French names for babies are a rich source of inspiration, whether you need a name that works across cultures or just want something with a fresh, sophisticated sound.
So many of the names we love have French origins. Some, like Charlotte and Louis, are so well-established that it’s easy to forget they’re French at all, while more recent favorites like Amelie and Beau are more self-conscious imports.
What are real French parents naming their children, though? The most popular names in France share some favorites with the rest of the world: Emma, Mia, Noah, and Lucas are Top 10 names in both France and the USA.
But you don’t have to scroll far down the list to find distinctively French names, which rank much lower in the States — like Louise and Hugo — or not at all, like Manon and Jules. We could go on… and we will!
Every new year, French news sites are packed with reports on the most popular names in towns and cities across the country. Together, they show the hottest names nationally and regionally, and some go into fascinating detail, listing every single name registered.
We’ve scoured them to find the most up-to-date baby naming trends in our favorite hexagonal country.
The rest of Paris's Top 10 blends traditional and modern, French and international. Ultimate classics like Jeanne and Gaspard rub shoulders with Emma and Mohamed, reflecting the city's multicultural population. For some names, like Anna and Noah, international versions won over "native" French forms (Anne and Noé).
Heart1AlmaChevron - RightHeart2LouiseChevron - RightHeart3EmmaChevron - RightHeart4JeanneChevron - RightHeart5AnnaChevron - RightHeart6AdèleChevron - RightHeart7RoseChevron - RightHeart8GabrielleChevron - RightHeart9ChloéChevron - RightHeart10JadeChevron - Right
Heart1GabrielChevron - RightHeart2AdamChevron - RightHeart3RaphaëlChevron - RightHeart4LouisChevron - RightHeart5MohamedChevron - RightHeart6ArthurChevron - RightHeart7IsaacChevron - RightHeart8NoahChevron - RightHeart9GaspardChevron - RightHeart10LéonChevron - Right
Want more? Read the full list on Paris Data.
The biggest trends include names starting with A, L, and M for both sexes, and short names with three and for letters, such as Alma, Lou, and Malo. On the other hand, parents are also embracing maximalist names, often from antiquity, such as Augustin, Eugénie, Garance, and Marius.
Boy names ending in O are popular, such as Elio, Nino, and Tiago. There are some his-and-hers pairs of names with fashionable sounds, like Léo and Léa, Léon and Léonie, and unisex names popular for both genders, especially Camille and Charlie.
Here are 100 names — 50 for girls, 50 for boys — that rank highly in towns and cities around France.
HeartAdonisChevron - RightHeartAlbertineChevron - RightHeartAlpaïdeChevron - RightHeartAnatoleChevron - RightHeartAndromèdeChevron - RightHeartArmandChevron - RightHeartAthanaseChevron - RightHeartCandideChevron - RightHeartCassandreChevron - RightHeartCircéChevron - RightHeartClaudineChevron - RightHeartClovisChevron - RightHeartColetteChevron - RightHeartEnguerrandChevron - RightHeartFernandChevron - RightHeartFirminChevron - RightHeartFrançoiseChevron - RightHeartGaïaChevron - RightHeartHadrienChevron - RightHeartHéloïseChevron - RightHeartHortenseChevron - RightHeartLéandreChevron - RightHeartLéontineChevron - RightHeartLéopoldChevron - RightHeartLucienChevron - RightHeartMarceauChevron - RightHeartMarcelChevron - RightHeartMélusineChevron - RightHeartOlympeChevron - RightHeartPhèdreChevron - RightHeartPhilémonChevron - RightHeartRaoulChevron - RightHeartRégineChevron - RightHeartSaturninChevron - RightHeartSéraphinChevron - RightHeartThémisChevron - RightHeartUlysseChevron - Right
Some are inspired by pop culture and recent events, including Sakina — as in Sakina Karchaoui, a footballer in France's national women's squad — and Luffy, from the Manga series One Piece).
And French parents love creative respellings just as much as anglophone ones, especially swapping I for Y, and C for K, as in Elyas (Elias) and Léokadie (usually Léocadie).
HeartAbygaëlleChevron - RightHeartAlaiaChevron - RightHeartAlyzéaChevron - RightHeartBalthazarChevron - RightHeartBonnieChevron - RightHeartChanelChevron - RightHeartCielChevron - RightHeartDéliceChevron - RightHeartDjaylannChevron - RightHeartDjilynaChevron - RightHeartDyegoChevron - RightHeartEileenChevron - RightHeartEloënChevron - RightHeartÉzéchielChevron - RightHeartHadèsChevron - RightHeartHopeChevron - RightHeartJoudChevron - RightHeartJoyChevron - RightHeartKaysChevron - RightHeartKélynaChevron - RightHeartLéokadieChevron - RightHeartLowenChevron - RightHeartLuffyChevron - RightHeartLunécielChevron - RightHeartLyoubovChevron - RightHeartMayloneChevron - RightHeartMorrisseyChevron - RightHeartNohëChevron - RightHeartPabloChevron - RightHeartPadméChevron - RightHeartPharrellChevron - RightHeartRosalindaChevron - RightHeartSakinaChevron - RightHeartTiboChevron - Right
If you're exploring French names for your baby, you may also want to consult our complete lists of French girl names, French boy names, and popular names in France.
Clare Green has been writing for Nameberry since 2015, covering everything from names peaking right now to feminist baby names, and keeping up-to-date with international baby name rankings. Her work has featured in publications such as The Independent and HuffPost. Clare has a background in linguistics and librarianship, and recently completed an MA dissertation researching names in multilingual families. She lives in England with her husband and son. You can reach her at [email protected]
View all of Clare Green's articlesChevron - Right
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