French Names

French names are used in France and other French-speaking regions. See also about French names.
gender
usage
Romain m French
French form of Romanus (see Roman).
Romaine f French, English
French feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).
Romane f French
French feminine form of Romanus (see Roman).
Romée f French (Rare), Dutch (Modern)
French feminine form of Romeo.
Roméo m French
French form of Romeo.
Romuald m French, Polish, Germanic
From the Germanic elements hruom meaning "fame, glory" and walt meaning "power, authority". This was the name of an 11th-century Italian saint who founded the Camaldolese order.
Romy f German, Dutch, French, English
Diminutive of Rosemarie, Rosemary, and names beginning with Rom.
Ronan m Breton, Irish, French, English (Modern)
Breton and Anglicized form of Rónán.
Rosaire m French
Means "rosary" in French.
Rosalie f French, German, Dutch, English
French, German and Dutch form of Rosalia. In the English-speaking this name received a boost after the release of the movie Rosalie (1938), which was based on an earlier musical.
Rose f English, French
Originally a Norman French form of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis meaning "famous type", composed of the elements hruod "fame" and heit "kind, sort, type". The Normans introduced it to England in the forms Roese and Rohese. From an early date it was associated with the word for the fragrant flower rose (derived from Latin rosa). When the name was revived in the 19th century, it was probably with the flower in mind.
Roseline f French
French form of Rosalind. Saint Roseline of Villeneuve was a 13th-century nun from Provence.
Roselyne f French
Variant of Roseline.
Rose-Marie f French
Combination of Rose and Marie.
Rosemonde f French
French form of Rosamund.
Rosette f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Rosine f French
French diminutive of Rose.
Roxane f French, English
French and English form of Roxana. This is the name of Cyrano's love interest in the play Cyrano de Bergerac (1897).
Ruben m Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, French, Italian, Armenian, Biblical Latin
Form of Reuben in several languages. This was the name of an 11th-century Armenian ruler of Cilicia.
Sabine f French, German, Dutch, Danish
French, German, Dutch and Danish form of Sabina.
Sabrina f English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese
Latinized form of Habren, the original Welsh name of the River Severn. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, Sabrina was the name of a princess who was drowned in the Severn. Supposedly the river was named for her, but it is more likely that her name was actually derived from that of the river, which is of unknown meaning. She appears as a water nymph in John Milton's masque Comus (1634).... [more]
Sacha m & f French, Dutch
French and Dutch form of Sasha.
Salomé f French, Spanish, Portuguese
French, Spanish and Portuguese form of Salome.
Salomon m French, Biblical French, Biblical Polish, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
French and Polish form of Solomon. This form also occurs in the Greek and Latin Old Testament (with the forms Σολομών and Solomon in the New Testament).
Samson m Biblical, English, French, Biblical Latin
From the Hebrew name שִׁםְשׁוֹן (Shimshon), derived from שֶׁמֶשׁ (shemesh) meaning "sun". Samson was an Old Testament hero granted exceptional strength by God. His mistress Delilah betrayed him and cut his hair, stripping him of his power. Thus he was captured by the Philistines, blinded, and brought to their temple. However, in a final act of strength, he pulled down the pillars of the temple upon himself and his captors.... [more]
Samuel m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemuʾel) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.... [more]
Sandra f Italian, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Czech, Romanian
Short form of Alessandra. It was introduced to the English-speaking world (where it is usually used independently of Alexandra) by author George Meredith, who used it for the heroine in his novel Emilia in England (1864) and the reissued version Sandra Belloni (1887). A famous bearer is the American actress Sandra Bullock (1964-).
Sandrine f French
French diminutive of Sandra.
Sarah f English, French, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Hebrew, Arabic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שָׂרָה (Sara) meaning "lady, princess, noblewoman". In the Old Testament this is the name of Abraham's wife, considered the matriarch of the Jewish people. She was barren until she unexpectedly became pregnant with Isaac at the age of 90. Her name was originally Sarai, but God changed it at the same time Abraham's name was changed (see Genesis 17:15).... [more]
Sasha m & f Russian, Ukrainian, English, French
Russian and Ukrainian diminutive of Aleksandr or Aleksandra.
Scholastique f French (Rare)
French form of Scholastica. It is more common in French-speaking Africa than France.
Sébastien m French
French form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Sébastienne f French
French feminine form of Sebastianus (see Sebastian).
Sébire f Norman
Norman form of Sibyl.
Ségolène f French
From the Germanic name Sigilina, itself a diminutive derivative of the element sigu meaning "victory" (Proto-Germanic *segiz). This was the name of a 7th-century saint from Albi, France.
Séphora f French
French form of Zipporah.
Séraphin m French
French form of Seraphinus (see Seraphina).
Séraphine f French
French form of Seraphina.
Serge m French
French form of Sergius.
Sergine f French
French feminine form of Sergius.
Sévère m French (Rare)
French form of Severus.
Séverin m French
French form of Severinus.
Séverine f French
French feminine form of Severinus.
Sibylle f German, French
German and French form of Sibyl.
Sidonie f French
French feminine form of Sidonius.
Simon 1 m English, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Hungarian, Slovene, Romanian, Macedonian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From Σίμων (Simon), the New Testament Greek form of the Hebrew name שִׁםְעוֹן (Shimʿon) meaning "hearing, listening", derived from שָׁמַע (shamaʿ) meaning "to hear, to listen". This name is spelled Simeon, based on Greek Συμεών, in many translations of the Old Testament, where it is borne by the second son of Jacob. The New Testament spelling may show influence from the otherwise unrelated Greek name Simon 2.... [more]
Simone 1 f French, English, German, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese
French feminine form of Simon 1. A famous bearer was Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986), a French feminist and philosopher.
Simonne f French
Variant of Simone 1.
Sixte m French (Rare)
French form of Sixtus.
Sixtine f French
French feminine form of Sixtus.
Soan m French (Modern)
Variant of Sohan. It was popularized by the French singer Julien Decroix (1981-), also known as Soan.
Sohan m French (Modern)
Meaning uncertain, though allegedly a form of Jean 1. It is probably modelled after Yohan and Lohan.
Solange f French
French form of the Late Latin name Sollemnia, which was derived from Latin sollemnis "religious". This was the name of a French shepherdess who became a saint after she was killed by her master.
Solène f French
Variant of Solange.
Soline f French
Variant of Solange.
Sophie f French, English, German, Dutch
French form of Sophia.
Soraya f Persian, Spanish, French, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Persian form of Thurayya. It became popular in some parts of Europe because of the fame of Princess Soraya (1932-2001), wife of the last Shah of Iran, who became a European socialite.
Stanislas m French
French form of Stanislav.
Stéphane m French
French form of Stephen.
Stéphanie f French
French feminine form of Stephen.
Sullivan m English, French
From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Súileabháin, itself from the given name Súileabhán, which was derived from Irish súil "eye" and dubh "dark, black" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name has achieved a moderate level of popularity in France since the 1970s. In the United States it was rare before the 1990s, after which it began climbing steadily. A famous fictional bearer of the surname was James P. Sullivan from the animated movie Monsters, Inc. (2001).
Suzanne f French, English, Dutch
French form of Susanna.
Suzette f French
French diminutive of Susanna.
Sybille f German, French
German and French form of Sibyl.
Sylvain m French
French form of Silvanus.
Sylvaine f French
French feminine form of Silvanus.
Sylvestre m French
French form of Silvester.
Sylvette f French
Diminutive of Sylvie.
Sylviane f French
Variant of Sylvaine.
Sylvie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Silvia.
Tancrède m French (Rare)
French form of Tancred. This is the name of a 1702 opera by André Campra based on Torquato Tasso's epic poem Jerusalem Delivered. It is also the name of a 1759 play by Voltaire.
Tanguy m Breton, French
From Breton tan "fire" and gi "dog". This was the name of a 6th-century Breton saint.
Tatiana f Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Romanian, French, Slovak, Polish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, German, Dutch, Greek, Georgian, English, Russian, Bulgarian, Ancient Roman
Feminine form of the Roman name Tatianus, a derivative of the Roman name Tatius. This was the name of a 3rd-century saint who was martyred in Rome under the emperor Alexander Severus. She was especially venerated in Orthodox Christianity, and the name has been common in Russia (as Татьяна) and Eastern Europe. It was not regularly used in the English-speaking world until the 1980s.
Tatienne f French (Rare)
French form of Tatiana.
Télesphore m French (Archaic)
French form of the Greek name Τελεσφόρος (Telesphoros) meaning "bringing fulfillment" or "bearing fruit". Saint Telesphorus was a 2nd-century pope and martyr.
Thaïs f Ancient Greek, French
Possibly means "bandage" in Greek. This was the name of a companion of Alexander the Great. It was also borne by a 4th-century saint from Alexandria, a wealthy socialite who became a Christian convert, though in her case the name may have had a distinct Coptic origin. She has been a popular subject of art and literature, including an 1891 novel by Anatole France and an 1894 opera by Jules Massenet.
Théa f French
French form of Thea.
Théo m French
Short form of Théodore.
Théodora f French
French form of Theodora.
Théodore m French
French form of Theodore.
Théophile m French
French form of Theophilus.
Théotime m French
French form of Theotimus.
Thérèse f French
French form of Theresa. It was borne by the French nun Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897), who is regarded as a Doctor of the Church.
Thibaud m French
Variant of Thibault.
Thibault m French
French form of Theobald.
Thibaut m French
Variant of Thibault.
Thierry m French
French form of Theodoric. It was very popular in France from the 1950s, peaking in the mid-1960s before falling away. A famous bearer is the French former soccer player Thierry Henry (1977-).
Thomas m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Greek form of the Aramaic name תְּאוֹמָא (Teʾoma) meaning "twin". In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle. When he heard that Jesus had risen from the dead he initially doubted the story, until Jesus appeared before him and he examined his wounds himself. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world.... [more]
Timéo m French (Modern)
French form of Timeo.
Timothé m French
French variant of Timothy.
Timothée m French
French form of Timothy.
Tiphaine f French
French form of Tiffany.
Tiphanie f French
French variant of Tiffany.
Toinette f French
Short form of Antoinette.
Toussaint m French
Means "all saints" in French. This is the name of a Christian festival celebrated on November 1 (All Saints' Day).
Tristan m English, French, Arthurian Cycle
Probably from the Celtic name Drustan, a diminutive of Drust, which occurs as Drystan in a few Welsh sources. As Tristan, it first appears in 12th-century French tales, probably altered by association with Old French triste "sad". According to the tales Tristan was sent to Ireland by his uncle King Mark of Cornwall in order to fetch Iseult, who was to be the king's bride. On the way back, Tristan and Iseult accidentally drink a potion that makes them fall in love. Later versions of the tale make Tristan one of King Arthur's knights. His tragic story was very popular in the Middle Ages, and the name has occasionally been used since then.
Ugène m Norman
Norman form of Eugenius (see Eugene).
Ulysse m French
French form of Ulysses.
Urbain m French
French form of Urbanus (see Urban).
Ursule f French (Rare)
French form of Ursula.
Vaast m Flemish, Norman, Picard
Flemish, Norman and Picard form of Vedastus.
Valentin m French, Romanian, German, Czech, Russian, Bulgarian, Slovene, Croatian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish
Form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1) in several languages.
Valentine 2 f French
French feminine form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Valère m French
French form of Valerius.
Valérian m French
French form of Valerianus (see Valerian).
Valériane f French
French feminine form of Valerianus (see Valerian).
Valérie f French, Czech
French and Czech form of Valeria.
Valéry m French
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and rih "ruler, king". It has been frequently confused with the name Valère. Saint Walaric (or Valery) was a 7th-century Frankish monk who founded an abbey near Leuconaus at the mouth of the Somme River.
Vanessa f English, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Dutch
Invented by author Jonathan Swift for his 1726 poem Cadenus and Vanessa. He arrived at it by rearranging the initial syllables of the first name and surname of Esther Vanhomrigh, his close friend. Vanessa was later used as the name of a genus of butterfly. It was a rare given name until the mid-20th century, at which point it became fairly popular.
Venance m French
French form of Venantius.
Venceslas m French (Rare)
French form of Václav, via the Latinized form Venceslaus.
Vérène f French (Rare)
French form of Verena.
Véronique f French
French form of Veronica.
Vespasien m French (Rare)
French form of Vespasianus (see Vespasian).
Victoire f French
French form of Victoria.
Victor m English, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Late Roman
Roman name meaning "victor, conqueror" in Latin. It was common among early Christians, and was borne by several early saints and three popes. It was rare as an English name during the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the French writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885), who authored The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables.
Victoria f English, Spanish, Romanian, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, French, Late Roman, Roman Mythology
Means "victory" in Latin, being borne by the Roman goddess of victory. It is also a feminine form of Victorius. This name was borne by a 4th-century saint and martyr from North Africa.... [more]
Victorien m French
French form of Victorianus.
Victorin m French
French form of Victorinus.
Victorine f French
French feminine form of Victorinus.
Vincent m English, French, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Slovak
From the Roman name Vincentius, which was derived from Latin vincere meaning "to conquer". This name was popular among early Christians, and it was borne by many saints. As an English name, Vincent has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until the 19th century. Famous bearers include the French priest Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660) and the Dutch post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890).
Vincente f French
French feminine form of Vincent.
Violette f French
French form of Violet.
Virgile m French
French form of Virgil.
Virginie f French
French form of Virginia.
Vital m French, Portuguese, Belarusian
French, Portuguese and Belarusian form of Vitalis (see Vitale).
Viviane f French, Portuguese
French form of Viviana, as well as a Portuguese variant. It is also the French form of Vivien 2.
Vivianne f French
Variant of Viviane.
Vivien 1 m French
French form of Vivianus (see Vivian).
Vivienne f French
French form of Viviana.
Wanda f Polish, English, German, French
Possibly from a Germanic name meaning "a Wend", referring to the Slavic people who inhabited eastern Germany. In Polish legends this was the name of the daughter of King Krak, the legendary founder of Krakow. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by the author Ouida, who used it for the heroine in her novel Wanda (1883).
Xavier m English, French, Portuguese, Catalan, Spanish
Derived from the Basque place name Etxeberria meaning "the new house". This was the surname of the Jesuit priest Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552) who was born in a village by this name. He was a missionary to India, Japan, China, and other areas in East Asia, and he is the patron saint of the Orient and missionaries. His surname has since been adopted as a given name in his honour, chiefly among Catholics.
Yan 3 m French
Variant of Yann.
Yanick m & f Breton, French
Diminutive of Yann or Yanna 2.
Yanis m Greek, French
Alternate transcription of Greek Γιάνης (see Gianis). It is also used in France, in part inspired by the Breton names Yann and Yannic.
Yann m Breton, French
Breton form of John.
Yannick m & f Breton, French
Diminutive of Yann or Yanna 2.
Yasmine f Arabic, French (Modern), English (Modern)
Alternate transcription of Arabic ياسمين (see Yasmin).
Yoan 1 m French
French form of Johann.
Yoann m French
French form of Johann.
Yohan m French
French form of Johann.
Yohann m French
French form of Johann.
Yolande f French
French form of Yolanda. A notable bearer of the 15th century was Yolande of Aragon, who acted as regent for the French king Charles VII, her son-in-law. She was a supporter of Joan of Arc.
Youri m Dutch, French
Dutch and French form of Yuriy.
Yseult f French (Rare)
French form of Iseult.
Yvan m French
French form of Ivan.
Yveline f French
Feminine diminutive of Yves.
Yvelise f French
Feminine form of Yves (or an elaboration using Élise). It was (first?) borne by the title character in the Italian novel Yvelise (1923) by Guido da Verona. It later appeared in the photonovel Yvelise devant l'amour published in the French magazine Nous Deux in 1950.
Yves m French
Medieval French form of Ivo 1. This was the name of two French saints: an 11th-century bishop of Chartres and a 13th-century parish priest and lawyer, also known as Ivo of Kermartin, the patron saint of Brittany.
Yvette f French, English
French feminine form of Yves.
Yvon m French
Medieval diminutive of Yves.
Yvonne f French, English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish
French feminine form of Yvon. It has been regularly used in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century.
Zacharie m French
French form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zélie f French
Short form of Azélie. This is another name of Saint Marie-Azélie Guérin (1831-1877).
Zéphyrine f French (Rare)
French feminine form of Zephyrinus (see Zeferino).
Zoé f French, Hungarian
French and Hungarian form of Zoe.