus but everyone calls him Marco.

Unlike some cultures, the French don’t tend to call people by letters. For instance, you might see Jean-Claude shortened to J.-C. in writing, but you probably wouldn’t hear Jean-Claude’s friends say the letters of his name aloud.

As a native anglophone, I generally find the French way of “shortening” names closer to aesthetics and wordplay rather than practicality. For instance, an American would probably call my French friend Jean-François “J.F.” or “Jean”, but here we call him “Jeff”, from the beginning sounds of each name.

French shortened names and nicknames will also sometimes repeat the first syllable of a name. This is typically done if the name starts with a consonant or common sound, followed by a vowel. You can see a famous example of this in our vocabulary list: Claude François is fondly referred to as “CloClo”, which is the first sound of his name, repeated.

Another example is that Julien, Jules, Julie, or any other Jul- name might be shortened to Juju.

This type of shortened name tends to be a bit cute and used for young people; I don’t know of many adult Frenchmen who’d go by “Juju”.

But this idea, it turns out, is tied to one of the bases for creating a shortened or nickname version of a first name in French.  According to this very thorough, fascinating source on French diminutifs, many French shortened names and nicknames mimic the way a young child would try to pronounce the longer version of the name.

That said, as many French parenting and name-related websites point out, it’s becoming more common to use a shortened or nickname form as a full name. For instance, on our list of the most popular French baby names, Léo is a name unto itself, whereas it used to be better known as the short form of names like Léonard or Léonardo. Several other names on the list, including Lina and Léa, also started out as shortened forms of longer names.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find a single source that outlines all the rules of shortening names in French. In addition to what I’ve written here, the best way to get to know them is to check out lists like this one (bearing in mind that not all of these are extremely common).

You can also get more familiar with French nicknames and shortened names – as well as French names in general – by  watching, reading, and listening to French movies, TV shows, books, and podcasts.

If you want to find a way to make a shortened or nickname version of your own name in French, you can do an online search like “diminutif [your name – ideally in a French version]” and see what comes up.

Remember that not everyone uses or likes nicknames or shortened names, and not all shortened names are well-known or instinctive, even for native French speakers.

Should you use shortened French names or nicknames?

Names are a very personal thing, even in a country where they’re somewhat regulated. So it’s not a good idea to refer to someone by a nickname or a shortened version of their name, unless that person specifically asks you to, or if you see that he or she is referred to that way by everyone else.

Interestingly, French Together founder Benjamin Houy finds that this rule may not be the same everywhere you go. In the UK, where he lives, his name is often shortened to “Ben”, even by strangers. This is a sign of friendliness, but as a French person, he finds it a bit presumptuous.  As an American, I’d have to agree.

So, as a general rule, when in France, remember to try to call someone the name they’d like to be called, whether that’s a full, compound name like Marie-Therese or a fun nickname or diminutif like JoJo.

Why some names are celebrated in France

If you read French news sites and periodicals or watch or listen to newscasts in French, you might hear or read the phrase Bonne fête aux, followed by a French name. 

This is a custom tied to Catholic saint feast days and the tradition of naming French people based on the saints.

France is an officially secular country and most French people aren’t practicing Catholics, but its strong historical ties to Catholicism remain in the culture, sometimes in strange ways. Today, you may get a promotional desk calendar from a business or your postal worker with the saints’ feast days (fêtes) marked. This is because it’s become a custom in France to wish a  bonne fête to the people you know who have that day’s saint’s name, even if they’re not religious.

Obviously, this means that not everyone in France will have a day on the calendar, since most names that are modern, foreign, literary, or ancient aren’t included.

Luckily, that’s not really a big deal. Although some very traditional French families may have a small celebration on their family member’s saint day – for instance, serving a cake for dessert – it’s not a major celebration.  Many French people don’t do anything at all on someone’s “name day”, or will just wish them a “Bonne fête” in passing.

This also means that you don’t have to worry if you don’t realize it’s a French friend or colleague’s name day – as a foreigner, they probably aren’t expecting that you’d know, and it’s not anything at all like forgetting their birthday.

Where can I find more French names?

If you like the sound of French names, there are lots of resources that feature lists of names.

One site that’s really impressed me by including an extensive list of French names as well as information like statistics and information about their meaning and origin, is TonPrenom.com.

You can find many others by doing an online search for “French names” or “prénoms français”.

Do you have a favorite French name (or names)? Feel free to share it in the comments!

Intro

No matter the meaning behind the name, it connects you to your family. As such, it can be used to trace your family tree back and learn more about who you are and where you come from. Your last name is almost as much a part of your identity as your first name is.

Abadie

Abadie is a French last name meaning “abbey” and “family chapel”.

It comes from the word “abadia”.

Allard

Allard is an old French surname which means “noble”, that originated in Germany.

Archambeau

Archambeau is a French last name that means “bold” or “daring”.

It originally came from the Latin name “Arcambaldus” and the German word “Ercan”.

Auclair

This French surname means “Clear”.

Auclair derives from the French word “clair”.

Barbier

Barbier is an Old French last name that originates from the ancestral profession of barber.

A fun fact about this last name is that there is a crater on the moon named Barbier.

Baudelaire

Baudelaire means “small sword” or “dagger”.

If you are thinking that this name sounds familiar, it was the family name of the three siblings in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Beaufort

Beaufort is a French surname meaning “beautiful fortress”.

Beaumont

Beaumont is a French surname meaning “beautiful hill or mountain”.

Blanchet

This French last name means white as it came from the French word “blanc”.

Apparently, it was originally given to those who were blonde or had a pure or pious reputation.

Blouin

Blouin is a French surname meaning “blue” or “an unusually pale complexion”.

Bodin

The French last name Bodin means “shelter” or “one who brings news”.

Boire

Boire is a French surname that means “to drink” as it is the same as the French verb “boire”.

A lot of French surnames have actually originated from this verb or the verb “bibere” (also “to drink”), such as Bibeau, Bibaud, and Bibaut.

Bois

Bois is a French last name which means “bush”, “shrub”, or “undergrowth”.

Boucher

This French surname is another example of an occupation becoming a last name. This is because un boucher is a butcher.

Cadieux

Cadieux is a French last name meaning “little fighter”.

It is an ancient surname that comes from the word “cad”.

Cartier

Cartier is another name that could have originated because of an ancestor’s job. It comes from the Norman-Anglo French word for a person who transported goods.

Castillon

Castillon is a French surname meaning “castle”.

Cellier

This French last name means “storeroom”.

Chapdelaire

Chapdelaire is a French surname meaning “hooded cloak, cape, hat”.

Chastain

Chastain is a French last name meaning “from the chestnut tree”.

It originated from the Latin word “castanea”.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet may sound familiar as it is a car company which was founded in 1913 by Swiss engineer, Louis Chevrolet.

It is a popular French last name as well though, which was first found in Normandy, meaning “goat herder” due to it coming from the French word “chèvre”.

Corbin

Corbin is a French surname meaning “raven, little crow”, which comes from the French word “corbeau”.

D’aureville

This French surname means “golden village”.

De La Fontaine

This French surname means “from the fountain” and may sound familiar as it is the last name of a famous writer, Jean de La Fontaine.

There is also a French last name which is simply Fontaine meaning “fountain”.

De Villiers

This is another occupational French last name, which comes from someone who would plant or work on the vrilles (tendrils).

Dubois

Dubois is a French surname meaning “forest”.

This name is also popular in America.

Duplantier

This French last name could have come from where your ancestors lived as it means “of the plantation” or refers to someone who lives near a plantation of trees.

Dupont

Dupont is a French surname meaning “of the bridge”. Like Duplantier, Dupont may refer to your ancestors living near a bridge.

Durand

This French last name means “enduring”. It is an old French name and is the eighth most common name in France.

Edouard

Edouard means “prosperous guardian” and can be linked to Olde English through its similarity to the English surname “Edwards”.

Escoffier

Like the previous French last name, Escoffier is linked to the Olde English surname “Edwards” and means “prosperity guard”.

There is a second meaning which is “to dress” coming from the word “escofia”.

Farrow

Farrow is another French last name that comes from an occupation. It is named after an ironworker, or “ferror”.

Favreau and Fèvre

Both Favreau and Fèvre mean a blacksmith. They come from the Latin word “faber”. Favreau is the Southern French version, while Fèvre is Northern French.

Fournier

This French surname was used for a baker because they used the “fourneau” to cook the dough.

Fraise

Fraise is a French last name for someone who lived near an ash tree or ash wood.

François

You may be a little confused to see this name on a list of last names as it is more commonly associated with French first names, but it is also a common French surname.

It literally means “Frenchman”.

Gagneux

Gagneux means “to cultivate” or “to farm”, coming from the word “gagnier”.

Garnier

This is another word that you may recognise as a brand name but is a French last name as well.

It comes from the French word “garner” or “gernier” and means “storehouse for grain” or “keeper of the granary”.

Gauthier

This is a French surname that means “army ruler”. It originates from the Gaelic word “gaut” and Old French word “gault” meaning “forest”.

Guillaume

This popular French last name comes from the name “William” and means “protection” or “strength”.

Heroux

Heroux is a French surname which comes from a German first name “Hariwulf”, “Hari” meaning “army” and “wulf” meaning “wolf”.

Houde

This French last name has two meanings.

The first is that it comes from Haute-Loire, a village in Auvergne, South France.

The second is that it comes from the first name Oudet and means “wealth” as that name is derived from the German name “Ode” or “Aud”.

Hubert

This French last name means “heart”.

Jacques

Jacques is another French name which can be a first or last name and means “the one who follows”.

Janvier

Janvier is a French name that you may recognise from learning the French months because it translates to “January”.

Joubert

Joubert is a French surname which is the combination of two words. The Tribe name “Gaut” is added to “berth” which means “bright” or “famous”.

Kaplan

Kaplan means “charity priest”. It comes from the Old Norman French word “Caplain”.

La Rue

La Rue is a French last name which simply means “of the street” or “of the road”.

Lacroix

The meaning of this French surname is “the cross”.

Laflamme

Laflamme became a French last name for a torchbearer as it was used as both the occupations name and a nickname.

Langlais

Langlais is a French surname meaning “The Englishmen” so was typically given to those who moved to live in France from England.

Lapointe

Lapointe is a French last name meaning “the point”.

Laurent

Laurent is a French last name meaning “Laurel”.

Lavigne

Lavigne originates from the Old French word “vi(g)ne” meaning “vineyard”.

Lavoie

This French last name was used for someone who lived near a road as it comes from the word “voie” meaning “road”.

Léandre

Léandre is a French last name which came from Greek words meaning “Lion man”.

Lemaire

This French surname means “The Mayor”. It began as a title.

Lemieux

Lemieux is a French last name which means “the best”.

Leroy

This French name comes from the word “le roy” meaning “the king”. It is common in Northern France.

Lévesque

Lévesque is the French last name meaning “bishop”.

Lyon

The meaning of the French surname Lyon is fairly simple because it refers to someone who comes from Lyon, France.

Maçon

This French last name means “mason”.

Meunier

This French surname means “miller”.

Monet

Monet is a variation of Simon and means “to be heard”.

Montagne

Montagne is another location-based French surname meaning “mountain”.

Moreau

This French last name originated as a nickname for someone with dark skin, and means “dark-skinned”.

Moulin

Moulin comes from the Latin word “molina” which means “mill”.

Noyer

This French last name means “walnut”.

Ozanne

Ozanne originated as the female name “Osanna” and means “save now” or “save pray”.

Page

Page is an occupational French last name which comes from the Greek “paidion” meaning “little boy”.

Palomer

This French surname means “pigeon keeper” because it comes from the Latin word for pigeon, “palumbes”.

Patenaude

This French last name comes from Quebec and translates as the Lord’s Prayer because of its link with the English and Italian name Paternoster.

Paquet

This French last name means “bundle of kindling” as it comes from the word “pacquet”.

Pascal

Pascal means “Passover” because it comes from the Latin word “pascha”.

Périgord

This French surname was given to those who originally came from the Périgord region of France.

Renaud

Renaud as a surname simply means “rule”.

Richelieu

This French surname means “wealthy place”.

Rivière

This French name was given to someone who lived near a river as it comes from the French word “rivière” meaning “river” or “shore”.

Rodier

This French surname comes from the Latin word “rota” meaning “wheel”, so was generally used for a wheelwright or someone who lived near a water wheel.

Rousseau

This name comes from the French word “rous” which means “red”. Thus, the name was used for a person with red hair or complexion.

Rutter

There are two meanings to the name Rutter.

It could have come from the French words “roteor”, “roteeur”, and “routeer”, in which case it would mean a person who plays the rote.

Or, it could have come from the French word “rotier” or “routier,” which would mean “highwayman”.

Sauveterre

In full Sauveterre means “safe land” because it comes from “sauve” which means “safe” and “terre” which means “land”.

Segal

This is an occupational French last name for a grower or seller of rye because it originates from the Latin word “secale”.

Sergeant

This French surname means “servant”.

Serres

Serres has two potential meanings.

It could be used for someone from Southern or Eastern France.

Or it could come from “serre” which means “ridge” or “chain of hills”.

Simon

Simon is a popular European last name, meaning “to listen”.

Soulier

This French surname was used for a shoemaker, because of all the words it could have derived from, they all refer to a different type of shoe.

Tavernier

Tavernier comes from the French word for “innkeeper”.

Tremblay

This name means “aspen” and could have been used for someone who lived near aspen trees.

Trottier

Trottier is a French last name meaning “fast walker”.

Toussaint

This French name can be linked to the term “Toussaint” which is All Saints Day.

Vernier

Vernier means “near the alder tree”.

Vieux

Vieux comes from the French word “vieux” and means “old” in English.

Vigneau

Vigneau is another French surname which means “vineyard”, although this one was more likely used for the owner.

Vinet

Vinet also has links with a vineyard and means “to make wine”.

Visage

This French surname simply means “face”.

Voclain

This is an Old French name meaning “the wealthy one”.

Yotte

Yotte is a French surname that means “small hedge” or “small woody plot of land.”

Zabelle

This French last name is a variation of “belle” meaning “beautiful”.

Conclusion

There are many more French surnames, but these are the most popular 100, along with their meanings.