130 Top French Names for Babies Who Are Très Chic

France is definitely one of the most fashionable places on earth, home to Chanel, Balenciaga and Emily in Paris. So it should come as no surprise that if you’re searching for a stylish baby boy name or baby girl name, a French-inspired moniker might just be la perfection!

Not only are French names beautiful, they translate pretty much everywhere. “The overarching trend right now in France, and elsewhere in Europe, is cross-cultural names — those that work in various languages,” says Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of the baby name site Nameberry. “In the internet age, the world is getting smaller, and parents are placing higher value on names that work in multiple contexts — particularly if a child will be raised among multiple cultures.”

American parents are already following this trend. According to the Social Security Administration, the French girl’s names Charlotte and Ava made the top 10 most popular U.S. baby names list for girls, at number 3 and number 7, respectively. What’s more, Noah, the second most popular U.S. baby boy’s name last year, was also the eighth most adopted name for French baby boys as well. “French girl names including Josephine, Eloise, Sophie and Adeline are all in the U.S. Top 100, and names such as Elodie, Margot, Sylvie, Juliette, Estelle, Colette, Soleil, Esme, Louise, Rosalie and Celine are very fashionable rising choices,” Kihm adds.

French names have a lovely sense of mystique. They sound sophisticated, which is a great quality if you’re searching for a striking gender-neutral name. Think Jules, for instance — a timeless choice. French names also have a musical quality as you pronounce them: The name Chanson, for example, literally translates as “song” in English. Plus, French names are romantic – Amour, a name that suits any gender, means “love” in English. What could be sweeter? For whatever reason, if you're looking for a name from across the pond, here are some top french names for babies in 2023.

These are the most popular names in France.

These are the latest statistics, from the most current data available, which was 2021, but these names still reign.

Most Popular Girl Names in France

1. Jade

2. Louise

3. Emma

4. Ambre

5. Alice

6. Rose

7. Anna

8. Alba

9. Romy

10. Mia

Most Popular Boy Names in France

1. Gabriel

2. Léo

3. Raphaël

4. Louis

5. Arthur

6. Jules

7. Maël

8. Noah

9. Adam

10. Lucas

Girls’ names with religious roots are a major trend.

“In terms of French naming practices, saints have a big impact,” says Kihm. “In France, many children are given saints’ names, which are connected to a name day — typically, the saint’s feast day. Even non-saint names are ascribed name days in France, and French baby name books will list the corresponding name day in every entry.” Kihm reports that these are popular saints’ names in France right now:

1. Agathe

2. Basile

3. Clément

4. Côme

5. Gabin

6. Marin

7. Salomé

8. Zélie

Boys’ names, on the other hand, are following a “Cowboy Trend.”

It’s all about Beau, which has a cool Western swagger that many French parents are choosing for their sons. “Beau broke into the Top 100 in 2021, and fits into the current trends of ‘cowboy’ names and ‘handsome’ boy names, making it a popular choice among parents with varying name styles,” says Kihm. Chandler is another cool, frontiersy name with connections across the pond, coming from the French word for "candle maker."

Unisex names are particularly stylish.

These names work equally well for any gender.

1. Ciel

2. Claude

3. Eden

4. Royal

5. Remy

6. Jean

7. Kayden

8. Maylone

9. Maé

10. Mahé

The letter “A” appeals to a lot of French girl moms and dads.

“Some of the fastest-rising names in France are girl names that start and end in A,” Kihm explains. Among the most popular at the moment:

1. Alba

2. Alma

3. Aria

4. Assia

Other names that start with vowels also gained ground, including:

1. Ella

2. Albane

3. Ellie

For boys, the letter “O” is hot right now.

“For boys, many fast-rising names in France end in O, or the ‘O’ sound,” says Kihm. Current top choices include:

1. Malo

2. Nino

3. Elio

4. Alessio

Here are some other unique French names.

Ready to get inspired? Here’s a list of more original and beautiful French names to consider for your little one. Other ways to think outside the box: French movie stars have lovely names (think of the Oscar-nominated actress Isabelle Huppert). Also, regions of France can work well as baby names — think Brittany, Normandy, Corsica or, most classic of all, Paris!

French Girl Names

1. Anais

2. Brigitte

3. Candide

4. Capucine

5. Claire
   

6. Clotilde

7. Delphine

8. Emanuelle

9. Emmeline

10. Fleur

11. Genevieve

12. Lilou

13. Madeleine
    

14. Manon

15. Mirabelle

16. Morgane

17. Oceane

18. Odette

19. Sylvie

20. Yvette

French Boy Names

1. Alain

2. Andre

3. Antoine

4. Charles

5. Dax

6. Deveraux

7. Dion

8. Guillaume

9. Guy
   

10. Harvey

11. Laurent

12. Lebron

13. Lucien

14. Marcel

15. Mathieu

16. Michel

17. Olivier

18. Percy

19. Pierre

20. Romain

French Gender-Neutral Names

1. Bellamy

2. Berenger

3. Blaise

4. Camille

5. Darcy

6. Etienne

7. Jordane

8. Lafayette

9. Laurence

10. Leone

11. Lior

12. Lou

13. Marquette

14. Mars

15. Quincy

16. Pom

17. Sylvain

Looking for more baby name suggestions? Check out these other Good Housekeeping guides.

Most Popular Names for Boys | Most Popular Names for Girls | Indian/Hindu Boy Names | Indian/Hindu Girl Names | Hispanic Boy Names | Hispanic Girl Names | Irish Boy Names | Irish Girl Names | Japanese Names | Long Names for Boys | Long Names for Girls | Short Names for Boys | Short Names for Girls

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