116 French names with meanings to consider for your new bebe
Looking for a sophistiqué baby name? France, the country of love, should be your first stop.
French baby names from Charlotte to Louis and Sophia are established favorites in the U.S., but nomenclature influenced by French culture is having a resurgence, after shows like “The New Look” about fashion designers Christian Dior and Coco Chanel, “Emily In Paris" and “Julia” (inspired by “The French Chef” cooking show).
According to Jennifer Moss, the founder of BabyNames.com, many French names were sourced from English or Latin ones and adapted to the language of love.
"For girls, it is common to use the suffix -ette that means 'little' or 'young,'" she says. "Many girl names often were based on boy names and denoted feminine by adding an -e at the end like Justin (to) Justine."
French Names And Meanings
Check out these French-style names — and their meanings — to spruce up your bebe list (non, accents are not included).
French Names For Boys
Bernard — Bold as a bear
Nicolas — The people’s victory
Timothee — Person who honors God
Georges — Farmer
Alexandre — Warrior or defender
Marc — War-like
Henri — Ruler of the home
Francois — Free man
Beau — Handsome
Bastien — Respected
Etienne — Crown
Jules — Youthful
Yves — Yew tree
Gerard — Strong
Roland — Famous land
Gilles — Baby goat
Léandre — Lion man
Leon — Lion-like
Marcel — Young warrior
Chevalier — Knight
Armand — Army man
Lionel — Little lion
Dax — Leader
Baptiste — Baptist
Benoit — Blessed
Andre — Manly
Thoreau — Strength of a bull
Pierre — Rock, or stone
Pascal — Easter
Louis — Well-known warrior
Andre — Strong and masculine
Olivier — Olive tree
Jean — Gracious gift from god
Antoine — Worthy of praise
Henri — Ruler of the home
Luc — Light
Thomas — Twin
Marcel — Little warrior or hammer
Paul — Small
Alessio — Man who defends
Charles — Free man
Guillaume — One who protects
Laurence — A person from the ancient Roman city Laurentum.
Xavier — New home or bright.
Calvin — Bald person
Gaston — A guest
Frederic — Kind ruler
Jacques — A person that takes the place of another.
Auguste — Noble
Felix — Lucky
Emmanuel — God is present
Jonathan — Gift from God
Gregoire — One who watches
Christophe — Christ
Gustave — God’s staff
French Names For Girls
Charlotte — Free
Dominique — The lord
Colette — Victorious
Belle — Beauty
Eloise — Healthy
Nicole — Victorious person
Angelique — Angel or God’s messenger
Vivienne — Alive
Fleur — Flower
Céline — Heavenly
Elodie — Wealthy
Marceline — Young warrior
Adelle — Noble
Corinne — Maiden
Nathalie — Born on Christmas Day
Anais — Gracious, merciful
Juliette — Youthful
Sylvie — Forest
Simone — To be heard
Agathe — Pure woman
Celeste — Heavenly
Amelie — Hardworking
Capucine — Nasturtium, a plant species
Camille — Young attendant of a religious ceremony
Delphine — Dolphin
Laure — Laurel tree
Emma — Universal
Jade — Jade stone
Valerie — Healthy and strong
Rose — The rose flower
Marie — Wished for child or beloved
Ella — Fairy
Manon — Queen
Claire — Clear
Monique — Wise advisor
Marguerite — Pearl
Lourdes — The town of Lourdes in France
Odette — Rich
Pauline — Small
Valentine — Good health
Sophia — Wise
Aurelie — Golden
Chloe — Fertile and blooming
Violette — Violet or purple
Mathilde — Strong to battle
Gender-Neutral French Names
Blaise — To stutter
Dior — Present
Clemence — Merciful
Landry — Ruler
Aimon — Home
Bellamy — Good friend
Remi or Remy — Oarsman or remedy
Maxime — Greatest
Michelle — God-like
Rene — Transformation or rebirth
Alexis — Defender
Sidney or Sydney — Follower of Saint Denis of Paris, a third-century Christian saint.
Croix — Cross
Noe — Peace
This article was originally published on TODAY.com