Rare French Boy Names

More appealing than the English version, Aubin might be seen as a fresher and more decidedly masculine twist on Aubrey. This handsome discovery is now ranked at Number 311 in its native France.

Thierry, which is very popular in France, would make an interesting import; it's somewhat familiar through designer Thierry Mugler and international soccer star Thierry Henry. It almost sounds like Terry, but not quite.

An everyday name in France, a charismatic possibility here.

French form of Callistus or Callixtus, borne by several popes and saints.

Herby and aristocratic Basil remains a tough sell, but we’d like to introduce you to Basile, the delightful French version. It retains all of Basil’s charm, but sheds some of the pesto linkage.

This buoyant name has the same bouncy rhythm as Rafferty and Barnaby, but is virtually unused. It has plenty of literary cred, too: characters in The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter and Thomas Hardy’s The Return of the Native have all borne the name.

Might make a worthy masculine spin on either of the uber popular Emma or Emily.

Unisex option Dominique peaked for boys at Number 170 in 1991, perhaps due to the popularity of basketball player Dominique Wilkins. It's one of the most truly gender-neutral baby names right now.

Jasper is an internationally-popular name that takes many forms, among them Casper, Gaspar, and the French version Gaspard. Virtually unknown in the US, Gaspard is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France.

A happy combination of several desirable genres: it's a word name, it has a foreign accent, and it has a highly virtuous meaning. And few other parents will be bold enough to choose it.

Surname of French architect Jean Nouvel that became a given name when Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie used it as the middle name of their daughter Shiloh.

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.

A French form of Benedict that makes a smooth and elegant choice, although the pronunciation may trip people up in an English speaking environment.

A traditional Arabic name with cool short form Khai, which was used as a standalone by Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik in 2020.

Sohan is a modern French invention. It may be related to Jean or a variation of the similar name Yohan.

Rarely heard, and all too likely to be confused with Kevin.