1200+ French Names (with Meanings and Popularity)

Nathaniel is a wonderful classic name and Nathanael, which may be an ancient Greek or Hebrew form, is appealing and has gravitas but may prove needlessly confusing in the modern world.

Though it's French, most Americans would pronounce it as the stone.

Angelique was the fastest-rising girl name of 2021, influenced by French-Mexican actress Angelique Boyer, who starred in the telenovela Imperio de mentiras (Empire of Lies).

Justice is a fashionable word name, used for both girls and boys. Justice has the distinction of being a virtue name without the religious implications of Faith or Grace. It still feels more male than female, perhaps partly due to the classic Roman name Justus, but Justice has become a more common pick for girls in recent years.

This highly unusual name has been kicked up a notch, thanks to cooking guru Emeril Lagasse.

Frenchified name rarely used in France. And perhaps even more rarely used in the US -- there were NO baby girls given the name on the official records of 2021.

Unique baby name and poetic Gallic choice. Guillaume Apollinaire was a French poet and novelist active in the early 20th century arts community, who is said to have coined the terms cubism and surrealism. He based his unique surname de plume on his Polish middle name, Apolinary.

One of the oldest and most widely used compound names, now a bit dated but not as much so as its opposite Mary-Ann. The hyphen is optional.

A seraph is a heavenly, angelic being from Ancient Jewish scripture. The Hebrew word literally translates to "the burning one." It can also be considered a diminutive of the name Seraphim.

This name of a daughter of Zeus has an intriguing air of antiquity.

The middle name of the Travoltas' Ella, this French color alternative hasn't caught on with many other parents.

The final e introduces pronunciation questions. Is Eleanor pronounced just like Eleanor, or is it the more elaborate el-LAY-ah-nor? Or something else?

Embroidered lace hankie of a name, used in a Thomas Hardy novel. That literary cred lends some gravitas.

This name for the sweetbriar shrub is a bit too reminiscent of eggplant.

A name better left where it is, embroidered on a fifties poodle skirt.

The y makes it seem more like a name and less like an animal, but it's still not as appealing as several Leo choices.

Five girls were given the name Perrine last year. More modern-sounding are Perrin, Perry, or even Petra.