270+ French Boy Names

  1. Travis
    • Origin:

      French occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  2. Denver
    • Origin:

      English or French place-name and surname
    • Meaning:

      "from Anvers"
    • Description:

      Before there was Aspen, Denver was the Colorado city name of choice, and it reentered the US Top 1000 in 2015 after a 14 year absence as a stylish two-syllable boys’ name with its trendy -er ending. Its decade of greatest use was the 1920s, when it reached as high as Number 422.
  3. Julien
    • Origin:

      French from Latin
    • Meaning:

      "youthful, downy-bearded, or sky father"
    • Description:

      Julien is the handsome French form of Julian, which derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
  4. Noel
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  5. Sacha
    • Origin:

      French variation of Sasha
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  6. Laurent
    • Origin:

      French variation of Lawrence
    • Meaning:

      "of Laurentium or bay laurel"
    • Description:

      A French accent makes almost everything sound better, especially when attached to a Twilight vampire. Laurent also has a high-style feel via designer Yves St-Laurent. Laurent de Brunhoff is the French author-illustrator who continued his father Jean's series of Babar books.
  7. Marion
    • Origin:

      French derivative of Mary
    • Meaning:

      "drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
    • Description:

      Fun fact: Marion was the birth name of movie star John Wayne. Although commonly thought of as a female name today, it was actually more popular for boys until the late 19th century, and was given to roughly equal numbers of boys and girls throughout the 1970s-2000s.
  8. Faron
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "handsome servant"
    • Description:

      Faron, a soft and gentle name, has a diverse group of references. There was the medieval Saint Faron, Bishop of Meaux (who has given his name to a cheese); Faron Young, a colorful midcentury country singer known as The Hillbilly Heartthrob, and a character from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
  9. Corentin
    • Origin:

      French, Breton
    • Meaning:

      "tempest, hurricane"
    • Description:

      Corentin is an intriguing saint's name fashionable in France but virtually unknown here-- which you may consider a big plus. St. Corentin possessed a magical fish that regenerated itself each night, feeding himself and his lucky visitors in perpetuity.
  10. Jean
    • Origin:

      French variation of John
    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"
    • Description:

      In Paris, it's charming, but in America, it's still Jean, as in blue jean. Or Aunt Jean.
  11. Merle
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "blackbird"
    • Description:

      Originally a nickname for someone who loved to sing or whistle, Merle is even less masculine than Meredith.
  12. Chandler
    • Origin:

      English from French occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "candle maker"
    • Description:

      For a generation, this name will always be linked to 1990s hit TV series Friends. Whether this is a positive or a negative will depend on your fondness for the show, and character Chandler Bing, but this name deserves consideration beyond these connotations: Chandler is a fresh take on the professional surname names.
  13. Valentin
    • Origin:

      French, German, Russian, Czech, Scandinavian variation of Valentine
    • Meaning:

      "strength, health"
    • Description:

      Romantic name used throughout Europe, though sure to lead to pronunciation problems here. Though it's never been too widely used in the US, it's quite popular in Switzerland, France, Austria, and Romania.
  14. Yanis
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "gift of God"
    • Description:

      One of the relatives on the widely-branching family of John names, Yanis is in the French Top 50.
  15. Marcellus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "young warrior"
    • Description:

      This ancient Roman family name, first borne by the distinguished Marcus Claudius Marcellus and later by two popes, is a possibilty in the hot new category of names from antiquity.
  16. Lebron
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "brown-haired one"
    • Description:

      The best-known bearer of this name by far is basketball superstar LeBron James. While LeBron James is a great athlete and American hero, only 19 baby boys were named LeBron or Lebron in 2021.
  17. Andre
    • Origin:

      French and Portuguese variation of Andrew
    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"
    • Description:

      Andre is one international form that's been familiar in the English-speaking world for decades yet still has not been Anglicized.
  18. Sully
    • Origin:

      French or English
    • Meaning:

      "stain or from the south meadow"
    • Description:

      A jaunty offshoot of Sullivan, Sully will be associated by kids with the beloved character in the Pixar animated film Monsters, Inc. Some notable real-life namesakes are French poet and essayist Sully Prudhomme, the heroic pilot "Sully" Sullenberger, and Sully Erna, lead vocalist of Godsmack.
  19. Alphonse
    • Origin:

      French from German
    • Meaning:

      "noble, ready for battle"
    • Description:

      Rarely used, and for good reason. Alonzo is a preferable choice.
  20. Maxim
    • Origin:

      French variation of Maximus
    • Meaning:

      "greatest"
    • Description:

      Although often connected to the men's magazine title, Maxim is a chic and powerful name for a little boy. It's proving moderately popular too, having been in the Top 1000 in the US since the year 2000.