270+ French Boy Names
- Bellamy
Origin:
English and Irish from FrenchMeaning:
"fine friend"Description:
Bellamy is a surname name with an admirable meaning and upbeat rhythm, similar to jovial choices like Rafferty, Barnaby and Willoughby.
- Yves
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"yew wood"Description:
On paper, with its stylish ties to fashion legend Yves Saint-Laurent (born Henri), Yves looks great, but the pronunciation--EVE-- could lead to gender confusion. German variation Ivo might be cooler and clear up the issue.
- Talon
Origin:
French word nameMeaning:
"large claw of a bird of prey"Description:
Despite its somewhat menacing meaning, this name has been widely used in recent years, probably due to the appeal of its trendy on ending.
- Sidney
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"Saint Denis"Description:
A contraction name, Sidney comes from Saint Denis and is related to Dioynsius, the Greek god of fertility and wine, although another theory is that it derived from an Anglo-Saxon place name, meaning 'at the wide island.'
- Royal
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"royal"Description:
Even less subtle than Duke or Earl, this name shot up the popularity charts in 2013, the same year young Prince George was born and the craze for all things royal (and Royal) began. Today, it's a leading boys' name on Nameberry's own popularity charts.
- Marcel
Origin:
French variation of MarcellusMeaning:
"little warrior"Description:
Marcel, despite distinguished namesakes including Proust and Duchamp, suffers from a terminal headwaiter image in this country. But along with its sister name Marcella and French variation (and Jolie-Pitt pick) Marcheline, Marcel may be on the brink of a style renaissance.
- Roy
Origin:
French or CelticMeaning:
"king or red-haired"Description:
We've seen Ray regain his cool, but could this country/cowboy name epitomized by Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye), Acuff, and Clark, do the same?
- Noel
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"Christmas"Description:
Noel is British, fey, and sophisticated, connoting wit and creativity, much like namesake Noel Coward. Noel has also been a character on Felicity and Pretty Little Liars. Thanks to their association with Christmas, Noel and Noelle make ideal names for December babies and names for Christmas babies.
- Darcy
Origin:
English from French, d'ArcyMeaning:
" from Arcy"Description:
Though Darcy is the ultimate Jane Austen hero name, it is rarely used for boys today though it's on the upswing for girls. A shame as it's a handsome, roguish kind of appellation that combines elements of French flair, aristocratic savoir faire, and a soft Irish brogue. And in terms of image, it's one of the quintessential English names for boys.
- Forest
Origin:
French occupational nameMeaning:
"woodsman or woods"Description:
The Forest variation of Forrest, used by actor Whitaker, nudges the meaning more toward the woods and away from the woodsman.
- Marshall
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"one who looks after horses"Description:
Marshall is an occupational surname, not having to do with anything military or martial, but stemming from the Norman French for someone caring for horses. It's been used as a first name since the nineteenth century and has been on the Social Security list since it started to publish its data in 1880.
- Bruce
Origin:
Scottish and English from FrenchMeaning:
"from the brushwood thicket"Description:
Bruce is a Norman place name made famous by the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland's independence from England in the fourteenth century. It's perennially popular in Scotland, but has been rarely used here for a generation -- though the impact of Bruces Lee, Springsteen, Dern and Willis, as well as Batman's Bruce Wayne -- still lingers. At one time Bruce was so widespread in Australia, it became a nickname for any Ozzie man. An interesting alternative is Brix, the Normandy place name where the Bruce family originated.
- Dax
Origin:
French place-nameDescription:
The appealingly energetic Dax, with its trendy X-ending, re-entered the Top 1000 in 2007. Its somewhat sci-fi vibe emanates from his appearance as a fictional being in the Star Trek universe, seen on the TV show "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." The Power Rangers character Dax Lo was the Blue Ranger.
- Gage
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"oath, pledge"Description:
Gage was part of the craze for one-syllable surnames, with associations to tasty green gage plums and the mathematical gauge.
- Travis
Origin:
French occupational nameMeaning:
"tollgate-keeper"Description:
Has a laid-back rural feel some would associate with country singer Travis Tritt; Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon chose it for their son. Travis Scott, born Jacques Webster Jr., a popular rap artist, is another famous Travis.
- Mars
Origin:
Roman mythologyMeaning:
"god of war; male; red planet"Description:
Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work as an alternative to popular Brooks, Max, Atlas, or Miles - and given to around 150 boys - and 35 girls - in a recent year, it is unusual but recognisable.
- Sorrel
Origin:
Botanical name and FrenchMeaning:
"reddish brown"Description:
Sorrel is a gentle, amber-hued herbal and autumnal name that's used most often to describe the color of a horse. Sorrell is a variant spelling. Both make excellent names for autumn babies and can be used for either gender.
- Pascal
Origin:
French; EnglishMeaning:
"of the Passover; Easter"Description:
The French-accented Pascal was historically used for sons born at Easter, and can make an interesting choice for a boy with Gallic roots arriving around that holiday.
- Dennis
Origin:
French from Greek, vernacular form of DionysiusMeaning:
"god of Nysa"Description:
Although it has come to sound Irish, Dennis is one of the most widely-used French names (St. Denis is the patron saint of France) and harks back even further to Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and debauchery. It was introduced to England by the Normans.
- Sacha
Origin:
French variation of SashaMeaning:
"defending warrior"Description:
Sasha in all its forms -- which include Sacha and Sascha -- is rising in popularity for both boys and girls. Its most prominent current bearer is Sacha Baron Cohen.