Illustration: MomJunction Design Team
Delicious Brie cheese, the magnificent Eiffel Tower, and the sophisticated Chanel fashion house, France is indeed the country of cultural richness. And just like French history, even the French baby names are a fusion of honor, strength, and elegance. The names have an element of European romance, while being relatively uncommon outside the French-speaking nations.
In polite usage, a French person’s name is preceded by Monsieur for male, Madame for females, Mademoiselle for unmarried females, Mondamoiseau for young gentleman, and Maître for both men and women. French people have one or two given names, of which one is used in daily life, and the other is used in official documents. Traditionally, a French baby is given names taken from the Roman Catholic calendar of saints. In regions like Corsica and Brittany, local names are used. And the immigrants are free to use names that represent their culture or religion.
French baby names have a timeless charm and they often express the beauty of the country’s art, literature, and landscapes. These names are also inspired by the names of historical figures. Names like Alicia evokes a sense of nobility and pristine nature. The name Oliver, which often signifies the olive tree, represents the ethereal and sublime landscapes of the country. Oliver has been among the top ten baby names in the US in the year 2022 (1). French baby names are known for their melodious sounds. For example, names like Ellinor and Jacqui have an appealing rhythm and roll off the tongue.
With so many gorgeous French names, it could get tough to find the perfect name for your son or daughter. But this post has it covered for you. Below is our collection of French boy names and French girl names along with their meanings. Why wait? Pick the one which you think will suit your daughter or son best.
| Name | Gender | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Amille |  |  Unisex | Strong; Determined; Ambitious |
| Amorette | |  Girl | Little love |
| Amour | | Unisex | Love; Affection; Romance |
| Amy | | Girl | Beloved; To love |
| Anaelle | | Girl | Graceful, divine, beautiful |
| Anais | | Girl | Highly gracious; Merciful; Immaculate; Undefiled |
| Ancelin | | Girl | Handmaiden; A variant name is Ancelina |
| Ancy | | Unisex | Grace; Favor |
| Andrae | |  Boy | A mighty, manly and hard-working defender |
| Angeline | | Girl | Messenger of God; Angelic |
| Angely | | Unisex | Angel; Variant of Angela |
| Anna | | Boy | Grace; Favor |
| Annaelle | | Girl | God's grace |
| Annebell | | Girl | Easy to Love; A combination of Anna and Bella; A variant of Amabel |
| Annebelle | | Girl | Easy to Love; A combination of Anna and Bella; A variant of Amabel |
| Annecy | | Unisex | Gracious lake |
| Annelyse | | Girl | One who is devoted to God; Graceful beings |
| Annette | | Girl | Grace; Favor |
| Annie | | Girl | Beautiful; Grace; Favor |
| Anouk | | Girl | Favor; Grace |
| Antoine | | Boy | Praiseworthy; Prosperous |
| Antoinette | | Girl | Praiseworthy; Priceless one |
| Apolline | | Girl | Of or relating to Apollo or his worship |
| Apostol | | Boy | A pious man |
| Aramis | | Boy | Fictional swordsman; Lion |
| Archard | | Boy | Powerful; A variant of name Archird |
| Archer | | Boy | Bowman |
| Archerd | | Boy | Powerful; A variant of name Archird |
| Arielle | | Girl | Lioness of God |
| Armand | | Boy | Army person |
| Arrabelle | | Girl | Lovely; Strong; Graceful |
| Artagnan | | Boy | Name of one of the Three Musketeers; Leader |
| Ascelina | | Girl | Noble; one who is a little individual |
| Assia | | Girl | One who looks and comforts others |
| Astelle | | Girl | Graceful; Divine |
| Astin | | Boy | A strong leader who is trustworthy |
| Auberi | | Unisex | Rule of an Elf; powerful and kind hearted |
| Aubertin | | Boy | Derived from Aubert |
| Aubery | | Boy | Elf ruler |
| Aubray | | Boy | Ruler of the Elves |
| Aubree | | Girl | Ruler of elves |
| Aubrey | | Boy | Ruler of elves; Magical being |
| Aubreyanna | | Girl | Noble and graceful |
| Aubri | | Girl | A girl who is the ruler of elves |
| Audemar | | Unisex | Noble and strong |
| Audette | | Girl | Name for a bird |
| Audine | | Unisex | Prosperous; Wealthy |
| Audra | | Boy | Noble strength |
| Audree | | Girl | A divine stregth |
| Audric | | Boy | Old and powerful ruler; A variant name from Aldrich |
| Auger | | Boy | Derived from the French personal Alger |
| Aune | | Unisex | Sacred; Divine |
| Aunna | | Girl | Gracious and wonderful human beings |
| Aurelianus | | Boy | A golden and gilded person; shiny haired |
| Aurelle | | Unisex | Golden light; Golden |
| Auron | | Boy | Golden light; Dawn |
| Aurore | | Girl | Golden; Godess of dawn; Lively |
| Aurorette | | Girl | A variation of the name Aurora; dawn |
| Austin | | Boy | Grand; Majestic |
| Ava | | Girl | Guarantee |
| Avant | | Unisex | Before; Forward |
| Avari | | Girl | Inspired advice; Old peace; Of the heavens; From the sky; A variant of name Avery |
| Avelaine | | Girl | A friend of the environment; nut |
| Avelina | | Girl | Little Bird; Strength; Desired; A variant of the name Ava |
| Aveline | | Girl | Hazelnut; Nut |
| Avenir | | Unisex | Future |
| Avent | | Boy | One who is born during advent |
| Avere | | Boy | Best counsell; A wise judge |
| Averyl | | Girl | Month Name; Opening Buds of Spring; Born in April; A variant of name April; A variant form of Averil |
| Avice | | Girl | Refuge in a battle; Beloved |
| Avignon | | Unisex | Name of a place; the one who who came from France |
| Avriel | | Girl | To open; Month name; Opening buds of spring; Born in April; A variant of the name April; A variant form of Averil |
| Avrill | | Girl | To Open; Month Name; Opening Buds of Spring; Born in April; A variant of name April; A variant form of Averil |
| Avryl | | Girl | To Open; Month Name; Opening Buds of Spring; Born in April; A variant of name April; A variant form of Averil |
| Avyce | | Girl | One who is refuge in a war; warlike |
| Awtry | | Boy | A man of noble strength |
| Aya | | Girl | Design; Colorful |
| Ayer | | Boy | The one who is the heir |
| Ayers | | Boy | Community name |
| Aylee | | Girl | A hazelnut tree; A bird |
| Azalee | | Girl | Dry; Flower |
| Azalie | | Girl | Flower |
| Azelie | | Girl | Noble, precious |
| Azelle | | Unisex | Noble; Reserved |
| Babette | | Girl | One who takes God as Oath; Stranger |
| Bail | | Boy | One who has lived by the outer wall of a castle |
| Baileigh | | Girl | An administrator; Manager; A Goddess |
| Bailiegh | | Girl | An officer of justice and administration |
| Baines | | Boy | The son of Einws |
| Baize | | Unisex | Dark brown |
| Baltasar | | Boy | Protected by God |
| Baltazar | | Boy | A version of baltasar |
| Balthazar | | Boy | Protect the king |
| Balzac | | Boy | A French writer |
| Banner | | Boy | A colonial origin, banner; Flag |
| Baptiste | | Boy | Baptizer |
| Barbaros | | Boy | Bravo; Fierce |
| Barbetta | | Girl | A variation of Babette |
| Barbie | | Girl | Derived from Barbara; Traveler from a foreign land |
| Bard | | Boy | Poet; Minstrel; One who sings ballads |
French baby names are sublime and sweet. From the classic to the modern, this compiled list has names for every parent. French names are rooted in the country’s culture and each name has a story to tell. Blending all the magical components of the country, these names will mesmerize anyone and leave a lasting impression. Each name in this list holds special significance with regard to its roots and meanings. So select a name that catches your fancy and suits your tiny tot well.
Infographic: Elegant French Baby Names With Meanings
French baby names evoke a sense of elegance with their deep-rooted history. These names are often inspired by the country’s traditions, cultures, people, art, and philosophy. These names have significant meanings and intriguing roots. If you are fond of names with depth and grace, then check this infographic, where we have presented some of the most charming French names for babies.
Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the name "Gabriel" in French?
Gabriel is derived from the Hebrew name Gavriel, meaning God is my strong man. It is the name of an archangel in Hebrew tradition.
2. What are some French baby names starting with the letter M?
Some beautiful French names that begin with M are Madeleine (French version of Magdalene, meaning of Magdala), Magali (Occitan version of Magdalene), Marc (French version of the Latin Marcus, meaning Mars or male), Marie (derived from Mary meaning beloved), and Martin (derived from the Roman Martinus related to Mars meaning male).
3. What are some French baby names that are easy to pronounce?
Baby names like Emma (meaning whole or great), Lucas (a habitational name meaning from Lucania), Chloe (an epithet of the Greek goddess Demeter meaning green shoot), Nathan (derived from the Hebrew name Natan meaning he gave), and Henri (derived from the Germanic name Heimrich meaning home ruler) are easy to pronounce. They consist of only two syllables and most of them are easy to spell as well.
4. What are some French baby names with a historical significance?
French baby names like Louis (inspired after several kings of France), Napoleon (after Napoleon Bonaparte), Jeanne (inspired by Joan of Arc), Marie (inspired by Marie Antoinette), and Charles (named after several kings of France) are of historical significance.
5. What are some gender-neutral French baby names?
Certain French baby names like Remy (meaning oarsman), Camille (meaning religious helper), Sasha (diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra meaning defending men), Alix (derived from a Germanic name meaning noble or nobility), and Marie (derived ultimately from Mary meaning beloved) are unisex names.
6. What are some French baby names suitable for twins?
Twin names like Gabriel-Samuel (God is my strong man-name of God), Léa-Emma (weary-great), Alice-Louise (nobility-famous in battle), and Hugo-Louis (spirit-famous in battle) are good choices. These names complement each other not only phonetically but also in terms of their meaning.
7. What are some French baby names popular among non-French speakers?
Several names like Aaron (exalted), Arthur (bear), Bernadette (firm and bear), Christine (to anoint), Félix (lucky, successful), and Marie (beloved) are popular among non-French speakers. These languages include English, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, Dutch, and German.
8. What are some French baby names with a romantic or poetic feel?
French baby names like Amour (love), Aimée (beloved), Esmé (esteemed, loved), Philidore (gift of love), and Lestan (love stone) have romantic and poetic meanings.
References
- Top 10 baby names of 2022.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
