French Names
French names have an effortless elegance that works in any language — think Juliette, Margaux, Jules or Étienne. In France itself, the naming scene has changed a lot since a change in the law a generation ago gave parents the freedom to choose almost any name; today short, soft names like Léo, Jade and Louise lead the charts, while grandparents’ names like Colette and Lucien are returning.
This page brings together 80 French names, with pronunciation and meaning, plus a taste of French surnames. For the full lists, see French girl names, French boy names and French last names. Love Romance-language names? Try Italian names next.
French Names: browse all lists
Popular French girl names in France today
These names have been among the most given to baby girls in France in recent years, according to INSEE birth records. Many are short and end in a soft vowel.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning / origin |
|---|---|---|
| Louise | loo-EEZ | Feminine of Louis, “famous warrior” |
| Jade | ZHAHD | The green gemstone |
| Ambre | AHM-bruh | Amber |
| Alba | AHL-bah | Latin, “dawn” or “white” |
| Emma | eh-MAH | Germanic, “whole, universal” |
| Rose | ROHZ | The rose flower |
| Anna | ah-NAH | Hebrew, “grace” |
| Romy | roh-MEE | Short for Rosemarie; actress Romy Schneider |
| Chloé | kloh-AY | Greek, “young green shoot” |
| Léa | lay-AH | French form of Leah, possibly “weary” |
| Mia | mee-AH | Diminutive of Maria; Italian “mine” |
| Iris | ee-REECE | Greek, “rainbow” |
| Juliette | zhoo-lee-ET | From the Roman family name Julius |
| Lina | lee-NAH | Short form of names like Caroline or Angelina |
| Inès | ee-NESS | French form of Agnes, “pure” |
Popular French boy names in France today
Biblical names and short classics dominate the boys’ charts. Several, like Jules and Gabin, are almost unknown in the US.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning / origin |
|---|---|---|
| Gabriel | gah-bree-EL | Hebrew, “God is my strength” |
| Léo | lay-OH | Latin, “lion” |
| Raphaël | rah-fah-EL | Hebrew, “God heals” |
| Louis | loo-EE | Germanic, “famous warrior” |
| Arthur | ar-TOOR | Celtic, possibly “bear” |
| Jules | ZHOOL | From Julius, Roman family name |
| Maël | mah-EL | Breton, “prince, chief” |
| Lucas | loo-KAH | Greek, “from Lucania” |
| Hugo | oo-GOH | Germanic, “mind, spirit” |
| Gabin | gah-BAN | From the Roman name Gabinus; actor Jean Gabin |
| Sacha | sah-SHAH | Russian pet form of Alexander, “defender” |
| Noé | noh-AY | French form of Noah, “rest” |
| Victor | veek-TOR | Latin, “conqueror” |
| Paul | POLE | Latin, “small, humble” |
| Nathan | nah-TAHN | Hebrew, “he gave” |
Vintage French names coming back
French parents are rediscovering the names of the Belle Époque and the 1920s. These also feel wonderfully fresh in English; see more vintage girl names.
| Name | Meaning / origin | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Colette | Diminutive of Nicole, “victory of the people” | Girl |
| Margaux | French form of Margaret, “pearl”; also the Bordeaux wine village | Girl |
| Céleste | Latin, “heavenly” | Girl |
| Joséphine | Feminine of Joseph, “God will add” | Girl |
| Élise | Short form of Élisabeth, “God is my oath” | Girl |
| Amélie | From Amalia, “work” | Girl |
| Madeleine | From Mary Magdalene, “of Magdala” | Girl |
| Delphine | Greek, “woman of Delphi” | Girl |
| Odette | Germanic, “wealth”; the swan princess in Swan Lake | Girl |
| Marcel | From Latin Marcellus, “little warrior” (Mars) | Boy |
| Étienne | French form of Stephen, “crown” | Boy |
| Lucien | Latin, “light” | Boy |
| Gaston | Possibly “from Gascony” | Boy |
| Théophile | Greek, “friend of God” | Boy |
| Émile | From the Roman name Aemilius, possibly “rival” | Boy |
| Henri | French form of Henry, “home ruler” | Boy |
Classic French hyphenated names
Double names joined by a hyphen were hugely popular in France from the 1940s to the 1970s. Each part is a full name, and both are always used together.
| Name | Made from | Famous bearer |
|---|---|---|
| Jean-Luc | John + Luke | Director Jean-Luc Godard; Star Trek’s Captain Picard |
| Jean-Pierre | John + Peter | Countless French grandfathers |
| Jean-Baptiste | John the Baptist | Playwright Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (Molière) |
| Jean-Paul | John + Paul | Philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre |
| Marie-Claire | Mary + Clare | The French magazine |
| Marie-Louise | Mary + Louise | Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon’s second wife |
| Anne-Sophie | Anne + Sophie | Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter |
| Pierre-Louis | Peter + Louis | A classic aristocratic combination |
| Louis-Philippe | Louis + Philip | King Louis-Philippe I |
| Marie-Antoinette | Mary + Antonia | Queen Marie Antoinette |
French word names
Some of the prettiest “French” names are ordinary French words. A few are more popular with English speakers than in France itself.
| Name | French meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Belle | Beautiful | Beauty and the Beast heroine |
| Soleil | Sun | Bright and joyful |
| Étoile | Star | Rare and dreamy |
| Fleur | Flower | Popular in Britain and the Netherlands |
| Aimée | Loved, beloved | Classic French given name |
| Bijou | Jewel | Sweet nickname or pet name |
| Noël | Christmas | For December babies |
| Blanche | White | Medieval queen’s name |
| Reine | Queen | Regal and unusual |
| Océane | Ocean | Popular in France in the 1990s |
Common French surnames
France’s commonest surnames come from first names, jobs and places. Our list of French last names has 100+ with meanings.
| Surname | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Martin | From Martinus, “of Mars” | From a first name |
| Bernard | Brave as a bear | From a first name |
| Dubois | From the woods | Place |
| Durand | Enduring, steadfast | Nickname |
| Petit | Small | Nickname |
| Leroy | The king (servant of the king) | Nickname |
| Moreau | Dark-skinned, dark-haired | Nickname |
| Lefebvre | The smith | Occupation |
| Laurent | From Laurentius, “laurel” | From a first name |
| Fontaine | Fountain, spring | Place |
| Rousseau | Red-haired | Nickname |
| Girard | Brave with a spear | From a first name |
| Mercier | Merchant, mercer | Occupation |
| Lambert | Bright land | From a first name |
| Bonnet | Hat maker; or nickname | Occupation |
How to choose a French name
- Decide on the accents. Chloé, Léa and Raphaël lose their accents on many US forms; decide whether you’ll keep them and be consistent.
- Say it the French way — or not. Jules is “ZHOOL” in France but often “JOOLZ” in the US. Both are fine; choose one before introducing it to family.
- Watch silent letters. Names like Margaux and Louis end in silent letters, which delights some parents and frustrates others.
- Check the meaning in French. A pretty word can carry an odd meaning; for example, “Bijou” is also used for pets in France.
- Try a French middle name. An elegant middle like Céleste or Étienne adds flair without complication; see middle names.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular French name?
In recent INSEE data, Louise, Jade and Ambre are among the top girls’ names in France, and Gabriel, Léo and Raphaël lead for boys.
What are classic French names?
Jean, Pierre, Louis, Henri, Marie, Anne, Madeleine and Jeanne are timeless French classics, many borne by kings, queens and saints.
Why do French people have hyphenated first names?
Compound names like Jean-Luc or Marie-Claire let parents honor two saints or relatives at once. They peaked in France between the 1940s and 1970s.
What French name means star?
Étoile is the French word for star, and Stella, Estelle and Céleste (“heavenly”) are related options. See our names that mean star.
Can you name a baby anything in France?
Since 1993, French parents can choose almost any name, but a registrar can refer a name to a judge if it seems against the child’s interest.