French Names

French names are used in France and other French-speaking regions. See also about French names.
gender
usage
Léopoldine f French
French feminine form of Leopold.
Liam m Irish, English, French (Modern), Dutch (Modern), German (Modern), Swedish (Modern), Norwegian (Modern)
Irish short form of William. It became popular in the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and elsewhere in Europe and the Americas after that. It was the top ranked name for boys in the United States beginning in 2017. Famous bearers include British actor Liam Neeson (1952-), British musician Liam Gallagher (1972-), and Australian actor Liam Hemsworth (1990-).
Lili f German, French, Hungarian
German, French and Hungarian diminutive of Elisabeth and other names containing li. It is also sometimes connected to the German word lilie meaning "lily".
Lilian f & m English, French, Romanian
English variant of Lillian, as well as a French and Romanian masculine form.
Liliane f French
French form of Lillian.
Lilianne f French
Variant of Liliane.
Lilou f French
Either a diminutive of French names containing the sound lee or a combination of Lili and Louise.
Linda f English, German, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, French, Latvian, Finnish, Estonian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, Germanic
Originally a medieval short form of Germanic names containing the element lind meaning "soft, flexible, tender" (Proto-Germanic *linþaz). It also coincides with the Spanish and Portuguese word linda meaning "beautiful". In the English-speaking world this name experienced a spike in popularity beginning in the 1930s, peaking in the late 1940s, and declining shortly after that. It was the most popular name for girls in the United States from 1947 to 1952.
Line f Danish, Norwegian, French
Short form of Caroline and other names ending in line.
Lionel m French, English, Arthurian Cycle
French diminutive of Léon. It appears in Arthurian legend in the 13th-century Lancelot-Grail Cycle, belonging to a knight who was the brother of Sir Bors. A notable modern bearer is the Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi (1987-).
Lisette f French, English
Diminutive of Élisabeth.
Lison f French
French diminutive of Lise.
Livie f French (Rare), Czech (Rare)
French and Czech feminine form of Livius.
Loane f French (Modern)
Feminine form of Elouan.
Loïc m French, Breton
Breton form of Louis.
Lola f Spanish, English, French
Spanish diminutive of Dolores. A famous bearer was Lola Montez (1821-1861; birth name Eliza Gilbert), an Irish-born dancer, actress and courtesan.
Longin m Polish, French (African)
Polish and French form of Longinus. As a French given name, it is most common in Francophone Africa.
Lorette f French
Variant of Laurette. This is also the usual French form of Loreto.
Lothaire m French
French form of Lothar.
Lou f & m English, French
Short form of Louise or Louis. Famous bearers include the baseball player Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) and the musician Lou Reed (1942-2013).
Louane f French
Combination of Lou and Anne 1.
Louis m French, English, Dutch
French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of 18 kings of France, starting with Louis I the son of Charlemagne. Others include Louis IX (Saint Louis) who led two crusades and Louis XIV (called the Sun King) who was the ruler of France during the height of its power, the builder of the Palace of Versailles, and the longest reigning monarch in the history of Europe. It was also borne by kings of Germany (as Ludwig), Hungary (as Lajos), and other places.... [more]
Louise f French, English, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Louis.
Louisette f French
Diminutive of Louise.
Louison f & m French
French diminutive of both Louise and Louis.
Louka m French (Modern)
French form of Luca 1.
Louna f French (Modern)
Possibly a variant of Luna.
Loup m French
French form of the Roman name Lupus meaning "wolf". Lupus was the name of several early saints, including a 5th-century bishop of Troyes who apparently convinced Attila to spare the city.
Luc m French, Welsh
French and Welsh form of Lucas (see Luke).
Lucas m English, Dutch, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Biblical Latin
Latin form of Greek Λουκᾶς (see Luke), as well as the form used in several other languages.... [more]
Luce f Italian, French
Italian and French variant of Lucia. This also means "light" in Italian.
Lucette f French
Diminutive of Lucie.
Lucie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lucia.
Lucien m French
French form of Lucianus.
Lucienne f French
Feminine form of Lucien.
Lucille f French, English
French form of Lucilla. A famous bearer was American comedienne Lucille Ball (1911-1989).
Lucinde f French (Rare)
French form of Lucinda.
Lucrèce f & m French
French form of both Lucretia and its masculine form Lucretius.
Ludivine f French
Possibly from a feminine form of Leutwin. It was popularized in the 1970s by a character from the French miniseries Les Gens de Mogador.
Ludovic m French
French form of Ludovicus, the Latinized form of Ludwig. This was the name of an 1833 opera by the French composer Fromental Halévy.
Lya f French (Modern)
Variant of Léa.
Lyam m French (Modern)
French variant of Liam.
Lydie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Lydia.
Lylou f French
Variant of Lilou.
Lys f French (Rare)
Diminutive of Élisabeth. It is also the French word for "lily".
Lysiane f French
Combination of Lys and Anne 1.
Madelon f French (Rare), Dutch
French diminutive of Madeleine, now more common as a Dutch name.
Maël m French, Breton
French form of Breton Mael meaning "prince, chieftain, lord". Saint Mael was a 5th-century Breton hermit who lived in Wales.
Maëlie f French
Feminine form of Maël.
Maëlle f French, Breton
Feminine form of Maël.
Maëlys f French
Feminine form of Maël, possibly influenced by the spelling of Mailys.
Maeva f Tahitian, French
Means "welcome" in Tahitian. It gained popularity in France during the 1980s.
Magali f French, Occitan
Occitan form of Magdalene.
Magalie f French
Variant of Magali.
Magrite f Walloon, Picard
Walloon and Picard form of Margaret.
Mahé m Breton, French
French form of Mazhe, the Breton form of Matthew.
Maïa f French
French form of Maia 1.
Mailys f French
Variant of Maylis.
Maïwenn f French, Breton
Form of Maiwenn using French orthography.
Malvina f Literature, English, Italian, French
Created by the Scottish poet James MacPherson in the 18th century for a character in his Ossian poems. He probably intended it to mean "smooth brow", from Scottish Gaelic mala "brow" and mìn "smooth, fine" (lenited to mhìn and pronounced with a v sound).
Manon f French, Dutch
French diminutive of Marie.
Manu 2 m & f French, Spanish, German, Finnish
Short form of Manuel or Emmanuel (and also of Manuela in Germany).
Manuel m Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, French, Romanian, Late Greek (Latinized)
Spanish and Portuguese form of Emmanuel. In the spelling Μανουήλ (Manouel) it was also used in the Byzantine Empire, notably by two emperors. It is possible this form of the name was transmitted to Spain and Portugal from Byzantium, since there were connections between the royal families (king Ferdinand III of Castile married Elisabeth of Hohenstaufen, who had Byzantine roots, and had a son named Manuel). The name has been used in Iberia since at least the 13th century and was borne by two kings of Portugal.
Marc m French, Catalan, Welsh
French, Catalan and Welsh form of Marcus (see Mark). This name was borne by the Russian-French artist Marc Chagall (1887-1985).
Marceau m French
Old French variant of Marcel. A famous bearer of the surname was the French general François Séverin Marceau (1769-1796).
Marcel m French, Catalan, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, German
Form of Marcellus used in several languages. Notable bearers include the French author Marcel Proust (1871-1922) and the French artist Marcel Duchamp (1887-1968).
Marcelin m French
French form of Marcellinus.
Marceline f French
French feminine form of Marcellinus.
Marcelle f French
French feminine form of Marcellus.
Marcellette f French (Rare)
French feminine diminutive of Marcellus.
Marcellin m French
French form of Marcellinus.
Marcelline f French
French feminine form of Marcellinus.
Margaux f French
Variant of Margot influenced by the name of the wine-producing French town. It was borne by Margaux Hemingway (1954-1996), granddaughter of author Ernest Hemingway, who had it changed from Margot.
Margot f French
French short form of Margaret.
Marguerite f French
French form of Margaret. This is also the French word for the daisy flower (species Leucanthemum vulgare).
Marianne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish
Combination of Marie and Anne 1, though it could also be considered a variant of Mariana or Mariamne. Shortly after the formation of the French Republic in 1792, a female figure by this name was adopted as the symbol of the state.
Marie f & m French, Czech, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Albanian
French and Czech form of Maria. It has been very common in France since the 13th century. At the opening of the 20th century it was given to approximately 20 percent of French girls. This percentage has declined steadily over the course of the century, and it dropped from the top rank in 1958.... [more]
Marie-Ange f French
Combination of Marie and Ange.
Marie-Christine f French
Combination of Marie and Christine.
Marie-Claire f French
Combination of Marie and Claire.
Marie-Claude f French
Combination of Marie and Claude.
Marie-Ève f French
Combination of Marie and Ève.
Marie-France f French
Combination of Marie and France 1.
Marie-Hélène f French
Combination of Marie and Hélène.
Marie-José f French
Combination of Marie and José, the names of the parents of Jesus.
Marie-Laure f French
Combination of Marie and Laure.
Marielle f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Marie-Louise f French
Combination of Marie and Louise.
Marie-Madeleine f French
Combination of Marie and Madeleine, referring to Mary Magdalene from the New Testament.
Marie-Noëlle f French
Combination of Marie and Noëlle.
Marie-Pierre f French
Combination of Marie and Pierre.
Marie-Rose f French
Combination of Marie and Rose.
Marie-Thérèse f French
Combination of Marie and Thérèse.
Mariette f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Marilène f French
Combination of Marie and Hélène.
Marilou f French, English, Spanish (Philippines)
Combination of Maria and Louise. In the Philippines it is usually a combination of Maria and Lourdes.
Marilyne f French
Combination of Marie and Line.
Marin m Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, French
Romanian, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian and French form of Marinus.
Marine f French, Armenian, Georgian
French, Armenian and Georgian form of Marina.
Marinette f French
French diminutive of Marine.
Marion 1 f French, English
Medieval French diminutive of Marie.
Marise f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Marius m Ancient Roman, Romanian, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish, French, Lithuanian
Roman family name that was derived either from Mars, the name of the Roman god of War, or else from the Latin root mas, maris meaning "male". Gaius Marius was a famous Roman consul of the 2nd century BC. Since the start of the Christian era, it has occasionally been used as a masculine form of Maria.
Marjolaine f French
Means "marjoram" in French, from Latin maiorana. Marjoram is a minty herb.
Marlène f French
French form of Marlene.
Marthe f French, Norwegian
French and Norwegian form of Martha.
Martial m French, History
From the Roman cognomen Martialis, which was derived from the name of the Roman god Mars. The name was borne by Marcus Valerius Martialis, now commonly known as Martial, a Roman poet of the 1st century.
Martîn m Norman
Norman form of Martinus (see Martin).
Martin m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Finnish
From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.... [more]
Martine f French, Dutch, Norwegian
French, Dutch and Norwegian form of Martina.
Marylène f French
Combination of Marie and Hélène.
Maryline f French
Combination of Marie and Line.
Maryse f French
French diminutive of Marie.
Maryvonne f French
Combination of Marie and Yvonne.
Matéo m French
French form of Mateo or Matteo.
Mathéo m French (Modern)
French form of Mateo or Matteo.
Mathieu m French
French variant form of Matthew.
Mathilde f French, German, Dutch, Norwegian, Danish
Form of Matilda in several languages.
Mathis m German, French
German and French variant of Matthias.
Mathys m French (Modern)
French variant of Matthias.
Matis m French (Modern)
French variant of Matthias.
Mattéo m French
French form of Matteo or Mateo.
Matthias m German, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From Greek Ματθίας (Matthias), a variant of Ματθαῖος (see Matthew). This form appears in the New Testament as the name of the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot. This was also the name of kings of Hungary (spelled Mátyás in Hungarian), including Matthias I who made important reforms to the kingdom in the 15th century.
Matthieu m French
Variant of Mathieu.
Maud f English, French, Dutch, Swedish
Medieval English and French form of Matilda. Though it became rare after the 14th century, it was revived and once more grew popular in the 19th century, perhaps due to Alfred Tennyson's 1855 poem Maud.
Maude f English, French
Variant of Maud.
Maurice m French, English
From the Roman name Mauritius, a derivative of Maurus. Saint Maurice was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Egypt. He and the other Christians in his legion were supposedly massacred on the orders of Emperor Maximian for refusing to worship Roman gods. Thus, he is the patron saint of infantry soldiers.... [more]
Mauricette f French
French feminine form of Maurice.
Max m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Czech, Russian, French, Catalan
Short form of Maximilian or Maxim. In English it can also be short for Maxwell, and it coincides with the informal word max, short for maximum.... [more]
Maxence m French
French form of the Roman name Maxentius, a derivative of Latin maximus "greatest". This was the agnomen of an early 4th-century Roman emperor, Marcus Aurelius Valerius Maxentius, a rival of Constantine. It was also borne by a 6th-century saint from Agde in France.
Maxime m French
French form of Maximus.
Maximilien m French
French form of Maximilianus (see Maximilian).
Maximilienne f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Maximilian.
Maximin m French
French form of Maximinus.
Maylis f French
From the name of a town in southern France, said to derive from Occitan mair "mother" and French lys "lily". It is also sometimes considered a combination of Marie and lys.
Mégane f French (Modern)
French form of Megan. This name rapidly climbed in popularity beginning in the late 1980s, though it fell out of favour after the French car company Renault used it for one of their vehicles in 1995.
Mélanie f French
French form of Melanie.
Melchior m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend, French (Rare), Dutch (Rare)
Possibly from the Hebrew roots מֶלֶךְ (meleḵ) meaning "king" and אוֹר (ʾor) meaning "light". This was a name traditionally assigned to one of the wise men (also known as the Magi, or three kings) who were said to have visited the newborn Jesus. According to medieval tradition he was a king of Persia.
Mélina f French
French form of Melina.
Méline f French
French form of Melina.
Mélisande f French (Rare)
French form of Millicent used by Maurice Maeterlinck in his play Pelléas et Mélisande (1893). The play was later adapted by Claude Debussy into an opera (1902).
Mélissa f French
French form of Melissa.
Mélodie f French
French cognate of Melody.
Mélody f French
French variant of Melody.
Michaël m Dutch, French
Dutch and French form of Michael.
Michel m French, German, Dutch
French form of Michael. Michel de Nostredame (1503-1566), also known as Nostradamus, was a French astrologer who made predictions about future world events. Another famous bearer is the retired French soccer player Michel Platini (1955-). This is also the German diminutive form of Michael.
Michèle f French
French feminine form of Michel.
Micheline f French
French feminine diminutive of Michel.
Michelle f French, English, Dutch
French feminine form of Michel. It has been common in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is the former American first lady Michelle Obama (1964-).
Mickaël m French
French variant form of Michael.
Milan m Czech, Slovak, Serbian, Croatian, Slovene, Macedonian, Dutch (Modern), German (Modern), French (Modern)
From the Slavic element milŭ meaning "gracious, dear", originally a short form of names that began with that element. It was originally used in Czech, Slovak, and the South Slavic languages, though it has recently become popular elsewhere in Europe.... [more]
Milann m French (Modern)
French variant of Milan.
Mirabelle f French (Rare), English (Rare)
Derived from Latin mirabilis meaning "wonderful". This name was coined during the Middle Ages, though it eventually died out. It was briefly revived in the 19th century.
Mireille f French, Dutch
From the Occitan name Mirèio, which was first used by the poet Frédéric Mistral for the main character in his poem Mirèio (1859). He probably derived it from the Occitan word mirar meaning "to admire". It is spelled Mirèlha in classical Occitan orthography. A notable bearer is the French singer Mireille Mathieu (1946-).
Modeste m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Modestus.
Modestine f French
French diminutive of Modestus.
Moïse m French
French form of Moses.
Monique f French, English, Dutch
French form of Monica.
Morgan 1 m & f Welsh, English, French
From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which was possibly derived from Welsh mor "sea" and cant "circle". Since the 1980s in America Morgan has been more common for girls than boys, perhaps due to stories of Morgan le Fay or the fame of actress Morgan Fairchild (1950-).
Morgane f French
French, either a form of Morgan 2 or a feminine form of Morgan 1.
Muriel f English, French, Irish, Scottish, Medieval Breton (Anglicized)
Anglicized form of Irish Muirgel and Scottish Muireall. A form of this name was also used in Brittany, and it was first introduced to medieval England by Breton settlers in the wake of the Norman Conquest. In the modern era it was popularized by a character from Dinah Craik's novel John Halifax, Gentleman (1856).
Murielle f French
French variant of Muriel.
Mylan m French (Modern)
French variant of Milan.
Mylène f French
Combination of Marie and Hélène. It can also be used as a French form of Milena.
Myriam f French
French form of Miriam.
Nadège f French
French form of Nadezhda.
Nadia 1 f French, Italian, Spanish, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian
Variant of Nadya 1 used in Western Europe, as well as an alternate transcription of the Slavic name. It began to be used in France in the 19th century. The name received a boost in popularity from the Romanian gymnast Nadia Comăneci (1961-).
Nadine f French, German, English, Dutch
French diminutive of Nadia 1.
Naël m French (Modern)
Possibly a short form of Nathanaël or Gwenaël.
Naëlle f French (Modern)
Feminine form of Naël.
Naomie f French (Modern)
Variant of Noémie, influenced by the English spelling Naomi.
Narcisse m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Narcissus. This is also the French word for the narcissus flower.
Natacha f French, Portuguese
French and Portuguese form of Natasha.
Nathalie f French, Dutch, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
French form of Natalie, as well as a Dutch, German and Scandinavian variant.
Nathan m English, French, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name נָתָן (Naṯan) meaning "he gave". In the Old Testament this is the name of a prophet during the reign of King David. He chastised David for his adultery with Bathsheba and for the death of Uriah the Hittite. Later he championed Solomon as David's successor. This was also the name of a son of David and Bathsheba.... [more]
Nathanaël m French
French form of Nathanael.
Nazaire m French (Rare)
French form of Nazarius.
Nelly f English, Swedish, French, German
Diminutive of Nell and other names containing nel.
Nestor m Greek Mythology, Russian, Portuguese, French
Means "returner, homecomer" in Greek, from νέομαι (neomai) meaning "to return". In Homer's Iliad this was the name of the king of Pylos, famous for his great wisdom and longevity, who acted as a counselor to the Greek allies.
Nicolas m French
French form of Nicholas.
Nicole f French, English, Dutch, German
French feminine form of Nicholas, commonly used in the English-speaking world since the middle of the 20th century. A famous bearer is American-Australian actress Nicole Kidman (1967-).
Nicolette f French
Diminutive of Nicole.
Nina 1 f Russian, Italian, English, German, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Lithuanian, Dutch, Polish, Slovene, Czech, Slovak, Croatian, Serbian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Short form of names that end in nina, such as Antonina or Giannina. It was imported to Western Europe from Russia and Italy in the 19th century. This name also nearly coincides with the Spanish word niña meaning "little girl" (the word is pronounced differently than the name).... [more]
Ninette f French
Diminutive of Nina 1.
Ninon f French
French diminutive of Anne 1.
Noa 1 f Hebrew, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Biblical
Modern Hebrew form of Noah 2, the daughter of Zelophehad in the Bible. It is also the form used in several other languages, as well as the spelling used in some English versions of the Old Testament.
Noa 2 m Croatian, Hawaiian, French
Croatian and Hawaiian form of Noah 1, as well as a French variant.
Noah 1 m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch (Modern), French (Modern), Biblical
From the Hebrew name נֹחַ (Noaḥ) meaning "rest, repose", derived from the root נוּחַ (nuaḥ). According to the Old Testament, Noah was the builder of the Ark that allowed him, his family, and animals of each species to survive the Great Flood. After the flood he received the sign of the rainbow as a covenant from God. He was the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.... [more]
Noam m & f Hebrew, French
Means "pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.
Noé m French, Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, Biblical French, Biblical Spanish, Biblical Portuguese
French, Spanish, Portuguese and Hungarian form of Noah 1.
Noël m French
Means "Christmas" in French. In the Middle Ages it was used for children born on the holiday. A famous bearer was the English playwright and composer Noël Coward (1899-1973).
Noèle f French
Feminine variant form of Noël.
Noëlla f French
Feminine variant form of Noël.
Noëlle f French, Dutch
Feminine form of Noël.
Noémi f Hungarian, French
Hungarian form and French variant of Naomi 1.
Noémie f French
French form of Naomi 1.
Noham m French (Modern)
French variant of Noam.
Nolan m English, French (Modern)
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Nualláin, itself derived from the given name Nuallán. The baseball player Nolan Ryan (1947-) is a famous bearer. This name has climbed steadily in popularity since the 1970s.
Norbert m German, English, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements nord meaning "north" and beraht meaning "bright". This was the name of an 11th-century German saint who made many reforms within the Church.
Normand m French (Quebec)
French form of Norman.
Océane f French
Derived from French océan meaning "ocean".
Octave m French
French form of Octavius.
Octavie f French
French form of Octavia.
Odette f French
French diminutive of Oda or Odilia. This is the name of a princess who has been transformed into a swan in the ballet Swan Lake (1877) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Odile f French
French form of Odilia.
Odilon m French
French form of Odilo.
Olive f English, French
From the English and French word for the type of tree, ultimately derived from Latin oliva.
Olivia f English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch
This name was used in this spelling by William Shakespeare for a character in his comedy Twelfth Night (1602). This was a rare name in Shakespeare's time that may have been based on Oliva or Oliver, or directly on the Latin word oliva meaning "olive". In the play Olivia is a noblewoman wooed by Duke Orsino. Instead she falls in love with his messenger Cesario, who is actually Viola in disguise.... [more]
Olivier m French, Dutch, Carolingian Cycle
French and Dutch form of Oliver. This is also a French word meaning "olive tree".
Olympe f French
French form of Olympias.
Ombeline f French
Feminine form of Humbelin, a medieval diminutive of Humbert. The Blessed Humbeline (known as Hombeline or Ombeline in French) was a 12th-century nun, the sister of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.
Opaline f English (Rare), French (Rare)
Elaborated form of Opal. This is also an English and French word meaning "resembling an opal".
Ophélie f French
French form of Ophelia.
Oriane f French
French form of Oriana.
Orianne f French
French form of Oriana.
Osanne f French (Rare)
French form of Osanna.
Oscar m English, Irish, Portuguese (Brazilian), Italian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, French, Irish Mythology
Possibly means "deer friend", derived from Old Irish oss "deer" and carae "friend". Alternatively, it may derive from the Old English name Osgar or its Old Norse cognate Ásgeirr, which may have been brought to Ireland by Viking invaders and settlers. In Irish legend Oscar was the son of the poet Oisín and the grandson of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill.... [more]
Ovide m French
French form of Ovid.
Pascal m French, German, Dutch
From the Late Latin name Paschalis, which meant "relating to Easter" from Latin Pascha "Easter", which was in turn from Hebrew פֶּסַח (pesaḥ) meaning "Passover". Passover is the ancient Hebrew holiday celebrating the liberation from Egypt. Because it coincided closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the same Latin word was used for both. The name Pascal can also function as a surname, as in the case of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French philosopher, mathematician and inventor.
Pascale f French
Feminine form of Pascal.
Pascaline f French
Feminine form of Pascal.
Patrice 1 m French
French form of Patricius (see Patrick).
Patricia f English, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, Late Roman
Feminine form of Patricius (see Patrick). In medieval England this spelling appears in Latin documents, but this form was probably not used as the actual name until the 18th century, in Scotland.
Patrick m Irish, English, French, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish
From the Latin name Patricius, which meant "nobleman". This name was adopted in the 5th-century by Saint Patrick, whose birth name was Sucat. He was a Romanized Briton who was captured and enslaved in his youth by Irish raiders. After six years of servitude he escaped home, but he eventually became a bishop and went back to Ireland as a missionary. He is traditionally credited with Christianizing the island, and is regarded as Ireland's patron saint. He is called Pádraig in Irish.... [more]
Paul m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Romanian, Biblical
From the Roman family name Paulus, which meant "small" or "humble" in Latin. Paul was an important leader of the early Christian church. According to Acts in the New Testament, he was a Jewish Roman citizen who converted to Christianity after the resurrected Jesus appeared to him. After this he travelled the eastern Mediterranean as a missionary. His original Hebrew name was Saul. Many of the epistles in the New Testament were authored by him.... [more]
Paule f French
French feminine form of Paulus (see Paul).
Paulette f French, English
French feminine diminutive of Paul.
Pauline f French, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Paulinus (see Paulino).
Pénélope f French
French form of Penelope.
Pépin m French
French form of Pepin.
Perle f French, Yiddish
French and Yiddish cognate of Pearl. It is also used as a Yiddish vernacular form of Margalit.
Perrine f French
French feminine form of Perrin, a diminutive of Pierre.
Philémon m French
French form of Philemon.
Philibert m French, Germanic
Early variant of Filibert altered by association with Greek φίλος (philos) meaning "friend, lover". A famous bearer was Philibert de l'Orme (1510-1570), a French Renaissance architect.
Philippe m French
French form of Philip.
Philippine f French
Elaborated feminine form of Philippe.
Philomène f French
French form of Philomena.
Pièrre m Norman
Norman form of Peter.
Pierre m French, Swedish
French form of Peter. This name has been consistently popular in France since the 13th century, but fell out of the top 100 names in 2017. It was borne by the philosopher and theologian Pierre Abélard (1079-1142), the scholar Pierre-Simon Laplace (1749-1827), the impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919), and Pierre Curie (1859-1906), a physicist who discovered radioactivity with his wife Marie.
Pierrette f French
Feminine diminutive of Pierre.
Pierrick m Breton, French
Breton diminutive of Pierre.
Placide m & f French
French masculine and feminine form of Placidus (see Placido).
Pons m French (Rare)
French form of Pontius.
Priscilla f English, Italian, French, Ancient Roman, Biblical Latin, Biblical
Roman name, a diminutive of Prisca. In Acts in the New Testament Paul lived with Priscilla (also known as Prisca) and her husband Aquila in Corinth for a while. It has been used as an English given name since the Protestant Reformation, being popular with the Puritans. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow used it in his 1858 poem The Courtship of Miles Standish.
Priscille f French
French form of Priscilla.
Prosper m French, English
From the Latin name Prosperus, which meant "fortunate, successful". This was the name of a 5th-century saint, a supporter of Saint Augustine. It has never been common as an English name, though the Puritans used it, partly because it is identical to the English word prosper.
Prudence f & m English, French
Medieval English form of Prudentia, the feminine form of Prudentius. In France it is both the feminine form and a rare masculine form. In England it was used during the Middle Ages and was revived in the 17th century by the Puritans, in part from the English word prudence, ultimately of the same source.
Prune f French
Means "plum" in French.
Quentin m French, English
French form of the Roman name Quintinus. It was borne by a 3rd-century saint, a missionary who was martyred in Gaul. The Normans introduced this name to England. In America it was brought to public attention by president Theodore Roosevelt's son Quentin Roosevelt (1897-1918), who was killed in World War I. A famous bearer is the American movie director Quentin Tarantino (1963-).
Rachel f English, Hebrew, French, Dutch, German, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name רָחֵל (Raḥel) meaning "ewe". In the Old Testament this is the name of the favourite wife of Jacob. Her father Laban tricked Jacob into marrying her older sister Leah first, though in exchange for seven years of work Laban allowed Jacob to marry Rachel too. Initially barren and facing her husband's anger, she offered her handmaid Bilhah to Jacob to bear him children. Eventually she was herself able to conceive, becoming the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.... [more]
Rachelle f English, French
Variant of Rachel. In the English-speaking world it has likely been influenced by the spelling of Rochelle.
Rainier m French (Rare)
French form of Rayner.
Raoul m French
French form of Radulf (see Ralph).
Raphaël m French
French form of Raphael.
Raphaëlle f French
French feminine form of Raphael.
Raymond m English, French
From the Germanic name Raginmund, composed of the elements regin "advice, counsel, decision" and munt "protection". The Normans introduced this name to England in the form Reimund. It was borne by several medieval (mostly Spanish) saints, including Saint Raymond Nonnatus, the patron of midwives and expectant mothers, and Saint Raymond of Peñafort, the patron of canonists.
Raymonde f French
French feminine form of Raymond.
Rébecca f French
French form of Rebecca.
Régine f French
French form of Regina.
Régis m French
From a French surname meaning "ruler" in Occitan. This name is often given in honour of Saint Jean-François Régis (1597-1640), a French Jesuit priest.
Reine f French
Means "queen" in French, ultimately from Latin regina.
Rémi m French
Variant of Rémy.
Rémy m French
French form of the Latin name Remigius, which was derived from Latin remigis "oarsman, rower". Saint Rémy was a 5th-century bishop who converted and baptized Clovis, king of the Franks.
Renard m French (Rare)
French form of Reynard. Because of the medieval character Reynard the Fox, renard became a French word meaning "fox".
Renaud m French, Carolingian Cycle
French form of Reynold. This name was used in medieval French literature for the hero Renaud de Montauban, a young man who flees with his three brothers from the court of Charlemagne after killing the king's nephew. Charlemagne pardons the brothers on the condition that they enter the Crusades. A loose version of the character also appears in medieval Italian extensions of the tales, in the Italian form Rinaldo.
René m French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Slovak, Czech
French form of Renatus. Famous bearers include the French mathematician and rationalist philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650) and the Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte (1898-1967).
Renée f French, Dutch
French feminine form of René.
Reynaud m French (Rare)
French variant of Renaud.
Richard m English, French, German, Czech, Slovak, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Germanic
Means "brave ruler", derived from the Old German elements rih "ruler, king" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy". This was the name of three early dukes of Normandy. The Normans introduced it to England when they invaded in the 11th century, and it has been very common there since that time. It was borne by three kings of England including the 12th-century Richard I the Lionheart, one of the leaders of the Third Crusade.... [more]
Robert m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Finnish, Estonian, Czech, Polish, Russian, Slovene, Croatian, Albanian, Romanian, Catalan, Germanic
From the Germanic name Hrodebert meaning "bright fame", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and beraht "bright". The Normans introduced this name to Britain, where it replaced the rare Old English cognate Hreodbeorht. It has been consistently among the most common English names from the 13th to 20th century. In the United States it was the most popular name for boys between 1924 and 1939 (and again in 1953).... [more]
Roberte f French
French feminine form of Robert.
Robin m & f English, French, Dutch, Swedish, Czech
Medieval English diminutive of Robert, now usually regarded as an independent name. Robin Hood was a legendary hero and archer of medieval England who stole from the rich to give to the poor. In modern times it has also been used as a feminine name, and it may sometimes be given in reference to the red-breasted bird.
Roch m French, Polish
French and Polish form of Rocco.
Rodolphe m French
French form of Rudolf.
Rodrigue m French
French form of Roderick.
Roger m English, French, Catalan, Swedish, Norwegian, German, Dutch
From the Germanic name Hrodger meaning "famous spear", derived from the elements hruod "fame" and ger "spear". The Normans brought this name to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Hroðgar (the name of the Danish king in the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf). It was a common name in England during the Middle Ages. By the 18th century it was rare, but it was revived in following years. The name was borne by the Norman lords Roger I, who conquered Sicily in the 11th century, and his son Roger II, who ruled Sicily as a king.... [more]
Roland m English, French, German, Swedish, Dutch, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Albanian, Georgian, Carolingian Cycle
From the Old German elements hruod meaning "fame" and lant meaning "land", though some theories hold that the second element was originally nand meaning "brave".... [more]
Rolande f French
French feminine form of Roland.