739 French Girl Names

Mariel Hemingway popularized this attractive and unusual variation of Mary. It's a fairly recent form, emerging in the twentieth century. Other variations include Marielle and Mariella, which is found in Italy.

Once seen as a dated French Claudette-Colbert feminization, along with Annette and Paulette, we can see Claudette moving into a more plausible Colette-Cosette arena. While some may be put off by the common "lame" meaning, some etymologists theorize that the name may relate to the word for enclosure or clause, an alternate meaning that may appeal to a child with a form of this otherwise-appealing name.

A fragrant herbal and color name that could make a sensitive, distinctive choice.

Anais, the name forever attached to the daring French-born American novelist and diarist Anais Nin, is unusual and French enough without appending an e, though some may think it clarifies pronunciation.

Marine is an extremely popular and fashionable name in France that's virtually unknown here — and is ready to set sail. Marine feels more contemporary than Marina and less hippie-esque than Oceane, another popular name for girls in France.

A simple name occasionally heard a couple of generations back.

A particularly beautiful member of the Orane/Oriana clan, Oriane is the first name of a major character in Proust's In Search Of Lost Time, the Duchesse de Guermantes.

Fans of the classic French designer would now more fashionably choose Coco.

Fifi is a perfect name -- for a French poodle. But Fifi may seem more child-friendly as names like Coco and Lulu rise. Fifi in its fluffiness also balances the seriousness of such full names as Josephine or Federica.

With Isabel getting so popular, parents are searching for new varieties of the name, and Isabeau is one that makes a lovely French twist.

Arlette is a French form of the Germanic name Herleva, which was the name of the mother of William the Conqueror. It peaked in France in the mid-1930s, but you might be surprised to learn that in the US, it's only just beginning to catch on now. It entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2018, and has dipped in and out in the years since then.

Long-standing French name that retains a feminine, fragile, and shell-like image.

A rarely heard--even in France--name, most prominent as the third name of Charlotte Marie Pomeline Casiraghi, the daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco and granddaughter of Grace Kelly.

Pauline had its moment of glory almost a century ago, when movie audiences were thrilling to the silent serial The Perils of Pauline; it's a sweet and gentle name that just might be due for reconsideration. Off the list since the late 1990s, Pauline was a Top 50 name from around 1908 to 1930.

Slimmed down spelling is well-established and makes an old name more modern, for better and worse. Katie Couric spells her Elinor's name this way.

The rise of the the various Isabel names may give a boost to this variation, which has a sunny, springtime feel.

Undiscovered name of picturesque northern French port.

Capucine was a chic French actress half a century ago and has been one of the most fashionable girl names in France in recent decades, ranking in France's Top 100. Capucine is also popular in French-speaking Belgium. To Americans and other English speakers, this name still feels fresh -- so fresh that last year, no baby girls were named Capucine in the US.

Satine, the name of the Nicole Kidman character in Moulin Rouge,, is, by definition satiny smooth. Jacinda Barrett named her daughter Satine Anais.

A spunky nickname name for parents with showbiz aspirations for their daughter.