French baby names are known for their elegance and sophistication. Giving your child a French name will be a tasteful option - especially when you think of the great and rich history that underlies their meanings.
In this article:
Here are some of the top French names for boys and girls:
French baby boy names:
Abel – Breath; Son; Highborn and Steadfast
Adalric – Noble Leader
Adrien – Dark One; Rich
Aimery – Home Ruler
Aldric – Wise Ruler
Alexandre – Defending Warrior
Ambroise – Immortal
Anatole – Rising Sun
André — Manly
Ange — Angel
Antoine – Highly Praiseworthy, Beyond Praise
Antonin – Priceless
Aubin — White
Auguste – Greatly Augmented or Venerable
Aurèle — Golden
Baptiste – Baptized; Immersion in Water
Bastien - Revered; Venerated
Benjamin – Son of the Right Hand
Benoît – Blessed, Grateful
Bernard – Courageous as a Bear
Blaise – Stutter or Lisp; Firebrand
Brice — Strength
Charles – Strong; Manly; Free Man
Claude – Illustrious or Lame
Cyrille – Lordly, Of the Master
Damien – To Tame
Denis - Dedicated to Dionysus
Dominique – Belonging to God
Edouard – Guard of Prosperity; Guardian of Prosperity
Emile – Industrious Leader; Rivaling All Others
Emmanuel – God is With Us
Enzo — Rules Over Household
Erwan — Very Handsome
Etienne – Crown or Wreath
Fabien – Bean Grower
Félix - Lucky
Fernand – Adventurous and Brave
Florent – Blooming, Flourishing
Francis – Free Man
Gabriel – God is My Strength
Gaspard – Treasured One
Gaston – Stranger
Gauthier - Victorious Warrior
Germain - Brother
Grégoire – Vigilant Watchman
Guillaume — Resolute Protector
Gustave - Staff of the Gods
Hector – Holding Fast
Henri – Home Ruler
Hippolyte – Unleasher of Horses
Honoré – Honourable
Hubert – Bright Heart
Hugo – Intellect or Bright in Mind and Spirit
Isaac - Laughter
Ismaël - God Will Hear
Jacques - Supplanter
Jean - God is Gracious
Jérôme - Sacred Name
Jocelyn - Tribal of the Gauts
Jonathan - Jehovah Has Given
Josselin - Member of the Gauts Tribe
Jules – Youthful; Downy Bearded
Julien - Youthful; Jove's Child
Léon - Lion
Léopold - Bold People
Louis – Famous Warrior; Renowned in Battle
Luc - Light
Marc – Warlike; Dedicated to Mars (Roman God of War)
Marcel - Little Warrior
Mathias - Gift of God
Mathieu - Gift of God
Matthieu - Gift of God
Maurice – Dark Skinned; Moorish
Maxence - Greatest
Maxime – Greatest
Michel – Who is Like God?; Form of Michael
Napoléon - Lion of the Woodland
Nicolas – Victory of the People
Olivier – Prosperous, Elf Army
Pascal – Born on Easter Sunday
Patrice - Nobleman
Paul - Small, Humble
Philippe – Lover of Horses
Pierre - Rock or Stone; Form of Peter
Quentin - Fifth
Raphaël – Healer or Medicine Man
René - Reborn, Rejuvenated, to be Reborn Again
Robert – Bright Fame
Simon – He has Heard ; Listening Intently
Théo – God's Gift
Thibaut – Courageous People
Thomas - Twin
Valentin - Brave and Strong
Victor - Conqueror
Vincent - Conquering
Yves — Yew Tree Wood
Don't miss our complete list of French girl names.
French baby girl names:
Adele – Noble one; Kind; Nobility
Aimée – Beloved
Amélie – Hardworking; Industrious
Anais – Gracious; Merciful; Compassionate
Anouk – Graceful Ornament; Favored grace
Antoinette - Invaluable; Beyond Price
Béatrice – Bringer of Joy; Happy One
Blanche – White or Fair; Bright
Brigitte – Exalted One; Strength
Camille – Loyal or Perfect; Unblemished
Chantal – Song; Rock
Clara– Clear, bright, famous
Clotilde ― Famous Battle Maiden
Colette - Victory of the People
Delphine – Dolphin(s)
Elodie — Wealthy in Song/ Melody
Emilie – Industrious Leader; Rivaling All Others
Estelle– Star-like; Splendid Star
Eva – Life; Mother of All Living
Fabienne– Woman from Fabius
Fleur – Flower
Gabrielle – God is my Strength
Genevieve– White Wave; Race of Women
Ghislaine – Pledge
Hortense – Keeper of the Garden; Gardener
Isabelle - Devoted to God; God is my oath
Jacqueline – Supplanter; To Heal or Make Whole
Jade – Jewel; Precious Stone
Jeanne– Gracious Gift of God
Josette – Jehovah Increases; Gift from God
Juliette - Young and Vigorous; Youthful Jove
Justine– Fair Righteousness, Upright Justice
Laurence - Laurel Tree or Wreath of Honour
Léa - Weary One/ Tired One
Liliane — Lily Flower Blossom
Lorraine- From Lorraine Region in France
Louise- Famous Warrior
Lucille- Light
Madeleine- Tower Strength
Manon - Dear Little One; Wished-for child
Margaux — Pearl
Marielle— Bitter Sea, Star of the Sea
Marinelle- Of the Sea
Marjolaine- Bitter Herb
Marthe - Lady
Mathilde - Might in Battle
Michèle - Who Is Like God?
Monique— Advisor
Muriel— Shining Brightness
Nadine — Hope
Natalie - Born on Christmas Day; Birth of the Lord
Nathalie — Birth of the Lord
Nicole — Victory of the People
Noelle – Christmas
Noemie - Pleasantness
Odette – Wealthy
Odile- Wealthy in
Paulette – Little Paul
Rebecca ― Captivating
Renée ― Reborn
Sabine – From the Sabines Tribe
Sandra — Protector of Mankind
Solange — Heavenly Messenger
Sophie — Wisdom
Sylvie— Of the Forest
Thérèse― Harvester
Valerie― Brave
Vivienne ― Alive
Yvette― Little Archer
Zoé ― Life
Zola ― Earth
Don't miss our complete list of French boy names.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the top names baby France?
According to some recent data here are some of the top French baby names for girls and boys that will add value to your child:
Top French girl names:
Louise: Louise is the feminine form of Louis, a name of Germanic origin, meaning "famous warrior" or "renowned fighter."
Emma: "Universal" or "Whole."
Jade: Named after the green gemstone.
Alice: "Noble" or "Nobility."
Lina: "Tender" or "Palm Tree."
Rose: Named after the rose flower.
Anna: Anna is the Latin and Old French version of the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning "grace" or "favor."
Mila: "Gracious" or "Dear."
Chloé: "Green Shoot" or "Blooming."
Inès: Inès is the French version of the name Agnes, which has Greek origin, meaning "pure" or "holy."
Top French boy names:
Gabriel: "God is my Strength" or "God is Mighty."
Raphaël: Raphaël is the French version of the Hebrew name Raphael, meaning "God has healed."
Liam: "Resolute Protection."
Arthur: "Bear" or "Bear King."
Louis: "Famous Warrior" or "Renowned Fighter."
Adam: "Man" or "Red Earth."
Paul: "Small" or "Humble."
Gabin: Possibly related to the town of Gabii in ancient Italy; the exact meaning is unclear.
Ethan: "Strong" or "Firm."
Victor: "Conqueror" or "Winner."
What is a French uncommon name?
There is an abundance of unique French names with profound meanings and distinctive charm.
Here are some uncommon French names that aren't frequently used in France:
Théophile - Meaning "lover of God" or "God's friend," Théophile is an elegant and less common French name.
Océane - Derived from the French word for "ocean," this name evokes a sense of mystery and tranquility.
Amélie - A French variation of the name Amelia, Amélie carries an air of sophistication and grace.
Gaspard - This unique French name means "treasurer" or "keeper of treasures" and has a timeless quality.
Sidonie - A feminine name with a touch of vintage charm, Sidonie means "from Sidon," an ancient Phoenician city.
Jules - Traditionally a masculine name, Jules can also be used as a unisex name and is a French variation of Julius.
Apolline - Derived from the Greek god Apollo, Apolline is an uncommon French name associated with beauty and artistry.
Célestin - Meaning "heavenly" or "of the sky," Célestin has a celestial quality and a touch of old-world charm.
Maëlys - A melodic and unique French name, Maëlys is derived from the Breton name Maelis and carries a sense of enchantment.
Thibault - Pronounced "tee-bo," Thibault is a French form of Theobald and exudes a sense of strength and nobility.
What is a fancy French name for a girl?
We’ve compiled a list of fancy French monikers for girls - all packed with elegance and rejuvenating meanings.
Fancy French Girl Names:
Amélie - Derived from the Latin word "amabilis," meaning "lovable" or "worthy of love."
Aurore - The French word for "dawn."
Vivienne - Derived from the Latin word "vivus," meaning "alive" or "lively."
Élisabeth - Meaning "pledged to God" or "God's oath."
Céleste - Meaning "heavenly" or "of the sky,"
Fleur - The French word for "flower."
Adeline - Derived from the Germanic name Adalheidis, meaning "noble" or "nobility,"
What are some fancy French names?
Fancy French names artfully combine the alluring charm of the French language with entrancing meanings and have been unique choices among parents for many years.
If you have an unswerving eye for beauty, there are plentiful names to choose from - here are some of the most wonderful French names.
French girl names:
Geneviève - "White wave" or "woman of the race"
Amélie - "Lovable" or "industrious"
Ophélie - "Help" or "serpent"
Éloïse - "Healthy" or "wide"
Vivienne - "Alive" or "lively"
Éléonore - "Light" or "bright"
Isabelle - "God is my oath"
Madeleine - "From Magdala" or "tower"
Aveline - "Hazelnut" or "desired"
Seraphine - "Fiery" or "ardent"
French boy names
Alexandre - "Defender of men"
Gabriel - "God is my strength"
Théodore - "Gift of God"
Olivier - "Olive tree"
Maxime - "Greatest" or "excellence"
Lucien - "Light" or "illumination"
Augustin - "Venerable" or "great"
Mathis - "Gift of God" or "reward"
François - "Free" or "Frenchman"
Étienne - "Crown" or "garland"
Gender-Neutral Names:
Camille - "Perfect" or "attendant at a religious ceremony"
Émery - "Industrious" or "ruler"
Baptiste - "One who baptizes" or "immersed in water"
Jules - "Youthful" or "downy"
Claude - "Lame" or "enclosure"
Pascal - "Easter" or "born on Passover"
Dominique - "Belonging to the Lord" or "of the Lord"
Robin - "Bright fame" or "famous"
Marcel - "Little warrior" or "hammer"
André - "Man" or "warrior"
What French name means gift from God?
Théo is a commonly used French name for boys and is derived from the Greek name Théodore which means gift from God.
The name means "gift of God" and has been used by several saints. Alternative spellings for this name may include Theo, Teo, or Téo.
What French name means shining?
The French name Laurent means “bright and shining one”. This name is derived from the Latin name "Laurentius," which means "from Laurentum" or "man from Laurentum."
Laurentum was an ancient city in Italy. The name "Laurent" is often linked with profound feelings of strength and victory.
It is pronounced so naturally and brightly, that it sounds like sunshine.
Fashion-conscious parents can’t overlook the tacit nod to Yves St. Laurent, which makes this name a resounding “yes” as a stylish choice for your baby boy!
Final thoughts
Finding that stunning name that would make a difference would be a quietening balm for you mummy, so if you are still plagued by uncertainty, delve into our list of the top 100 French baby girl names.
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