150+ French Last Names

A cute and fresh way to get to Max, this was the name of a sixth century saint. Maxence is a Top 100 boys' name in France, but largely unknown in the US where it is given to only a handful of baby boys each year.

Popular President Franklin Delano Roosevelt inspired a brief fashion for this as a first name in the 1940s; almost never heard today.

If you're seeking a solid but underused occupational name with a warm, friendly sound, and an earthy feel, Granger is one to consider. Associated with faming, grain, and the outdoors, it fits in with the likes of Colton, Sawyer, and Cooper, with a hint of classic George about it too.

Despite its modern sound, Blaise has plenty of history as a given name (for boys), from a Christian martyr to Arthurian legends. Today Blaise feels like the cool and edgy Blaze with a French accent.

This is an energetic dance of an Irish surname, great for both genders. Could also be spelled Delancy.

Devereaux is familiar to many English speakers as a surname but not as a first. It's a habitational name related to the River Eure in France. Mick Jagger has a son with this name in a different spelling, Deveraux.

Didier is kind of a Desiree for boy--a lively, confident name that's widely used in France and has definite possibilities here. It's the name of an early French saint.

Ancient saint's name used for cowardly cartoon lion.

This form and its German variant Augusten are moving up fast as the preferred long forms of the trendy Gus.

Traditionally used by the ultrareligious, the French boys' name Baptiste comes from the Greek word meaning "to dip". Baptiste is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France.

Scottish actor Dougray (born Stephen) Scott made us aware of this name when he took on his French grandmother's surname as his stage name.

A French surname turned Spanish masculine given name, Rosamel likely derives from the combination of rose + Greek mel "honey".

Allaire, a last name in France. could make a first, with its light and airy feel.

Transferred use of the surname Vianney, in reference French saint Jean-Marie Vianney. It is generally masculine in France, Belgium and French-speaking Africa, but in Latin America it is mainly feminine and sometimes spelt Vianey.

The R in Joseph R. Biden Jr. stands for Robinette, the President's paternal grandmother's maiden name. In Medieval France, Robinette was used as a feminine given name derived from the male form Robinet and later became a matronymic surname via Robine.

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.

Francois is the ultimate sophisticated French name.

What's the difference between Alexander, the usual English spelling of this deeply classical name, and Alexandre, the French version? English speakers might find the proper French pronunciation challenging: a-lehk-SAHN-dreh, but that last syllable is barely pronounced. Americans might an an a or an ee on the end of the name, or simply pronounce it as Alexander, for better or worse.

Dior was among the fastest-rising names for both girls and boys in the US in the early 2020s, but was the fastest-falling name for boys in the 2023 statistics.

Maisel is a German-Jewish surname, brought into the spotlight as that of Miriam Maisel, aka The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The TV show, which premiered in 2017, has led to small numbers of girls given the name in recent years. It feels like a blend of stylish vintage names Maisie and Hazel.