Abel, the name of Adam and Eve's unfortunate younger son, compensates with positive connotations: capable, competent, ready and willing. 
 Abel has literary connections to the novels of Dickens and Trollope, and is also one of the few well-known Old Testament names not plagued by overuse. Having been chosen for their second son by Amy Pohler and Will Arnett could give it a real popularity bounce.
 Abel's namesakes include two movie directors, Abel Gance and Abel Ferrara, and a pop singer, Abel Tesfaye, more commonly known as The Weeknd.

Abel

Adelaide is now heading straight uphill on the coattails of such newly popular sisters as Ava, Ada, and Audrey, and in the company of Adeline and Amelia. It was chosen by actress Katherine Heigl for the name of her second daughter.
 Adelaide gained fame as the noble German princess who married the British King William IV in 1830 and became known as "Good Queen Adelaide," inspiring the name of the Australian city and a craze for her name. Earlier, St. Adelaide was married to Otto the Great and became Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, described as "a marvel of beauty and goodness."
 When Aussie actress Rachel Griffiths (also mother of son Banjo) chose Adelaide for her daughter, she said she'd been inspired by the city, Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, and the Disney character in The Aristocats. Adelaide can also be found in works by Thomas Hardy and Agatha Christie.

Adelaide

Credit the award-winning single-named British singer for taking the <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ name</a> Adele from a quiet semi-retirement back into currency. Adele reentered the US Top 1000 <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a> in 2011 and has remained there ever since. 
Adele is both a saint's and a royal name, having originated as the French version of the German Adela. It's one of the most stylish <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/a">girl names starting with A</a>. 
Molly Ringwald chose Adele for one of her twins, and Fred Astaire's first dancing partner was his older sister Adele.
 Historically, Adele was the name of the youngest daughter of William the Conquerer. Music lovers might associate the name with a character in Johann Strauss's operetta Die Fledermaus, while a prime literary reference is Jane Eyre's young charge.

Adele

Adeline has a lovely, old-fashioned "Sweet Adeline" charm, but has become so popular in the US under so many spellings and variations -- with Adalynn and Adalyn also popular -- that considered together it is far more popular than it first seems. Adorable nickname Addie is also pervasive. 
Adeline originated as a French diminutive of Adele, which came from the Germanic root adal, meaning "noble." Adeline was introduced to England by the Normans in the eleventh century, was very common during the Middle Ages, then vanished until the Victorian Gothic revival. Common variants of Adeline include Adalynn, Adalyn, Adelyn, Adelynn, Adelina, and Adaline.
 Adeline was introduced to England by the Normans in the eleventh century, was very common during the Middle Ages, then vanished until the Victorian Gothic revival.
 The song "Sweet Adeline" Is an old barbershop quartet favorite. JFK's grandfather John F. Fitzgerald, mayor of Boston, made it his theme song, and Mickey Mouse serenaded Minnie with it in a 1929 cartoon.
 Pronounced ad-a-line in America, it's usually ad-a-LEEN in France.

Adeline

This spelling variation of the much more popular Adrian entered reentered the Social Security list after an over 100 year absence in 1999. The -en ending makes it sound like the feminine Adrienne. We suggest sticking with the all A Adrian for your little boy.
 Actor Adrien Brody uses this spelling.

Adrien

A long-integrated French feminine form of Adrian, now overshadowed by the a-ending version, but still a valid option, with considerable substance and dignity—though these days more parents would probably choose Adriana.
 Adrienne Rich was an influential twentieth-century poet. Princess Madeleine of Sweden and her American husband Chris O'Neill named their third child Adrienne, giving it fresh royal gloss.

Adrienne

Agathe is a hugely popular name in contemporary France, even if it's English-speaking counterparts have not yet warmed to the usual English version, Agatha. The French pronunciation is sure to trip up non-French speakers.

Agathe

Agnes is the Latin variation of the name Hagne, which itself derived from the Greek word hagnos, meaning "chaste." In medieval times, St. Agnes was a very popular saint, leading to its popularity as a girl's name. Agnes Grey is the title of one of the two novels written by Anne Brontë.
 
Agnes, though it was the third most common English girls' name for four hundred years, has long been stuck in the attic. But now it looks like Agnes was so far out it's just about ready to come back in. It did look cute on a little girl in Despicable Me, and nickname Aggie has lots of retro appeal. 
 Agnes has also been making inroads in the celebrisphere—first actress Elisabeth Shue chose Agnes for her third child, and more recently Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany named their daughter Agnes Lark. 
 The French pronunciation—ahn-YEZ—could make it more attractive, but few Americans would comply. Other interesting variations: the Welsh Nesta, the Latin/Scandinavian Agneta, the Spanish Inez/Ines/Ynez, and the Scottish Senga—which happens to be Agnes spelled backwards.

Agnes

Amy was a 1970s favorite, and French spelling Aimee peaked in the same decade.
 Aimee Teegarden is an American actress, known for her role as Julie Taylor on the TV drama Friday Night Lights. Aimee Mann is an American musician and singer-songwriter.

Aimee

Albanie

Albert has acquired a new gloss as one of the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/341/royal-names-for-boys">royal baby boy names</a>, a considerable upgrade from its serious, studious image (think Einstein, Schweitzer). 

Albert became popular in Britain following the 1840 marriage of Queen Victoria to the German Prince Albert and remained in vogue for 80 years. In the US, it's been on a downward slide for a century, though it's always ranked in the US Top 1000 and is a Top 100 name in England and Denmark.

Along with such stalwarts as Walter and George, it could now make a distinctive yet classic choice. Enlivening nickname Bertie is popular on its own in the UK.

Albert

Albertine and Alberta are old-fashioned feminizations ala Geraldine and Roberta. This is the kind of name that sounds very dowdy until a hip celebrity chooses it, at which point we don't know how we missed its coolness all this time.

Albertine

Alfred is up off his recliner! If you're looking for a path to Fred, you can go directly to Frederick or take the long way around with the so-out-it's-in-again Alfred. Alfred is quite popular in several European countries, especially England and Wales, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.
 Alfred the Great, King of Wessex (called "England's darling") was a wise, compassionate and scholarly king of old England in the tenth century. His name reached the height of its popularity from the late eighteenth to the early twentieth century—it was in the Top 50 in the U.S. until 1933.
 Among its best known bearers were the poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, movie director Alfred Hitchcock, biologist/sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, Swedish inventor/industrialist Alfred Nobel, and photographer Alfred Stieglitz. And let's not forget Batman's butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
 Hipper nicknames: Alf, Alfie, and Fred.

Alfred

Alice is a classic literary name that's both strong and sweet, ranking in the US Top 100 and popular throughout the western world. Alice is derived from the Old French name Aalis, a diminutive of Adelais that itself came from the Germanic name Adalhaidis, which is composed of the Proto-Germanic elements aþala, meaning "noble," and haidu, "kind, appearance, type." 
 Alice is quite distinct among traditional <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a>—more feminine and dainty than Mary and Helen, more substantive than Ann or Jane, yet with more lightness and innocent charm than Margaret or Katharine. 
 
Alice has been riding a fresh wave of popularity, not only in the US and other English-speaking countries but in places as diverse as Italy, France, Brazil, and Sweden. That makes Alice a remarkably international choice.
 Alice is a darling of literature, from the immortal heroine in Alice in Wonderland to an unusual number of fine modern writers like Alices Munro, Walker, Sebold, Hoffman, McDermott, Adams, and Elliott Dark. In other fields, there were First Daughter Alice Roosevelt, painter Alice Neel, food innovator Alice Waters, and literary figure Alice B. Toklas, to name a few.
 As a British royal, Alice was Queen Victoria's second daughter, the princess who shocked her Victorian mother by breastfeeding her baby. More recently, Tina Fey helped popularize the name when she chose it for her daughter.

Alice

A chic and sassy French choice, popular in France but likely to be confused with the more prosaic Alex in English-speaking countries. Although sometimes used in the US as a variant spelling of Alex, the French name Alix actually derives from a medieval French form of the name Alice or Adelaide. 

 Several members of European royal family have borne this name, including Alix of France; Alix, Duchess of Brittany; and Alix of Hesse, Empress consort of Russia. More recent are Alix d'Unienville, WWII spy; Alix Kilroy, one of the first British women to become a public servant; and engineer Alix Pryde.

Alix

Rarely used, and for good reason. Alonzo is a preferable choice.
 Alphonse does have a mixed bag of notable namesakes—French novelist Alphonse Daudet, painter Alphonse Mucha, and it was the birth name of gangster Al Capone.

Alphonse

Alphonsine

Ambroise

Anatole is one of the unique boys' names with an unusual-ish feel but an uncertain provenance, with a meaning related to sunrise and thus to fire. While it's Greek in origin, it is associated more closely with France. Anatole Kuragin is a dashing, roguish prince in Tolstoy's War and Peace.

 Fewer than five baby boys were named Anatole in the US last year, making it a good choice if you're looking for a truly uncommon boy's name that has a solid history.

Anatole

Andre is one of the international forms of Andrew that has been familiar in the English-speaking world for decades without any need to be overly Anglicized - though round the world, it is more likely to be written as André.

With its hint of flair, Andre has in fact been in the US Top 1000 names for boys for a century now, reaching the Top 200 in the 70s and 80s. Now, use of Andre has declined, but it is still in the Top 400 and given to more than 1060 babies each year.
 
Globally, Andre remains a popular choice in Brazil and Portugal, though it is also used in England, Mexico, Germany and France.

Andre

Andrea — a feminine form of Andrew (and a male name in several European cultures) — comes with a good selection of pronunciations — ANN-dree-a, AHN-dree-a, or ahn-DRAY-a — each with a slightly different image: girl next door/slightly affected/downright mysterious
 
Andrea's popularity, while never huge, remained surprisingly steady for many years — until 2013, it hadn't been knocked out of the Top 100 since 1962. There have been countless featured on-screen characters named Andrea, on vehicles from the original Beverly Hills 90210 to The West Wing to The Devil Wears Prada.
 Originally the Italian male form of Andrew, Andrea is found across many European cultures — for one sex or the other.

Andrea

Ange

With Angelina becoming so popular thanks to Ms. Jolie, this could be a new twist—but everyone will always misunderstand it as Angelina. While it currently ranks at Number 951 in the US, it's Number 352 in France.

Angeline

Angelique was the fastest-rising girl name of 2021, influenced by French-Mexican actress Angelique Boyer, who starred in the telenovela Imperio de mentiras (Empire of Lies).
 
After a long run of <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> that end with A, such as Angelina, we think the consonant sound at the end is fresher.

Angelique

The French word for angel is Ange, but Angèle is the French version of the name Angela, and feels much fresher nowadays.

Angèle

Anna has become the dominant form of the Ann family, offering a touch of the international to English speakers and a bit more style than the oversimplified Ann or Anne.
 Anna is the Latin form of Hannah, a Hebrew name that derived from root chanan, meaning "grace." European Christians embraced the name for its associations with the Virgin Mary’s mother, Saint Anna — known in English as Saint Anne.
Anna has been used for generations throughout Europe, from Russia to Italy, Spain to The Netherlands. While Hannah and Anna are the most common forms of the name, variations including Annie, Annalise, Anya, Anika, Nancy, and Anais also rank in the US Top 1000.
 
Classic and simple, Anna would be an excellent choice for parents in search of a name that will bridge two different cultures, say Jewish and Italian.
 
In literature, Anna is associated with Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. The name was given some fresh life when it was used for the adorable younger sister voiced by Kristen Bell in the animated film Frozen. Three current bearers are actresses Anna Kendrick, Anna Friel, and Anna Paquin.
 
Anya takes it more into international territory, and Anja, even further. Read more about Anna and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Anna

The name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary was among the top <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ names</a> for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 but Anne is still among the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/322/classic-baby-names-for-girls">classic names for girls</a>, although others are more likely to choose the original Hannah, the Anna variation, or even Annabel or Annabella.
Anne was on a long slide from the early 1980s until about 2010, when its popularity in the US stabilized around the middle of the Top 1000.
 Anne was the name of six queens of England, two of them wives of Henry VIII, as well as the name of the present Queen Elizabeth's only daughter plus French and Russian royalty. More recently, Mindy Kaling chose Anne for her second daughter.
 Anne has too many distinguished namesakes to enumerate--but among them are Anne Hathaway, (both Shakespeare's wife and the contemporary actress), Anne of Green Gables, Anne Bronte, Anne Frank, and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

Anne

Annette is a French diminutive of Ann which was among the first wave of widely-used girls' names from France, now neglected for so long that it's almost starting to feel stylish again.

Annette

Antoine

Antonia is stronger than most feminized <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ names</a>, reflecting the pioneer spirit of Willa Cather's classic novel My Antonia. Antonia is hovering near the bottom of the US popularity list, which may be an excellent reason for you to use it.
 Antonia was borne by several prominent women in ancient Rome, including the mother of the Emperor Claudius. A recent distinguished namesake is British historian/biographer Lady Antonia Fraser. It is also the full name of actress Nia Vardalos.

Antonia

Antonine

Arnaud

Arthur, once the shining head of the Knights of the Round Table, is, after decades of neglect, now being polished up and restored by stylish parents, inspired perhaps by the new generation of royals. Arthur has led the list of possible names for the young British princes, chosen as a middle name for Prince Louis, son of William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales.
 In addition to its leading role in the Arthurian legends, Arthurs figure prominently in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Edgar Allan Poe's The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket and George Eliot's Adam Bede. There are also countless Arthurs in children's literature, movies, and TV -- including The Fonz of Happy Days fame. More recently, Arthur was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Santa in the eponymous movie Arthur Christmas.
 Arthur has many notable namesakes, including playwright Arthur Miller; writer/astronomer Arthur C. Clarke; writers Arthur Conan Doyle, Arthur Rimbaud and Arthur Koestler; philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer; conductor Arthur Fiedler; and tennis great Arthur Ashe, the first African American to win the U.S. Open. Queen Victoria's seventh child was Prince Arthur.
 Arthur was a Top 20 name from at least 1880 through 1926. And in 2011, actress Selma Blair named her son Arthur Saint.

Arthur

Augusta is a dignified name reminiscent of wealthy great-aunts, but with the fashion for both August and Gus for boys, Augusta could get some fresh energy. 
 Augusta was the title of honor given to the wives and daughters of Roman emperors, which then morphed into a given name, brought to England by the German princess who became the mother of George III.
 Augusta is also a saint's name and a place name. Her literary Great-Aunt image was formed via the characters Lady Augusta Bracknell in Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, an elderly relative in the Harry Potter books, and Aunts Augusta in both Graham Greene's Travels with My Aunt and P.G Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster novels. 
 Augusta has a choice of two friendlier nicknames--Aggie and Gussie.

Augusta

French version of August, for both sexes. And for those who feel the spelling of August is too plain.

Auguste

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

Augustin

Aime

Arsene

Augustine

Traditionally used by the ultrareligious, the French boys' name Baptiste comes from the Greek word meaning "to dip". Baptiste is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names/france">Top 100 Boy Names in France</a>.

Baptiste

While Barthelemy does not garner much attention these days, it has a storied history in French-speaking countries. Notable bearers include geologist and explorer Barthélemy Faujas de Saint-Fond, philosopher Jules Barthélemy-Saint-Hilaire, and historian and writer Jean-Barthélemy Hauréau, to name a few.

Barthelemy

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.
 
Basile is trending upward for boys in France and Belgium.

Basile

Although feminizations ending in "ette" are not particularly popular now, Bernadette is a pleasant, feminine, but strong name that doesn't feel prohibitively dated. And though strongly associated with the saint who saw visions of the Virgin Mary—Saint Bernadette of Lourdes—it is now no longer strictly inhabiting the Catholic diocese. 
 Bernadette was much more widely used at one time than it is now. The year after Saint Bernadette was canonized, her name reached Number 252, and not long after the successful film The Song of Bernadette was released, it hit Number 188 in 1946.
 Bernadette Peters is a contemporary bearer, and Minnie Driver's breakthrough film role was as Bernadette "Benny" Hogan in Circle of Friends.

Bernadette

Berthe

As modern as it sounds, Blaise is an ancient Christian martyr name. In Arthurian legend, Blaise is the name of Merlin the Magician's secretary. Its relation to the word and name Blaze gives it a fiery feel. Amanda Beard named her baby boy Blaise Ray.
 Saint Blaise, an Armenian bishop, is the patron saint of wild animals and those with sore throats. Blaise Pascal was the seventeenth century French mathematician-physicist-inventor-writer-philosopher among whose many accomplishments was the invention of the calculator. And in the modern world, Blaise Zambini is a minor character in the Harry Potter franchise.

Blaise

Blanche, which originated as a nickname for a pale blonde and then became associated with the notion of purity, was in style a century ago, ranking in the double digits until 1920. She then had to fight the stereotype of faded Southern belle, a la Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams's A Streetcar Named Desire and Blanche Devereaux in TV's Golden Girls. Now all three of the Golden Girls--Blanche, Rose and Dorothy--could be ready for revival, with Blanche sounding like a stronger, simpler alternative to Bianca.
 A saint's name, Blanche was a royal name in France by the twelfth century, then was brought to England by the French wife of Henry I. One possible powerful namesake is Blanche Scott, one of the original daredevil aviatrixes. You might also take its meaning to relate to snow, making it one of the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">winter baby names</a>.

Blanche

At one time just the sound of the name Camille could start people coughing, recalling the tragic Lady of the Camellias, the heroine played by Greta Garbo in the vintage film based on a Dumas story, but that image has faded, replaced by a sleek, chic, highly attractive one. 
 Among its namesakes are Camille Claudel, a French sculptor and Camille Paglia, a feminist writer and critic. Princess Stephanie of Monaco is the mother of a Camille, and it is the middle name of both Nicole Richie and Willow Smith.
 Camille is a unisex name in France, where distinguished male bearers include the composer Saint-Saens and the painter Pissarro.

Camille

Casimir, a traditional name of Polish kings, could do quite well these days as we see the rise of Caspian, Cassius, Castiel, et. al. Like Leopold and Laszlo, Casimir is strong and worth considering if you've got an adventurous streak — and bet your son will too. An alternative commonly cited meaning that modern parents might prefer is "proclaimer of peace". The traditional Polish spelling of the name is Kazimir.

Casimir

Cecile is a fairly common French saint's name, scattered throughout classic French literature--in Les Liaisons Dangereuses, in Balzac's Cousin Pons, and Zola's Germinal.
 Cecile, Cecily and Cecilia all make pretty choices.

Cecile

A light and pretty pan-cultural name which can be considered a variant of either the Greek name Selene or Selena, meaning "moon", or of the French Celine, meaning "heavenly". An attractive choice that is surprisingly rare in the US: out of the Top 1000 since 2006.

Celina

Cesar is the sleeker version of Caesar, as in emperor Julius, used in the US most frequently by Hispanic parents who put the emphasis on the second syllable.  With ancient Roman names back in vogue, Cesar might become more popular.

Cesar

Charlotte, the name of the young Princess of Cambridge, is the latest classic name to join Sophia, Emma, Olivia, and Isabella at the top of the popularity list. It is now among the most popular girl names in many English-speaking and European countries.
 
The feminine form of Charles, Charlotte derived from Charlot, a French diminutive of Charles meaning "little Charles" and the name of Charlemagne’s son in French literature and legend. The name was popularized by England's Queen Charlotte Sophia, wife of King George III.
 
Queen Charlotte was the mother of fifteen children and a patron of Mozart and Bach. She and George ruled England in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century during the French and American revolutions.
 
Charlotte is an elegant royal name, with a host of widely varied role models, from Charlotte Brontë to the spidery protagonist of E. B. White's Charlotte's Web to the more recent Charlotte York, aka the prissy one, of Sex and the City. Charlotte is appealing to a wide range of parents because it sounds feminine yet grownup, sophisticated yet lush. 
 
Charlotte is a pop culture staple—it was Scarlett Johansson's character in Lost in Translation and has been featured on TV shows like Lost and Revenge. The band Good Charlotte was named for a children's book with that title. An all-around winner of a name, Charlotte has been chosen by Chelsea Clinton, Dylan McDermott, Colin Hanks, and Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr.
 In addition to Charlie, Lottie makes a cute nickname.

Charlotte

Claire, luminous, simple, and strong, is one of those special names that is familiar yet distinctive, feminine but not frilly, combining historical depth with a modern edge. And though Claire is enjoying revived popularity, it will never be seen as trendy. Claire is also a great middle name choice. 
 Claire is the French form of Clara, a feminine derivation of the Latin masculine name Clarus. The French word for "clear," Claire’s meaning, is clair, and was traditionally a male name. Now the spelling is used mainly for girls, along with Clare, and occasionally Klaire or Klare.
 
Claire is usually seen as the French spelling of the name, while the equally appropriate Clare is English and Clair is French too. Clara, once seen as a stuffier version, has lately gained some fashion edge, primarily because it has more vintage charm and is somewhat more unusual. The Italian Chiara is another recommended choice.
 
Famous women named Claire include the medieval Saint Clare of Assisi (who was made the patron saint of television in 1958 because of her reputed power to see events at a distance), writer Clare Booth Luce, silent screen siren Clara Bow, and actresses Claire Bloom and Claire Danes.
 
There have been countless fictional Claires as well, including ideal mom Clair Huxtable, Molly Ringwald's character in The Breakfast Club, Clare Kendry in Nella Larsen's novel Passing, and characters in House of Cards, Lost, Six Feet Under, Modern Family, and the Outlander series.

Claire

Clara is a strong, lovely girls' name that's always ranked among the US Top 1000 girl names but has been climbing since the turn of this century. It now ranks right around Number 100, making it a modern classic that's neither too popular nor unfamiliar.
 
Long relegated to an Olde World backwater, the European-flavored Clara was long less fashionable than sleeker sister Claire. Now, though the vintage chic Clara is still less popular, it's arguably the more stylish of the two names. 
 Clara was a Top 10 name in the 1880's, at one time associated with the silent screen 'It Girl,' Clara Bow, and before that with German musician and composer Clara Schumann and Red Cross founder Clara Barton, who was born Clarissa.
 Clara is beloved for her leading role in The Nutcracker ballet and as Heidi's invalid friend. Actor Ewan McGregor was an early celebrity adopter of the name for one of his daughters.
 Other Clara variations you might want to consider include Clarissa and Clarina, though Clarabelle seems still fit mainly for cows.

Clara

Clarisse

Clemence

Clement, the name of fourteen popes and several saints, has a pleasantly, positive, slightly antiquated feel, like the phrase "clement weather." 
 Clement C. Moore wrote the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas," Clement Attlee was a prominent post-World War II British Prime Minister, and Clement Greenberg was the art critic who promoted Abstract Expressionism.
 The hero of Thomas Hardy's The Return of the Native is Clement Yeobright, known as Clym rather than the usual Clem.

Clement

Clementine is a Nameberry favorite that broke back into the US Top 1000 in 2014 after more than half a century off the list. 
 A female variation of the more-unusual Clement, Clementine's meaning suggests peace and happiness, a lovely image. Other girls' names with similar meanings include Beatrice, Felicity, Hilary, Arcadia, Irina, and Mercy.
 If "Oh, My Darlin'" still rings too loudly in your ears, consider pronouncing Clementine as Clementeen—or even using Clementina, which rhymes with Christina. Stylish Claudia Schiffer chose Clementine for her daughter, as did Ethan Hawke and Rachel Griffiths. 
 Kate Winslet played a character named Clementine in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. And for a kid reference—there's a Muppet named Clementine.

Clementine

A romantic rarity, derived from the Old German name Chlotichilda, meaning "famous in battle." Saint Clotilde was a Frankish queen, wife of Clovis I, who played a role in the spread of Christianity.

Clotilde

Clovis

Like the French author with whom the name is most closely associated, Colette is a chic and charming name that is being rediscovered. After disappearing for nearly 30 years, Colette rejoined the Top 1000 in 2012 at Number 659 and has continued to rise since then. Dylan McDermott used it for his daughter, as did actress Constance Zimmer.
 There is an appealing animated Colette featured in the film Ratatouille.

Colette

Constance is one of the more subtle of the virtue <a href="https://nameberry.com">baby names</a>, but still has quite a prim and proper image. One impediment to its revival has been the decidedly dated nickname Connie, though modern parents might well opt for using the strong and dignified name in full.
 One of William the Conqueror's daughters was named Constance, and in Shakespeare's King John, Constance is the devoted mother of King Arthur. Constance was widely used in the seventeenth century by Puritans: Constance Hopkins was a young passenger on the Mayflower.
 The fictional Constance Billard School appears in TV's Gossip Girl, and Constance was the first name of the decidedly non-prim and proper Lady Chatterley.
 Oscar Wilde's wife was Constance, and Mozart's spouse was the German form Constanze, nicknamed Stanzi.
 Though Constance has been neglected here for a number of years, it's still ranks at Number 120 in France.
 Trivia tidbit: Constance was the birth name of 1940's peekaboo-hairdo star Veronica Lake and also, not surprisingly, Connie Britton.

Constance

A traditional French male name that could, with American pronunciation, become an admirable word name. 

Constant

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.


Corentin

Cyprien

A unisex French name, but you may want to simplify your son's life if you're English speakers by going with Cyril. It's an unusual enough name that it doesn't need further complications of spelling and pronunciation.

Cyrille

Celestin

Clotaire

Denise was a French favorite of the fifties and sixties but is less chic now. In 2020 it broke back into the Top 1000 after a five-year hiatus, catapulted into style by reality TV star Denisse Novoa — but it dropped out again the following year.

Denise

Desire

Edgard

Edith was a hugely popular name a hundred years ago that's being revived among stylish parents in Stockholm and London. It's currently beginning to gain traction in the US among those with a taste for old-fashioned names with a soft but strong image. 
 The name of two American First Ladies, Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt and Mrs. Woodrow Wilson, as well as that of several early English queens, Edith is one of the oldest surviving Anglo-Saxon names. Widely used in nineteenth century novels, Edith was chosen by Louisa May Alcott for the heroine of her first novel The Inheritance, written when she was seventeen.
 Edith Wharton makes a fine literary namesake, with other noted bearers including poet Edith Sitwell, iconic Hollywood movie designer Edith Head, and for francophiles, there is the reference to Edith Piaf. With the rise of so many other E-starting names from Ella to Evelyn, and the adorable short form Edie, we predict that Edith will soon sound more like a cute toddler than a dated granny, especially with the Despicable Me character and the emergence of one of the most interesting characters on Downton Abbey, Lady Edith Crawley.

Edith

The sophisticated Edmond and its nearly-identical twin Edmund are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name.  Parents looking for an alternative might gravitate to Edmond, a handsome classic that has both class and style.

Edmond

Edouard

This name for the sweetbriar shrub is a bit too reminiscent of eggplant. 

Eglantine

Eleonore

Elisa may be one of the most appealing of this contingent of names, but the Elizabeth variations that start with A are heading up, the E versions down.  Eliza is much more stylish these days than Elisa. 

Elisa

This spelling of the classic name is found in France, Germany, Greece, and other cultures, and is worn by such notables as Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth Shue, Elisabeth Moss, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. The name's pronunciation is usually just like the Z version, but some parents choose this because they want to discourage the Liz or Lizzie short forms and so pronounce it as if it has Lisa in the middle.
 Elisabeth is nicknamed Bethsy in the 2008 film adaptation of Thomas Mann's Buddenbrooks, Bep in The Diary of Anne Frank, and Betsy in the Wolverine universe.

Elisabeth

Elise is one of those golden names that stylish but not TOO popular. Its appeal is due in large part to its French flair and to the love for El-names in general.
 
Elise originated as French diminutive of Elizabeth but is now most commonly used as self-contained name. In English and French speaking countries, Elise is pronounced with two syllables, but in countries with Germanic or Scandinavian languages it is pronounced with three syllables, closer to Elisa. 
 Elise was introduced into the English-speaking world in the late nineteenth century. Today, it can make an original, modern honor name for an ancestral Elizabeth.
Emily Blunt played a character named Elise in The Adjustment Bureau. Fur Elise is one of Beethoven's most popular piano pieces. Piers Morgan named his daughter Elise.

Elise

Elvire

Emile

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

Emilien

Emilienne

Emma has now been among the top girl names in the United States for several years, claiming the Number 1 crown in 2008 and again from 2015 to 2018 before dropping back to second place.
 
Emma is simple but has deep history, is streamlined and modern-feeling yet distinctly feminine. It's hard to find all those qualities combined in one name, which is exactly why so many parents (over 14,000 in the US last year) have chosen Emma, not just here but throughout the English-speaking world, Europe, and Latin America.
 Emma has done handsprings up the charts internationally thanks to a legion of Emma heroines, from Bovary to Goldman to Jane Austen's protagonist, along with famous modern Emmas such as Emma Stone and Emma Watson. Parents who have turned from Emily to Emma seeking something more distinctive will have to keep looking.
 
It's worth noting that Emma, Emily, and the longtime British Number 1 Amelia, now in the US Top 10, all derive from different roots and have different meanings. But they continue to feel like very similar names. 
 
Emma originated as a diminutive for Germanic names beginning with the ermen root. A very old royal name well used throughout the centuries—Queen Emma married King Ethelred the Unready in 1002—Emma is also historically associated with Lady Hamilton, the mistress of Lord Nelson and muse of painter George Romney. 
 Emma was given a big boost among <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular baby names</a> when it was given to Rachel and Ross's baby on Friends in 2002. It's also at the top of the list of the many fashionable <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/e">girl names starting with E</a>, which also includes Ella, Eleanor, and Eliza.
 
Parents who love Emma but think it's overexposed have been moving to such alternatives as Amelia, Emilia, Amelie, Emmeline, and Ella. But, of course, many of these names are poised to move up and take Emma's place near the top of the list.
 Three of the hottest young female stars share the name: Emma Watson, Emma Roberts, and Emma (born Emily) Stone.

Emma

Emmanuel--spelled with one or two 'm's'-- was popular with early Jewish immigrants, until overused nickname Manny caused it to fade. Now, this important biblical name is being revived in its full glory.
 In the Bible, this is the name given to the promised Messiah, in the prophecy of Isaiah.
 The name is popular in Spain as Manuel; the name of the German philosopher is spelled Immanuel Kant.

Emmanuel

Ernest is one of those sober, so-far-out-they're-beginning-to-be-reconsidered Great Uncle names. Ernest recently received a big style boost when Britain's Princess Eugenie chose it for her second son.
 
Ernest was a Top 40 name from 1880 to 1926, and despite trending downward from there, hung onto the Top 1000 until 2019. But we may see the rise of Ernest again before long.
 Ernest is probably the only name a whole play was based on—Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest—in which one character says, "There is something in that name that seems to inspire absolute confidence. I pity any poor woman whose husband is not called Ernest."
 The most famous bearer of the name is novelist Ernest Hemingway—unless you want to count Bert's friend Ernie.
 Changing the spelling to Earnest makes it a male virtue name.

Ernest

One time joke name, à la Lily Tomlin's bossy telephone operator, Ernestine is ready for a possible reevaluation, like cousins Josephine and Clementine.. 

Ernestine

Maybe it's because she shares that winning -elle sound with Isabel and Bella, but Estelle is no longer seen as a muumuu-wearing canasta player of a certain age (think George Costanza's mother on Seinfeld or Joey Tribbiani's talent agent in Friends). This could be in part thanks to the young Royal Couple of Sweden, who chose it for their firstborn daughter, or the single-named British R&B singer. It reentered the US Top 1000 in 2012 after a nearly fifty-year absence.
 Latin version Estella, introduced in Great Expectations, also has energy and charm, while Estrella is another stylish member of this star-related club. Ali Landry has a daughter named Estela. Este and Estee are also in the wind.

Estelle

Esther was derived from the Old Persian word stāra, meaning "star." In the Old Testament, Esther, originally named Hadassah, was the captured Jewish wife of the King of Persia who risked her life to save her exiled people from annihilation. This story is celebrated by Jews on the holiday of Purim, so that it has traditionally been given to girls around that time.
 
One of the major female figures in the Bible, quiet, studious Esther was in the Top 50 a hundred years ago and stayed in the Top 100 until 1935. It is now on the ascent again, appealing to parents—Ewan McGregor is one—seeking an underused biblical name with a strong history and serious image.
 Judy Garland played two memorable Esthers--in Meet Me in St. Louis and A Star is Born; Esther Summerson is a main character in Dickens' Bleak House and Esther Greenwood is the autobiographical character's name in Sylvia Plath's A Bell Jar. Someone who glamorized the name is champion swimmer-turned-movie-star Esther Williams.
 Madonna adopted Esther as her Kaballah name.

Esther

Eulalie hasn't ranked in the US Top 1000 since 1899, but its French roots might make it more appealing to modern ears than its sister Eulalia.
 "Eulalie" is a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, and the name also appeared in Gone With the Wind and The Music Man. It has been on the French popularity list for most of the 2000s. Eulalie Spence was a playwright from the British West Indies who contributed to the Harlem Renaissance.

Eulalie

Eva is a simple, classic <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/489/hebrew-names-for-girls">Hebrew name for girls</a> that recently slipped out of the US Top 100 for the first time in more than a decade. Pronounced either like her more popular sister Ava or less popular sister Eve, Eva is one of the elite group of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/607/girl-names-that-mean-life">girl names that mean life</a>.
 
Eva is found in many different languages as a variation of Eve—the Old Testament name recognizable as the first woman in Abrahamic religions. Short forms of the name include Evie and Evita. The diminutive Evita is still strongly associated with Evita Peron, wife of the Argentine President Juan Peron.
 The 1852 publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin, the bestselling novel of the nineteenth century, whose tragic figure Little Eva (short for Evangeline) made an enormous impression on the Victorian reading public, propelled the name to popularity.
 Some well known Evas include actresses Evas Marie Saint, Gabor, Green, Longoria and Mendes, sculptor Eva Hesse, singer Little Eva, and model Eva Herzigova
 Eva is a highly popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls’ name</a> throughout the Western World, ranking in the Top 100 of most English-speaking countries along with a wide range of European nations, from Spain and Italy to France and Germany to Scandinavia. This makes Eva one of the most internationally versatile names today.

Eugène

Eugénie

Felicie

Felicien

Ferdinand, a traditional name in the royal families of Spain and a handsome young prince shipwrecked on Prosper's island in Shakespeare's The Tempest has, unfortunately, to the American ear a somewhat heavy and clumsy feel – most likely because of the bull connection. In the 1880's it was in the 200's on the US pop list, but has been off completely since 1986. 

 The sleeker Spanish and Portuguese version Fernando, on the other hand, is Number 253 (and 28 in Chile, 59 in Spain). An interesting Dutch spin: the short form Dinand, after a popular singer.
Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was the first European to cross the Pacific and the first person to circumnavigate the earth.

Ferdinand

Firmin

That extra a adds a world of grace to this name.

Flavie

Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names we think is due for a comeback— alongside cousins Cora and Dora. Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all.
 
Also the name of a saint, Flora has long been a favorite in Scotland where it was the name of the young heroine who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie make his way to the Isle of Skye. In Gaelic, her name was Fionnghal nic Dhòmhnaill, but the Anglicized Flora caught on with the Scots, who used it disproportionately compared to the rest of the UK until the 20th century.
 
Flora was a Top 100 name in the 1880s and 1890s but gradually descended until it finally fell off the list in 1972. It is still popular in some European countries, including Hungary and France.

There have been a number of memorable Floras in literature, including the angelic little girl in Henry James's Turn of the Screw, the exasperating but charming Flora Poste in Stella Gibson's Cold Comfort Farm, Flora MacIvor in Walter Scott's Waverly, and one of the three Good Fairies in Disney's Sleeping Beauty.
Flora is the name of the eighth child and fifth daughter of Ballerina Farm Instastar Hannah Neeleman. Neeleman is one of the main inspirations for our Natural Glamour group of names that makes up one of the prime <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/baby-name-trends-2024">baby name trends</a> of the year, a trend that includes Flora.

Flora

Flore

Ko's list "French Names from the 1900's & 1910's" of 220 great name ideas: Abel - Zoe!