1200+ French Names (with Meanings and Popularity)

Place-name waiting to be discovered.

Sleek and sophisticated single-syllable choice that has NEVER been in the Top 1000, though sister name Paige has ranked since the mid 1950s. Though off her peak, Paige is still in the Top 200. Along with Poppy, Patience, and Plum, Page is one of the girl names that start with P that are also words.

Cabot is an attractive English surname associated with the daring early Italian-born British explorer known as John Cabot; his birth name was Giovanni Caboto.

Pronounced as the English word joy, rather than as the French phrase joie de vivre, Joie might produce more complications than joy.

This name of famed philosopher, mathematician and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell becomes slightly more plausible with the French pronunciation, bare-TRAHN. Another noted bearer is French director and screenwriter Bertrand Tavernier.

Hippolyte is the name of an Amazonian princess AND her son, both unfortunate mythical figures. The name Hippolyte, later borne by several saints, is a not an uncommon boys' name in France, but has barely set foot on American soil and is unlikely to do so. It was the middle name of famed French playwright Jean Giraudoux.

Patrice is a more modern-sounding and polished unisex alternative to Patricia.

Short form found in historical records, feels a tad feminine for modern times.

Jeter, which of course is used as a first name only because of Yankee star Derek, rhymes with Peter and may be derived from the French surname Jette, which was often bestowed on foundlings because it means "thrown out," or the German Jetter, an occupational name meaning "weeder." If your husband insists on Jeter, counter with Percival.

Venerable old saint's name now associated solely with talk show host Philbin, who is constantly seeking namesakes.

Intriguing way to signal Welsh ancestry; more unusual than Wallace.

Fabiola was the romantically elaborate name of a saint who organized the first hospice.

There was an ancient Saint Fort, and this is a modern, original way to convey a powerful meaning, especially in the middle place.

Here, it's strictly for girls, though Celine Dion's boy Rene-Charles reminded us of its masculine origins.

A Dorothy nickname name with a measure of nostalgic charm. Kids will associate it with the funny fish character voiced by Ellen DeGeneres in the Pixar animated instant classic Finding Nemo.