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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Barden |  |  Boy | Lives near the boar's den; Boar's den |
| Bardene | | Boy | From the Boar Valley |
| Bardolph | | Boy | Ax-wolf |
| Bardon | | Boy | Minstrel; Singer-poet; Barley Valley |
| Bardot | | Boy | French surname |
| Barhloew | | Boy | Lives on the Bare Hill |
| Barnabe | | Boy | Son of Prophecy |
| Barnett | | Boy | Leader; From the Land That was Burned; Noble Man |
| Barnum | | Boy | From the Nobleman's Home |
| Barrak | | Boy | Flash of Lightning |
| Barre | | Boy | Gateway; Pole; One who worked at a bar in a tollhouse |
| Barrick | | Boy | Grain farm; A barley farm |
| Barrie | | Boy | Lives at the Barrier; Fair-haired; From the Land That was Burned; Sharp; Pointed; Bear-strength |
| Barrymore | | Boy | Pointed Object |
| Barthelemy | | Boy | Farmer's Son |
| Barthram | | Boy | Illustrious; Glorious Raven |
| Bartleah | | Boy | From Bart's Meadow |
| Bartlomiej | | Boy | Son of Talmai; Farmer's Son |
| Bartolome | | Boy | Ploughman; Farmer's Son |
| Bartram | | Boy | Glorious Raven; Bright Raven |
| Barwolf | | Boy | Ax Wolf |
| Basilie | |  Girl | Royal; Kingly; Regal |
| Basilios | | Boy | Royal |
| Basquiat | |  Unisex | Revolutionary; Artistic; Iconic |
| Basse | | Boy | Wild boar |
| Bastien | | Boy | Respected; Well-regarded |
| Bastion | | Unisex | A stronghold or fortress; A place of protection or defense |
| Baudelaire | | Boy | French surname; A short sword |
| Baudet | | Boy | The joyful one |
| Baudry | | Boy | One who is bold and powerful |
| Bayard | | Boy | With Red-Brown Hair |
| Bayleigh | | Girl | berry wood |
| Bayley | | Boy | Steward |
| Bayliegh | | Girl | An officer of justice |
| Baylye | | Girl | A law enforcer |
| Bayou | | Unisex | A slow-moving stream; A marshy lake; Wetland |
| Bear | | Boy | Produce; To give birth |
| Beatrice | | Girl | Bringer of joy; Blessed one |
| Beatrise | | Girl | Traveler; Blessed |
| Beatus | | Boy | Blessed; Happy |
| Beau | | Boy | Beautiful; Handsome |
| Beauchamp | | Unisex | Beautiful field |
| Beaudean | | Boy | Shelter; Protection; Cover |
| Beaudouin | | Boy | French form of Baldwin; Brave friend |
| Beaumont | | Boy | Beautiful mountain |
| Beauregard | | Boy | Beautiful outlook |
| Beaux | | Boy | Handsome, charming, stylish |
| Beaw | | Boy | A beautiful one |
| Beawa | | Girl | She who has beauty |
| Bebe | | Girl | Wife |
| Beccalynn | | Girl | An intellectual; Blessed individual |
| Beceere | | Boy | Lives by the Beech Tree |
| Bede | | Boy | Prayer |
| Beecher | | Boy | Lives by the beech tree |
| Begonia | | Girl | A flowering plant, named after Michel Bgon, French governor and a patron of botany |
| Beldan | | Boy | Lives in the Beautiful Glen |
| Beldane | | Boy | Lives in the Beautiful Valley |
| Belden | | Boy | From The Fair Valley |
| Belen | | Girl | Derived from Bethlehem; House of bread |
| Belevia | | Girl | A beautiful lady |
| Belial | | Boy | Worthless |
| Belina | | Girl | St Belina from the 12th century was a French peasant; one who protects |
| Bell | | Girl | Beautiful; Fine looking; Gorgeous |
| Bella | | Girl | Beautiful; Gift of God |
| Bellamy | | Boy | Good friend |
| Bellarose | | Unisex | Beautiful rose |
| Belle | | Girl | Beautiful woman |
| Bellinor | | Boy | Beautiful and dark person |
| Belmont | | Boy | From a beautiful hill |
| Belora | | Girl | To be beautiful now |
| Belot | | Unisex | A name of a card game |
| Beman | | Boy | Lovely Hill; A variant of Beeman |
| Bemelle | | Boy | Strong as a Bear |
| Benaiah | | Boy | Son of the Lord |
| Benard | | Boy | From Bernard |
| Benedictus | | Boy | Blessed; Happy; Enjoying happiness; Enjoying the bliss of Heaven |
| Benett | | Boy | Blessed |
| Beni | | Boy | Plait of hair; Blessed |
| Benicia | | Girl | Blessed One |
| Benjie | | Boy | Diminutive of Benjamin; Right-hand son; Son of the right-hand |
| Benjiman | | Boy | Son of the right hand; Son of the south |
| Benn | | Boy | Born of the right hand; Abbreviation of Benjamin and Benedict; Son |
| Benoit | | Boy | Form of Benedict |
| Benoite | | Girl | Blessed |
| Bensen | | Boy | Ben's son; Diligent |
| Bente | | Girl | Blessed; Form of Benedict |
| Beomann | | Boy | Beekeeper |
| Beore | | Boy | Birch Tree |
| Berenice | | Girl | Bringing victory |
| Beretun | | Boy | From the Barley Farm |
| Berford | | Boy | From the Barley Ford |
| Berge | | Boy | To Help |
| Berkeley | | Boy | From the Birch tree meadow; Place Name; Where Birches grow |
| Berkley | | Boy | From the Birch tree meadow; Place Name; Where Birches grow |
| Berle | | Boy | A water parsnip |
| Berlioz | | Unisex | Musical; Passionate |
| Bern | | Girl | Brave |
| Bernad | | Boy | Strong and Brave as a Bear |
| Bernadette | | Girl | Brave bear |
| Bernal | | Boy | Strong Bear |
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/
