This is a list of the most popular names for females in France.
The list of French girls’ names was compiled from information from the social security office in France. The list is only made up of female names, so if you’re looking for a male name, you’ll just have to find your own!
The names are ranked by popularity. This is calculated by the number of times the name appears in a year relative to the population of France. So the most popular name will have a rank of 1, and so on. The list also contains names that were popular in previous years but have since dropped in popularity.
Contents
1. Eléa
This name has appeared in the top twenty on the list for five years in a row. Although controversial, it’s been around for centuries and is thought to mean ‘star’, ‘luminous’, or ‘beautiful’.
2. Emma
In all languages, this name has become synonymous with ‘good, fair and kind’, or in English society during the middle ages, ‘good wife’. It means ‘beloved’ in Hebrew.
3. Éléonore
This is a feminine form of the male name ‘Elonore’, and it means ‘strong’. In French, the male and female versions of the names are usually different. An example is Éloise (male) and Éléonore (female). This is because, in English, many male and female names are the same in French.
4. Alice
In France, this name doesn’t have quite the same connotations as it does in other European countries.
5. Marie-Angélique
Marie-Angélique means ‘Mary Angel’, and is a version of an old French name. It was also used to mean a saint’s name in English.
6. Lya
This is an interesting French name. As its origin is Latinate, I (and most people) decided to translate its meaning into English. It means ‘dance’, ‘a musical composition’ or ‘a famous dancer’.
7. Anabelle
Anabelle means ‘little angel’, which, interestingly enough, isn’t quite the meaning you’d expect for a French girl’s name. Other female names with this meaning include Anna and Angelina.
8. Elyna
A name for girls with a feminine, Latinate origin. It means ‘God is my judge’, or ‘God is my help’. This name is also used as a masculine name in other countries.
9. Séverine
This is a variant of the female name Severine, which means ‘victory’ or ‘triumph’. There are many names that mean this in French, including Séverin, which means victory over the Germans, and Savine, which means victory to the Catholics.
10. Anna
This is a common name in France and all over the world. There are many variations of this name, such as Anne, Annabel, and Annette. It is also a popular middle name. Anna’s meaning is ‘grace’ or ‘favor’. Other names with the same meaning include Anaïs, Anita, and Anouchka.
11. Lili
This is a Latinate name which means either ‘lily’, or ‘lily flower’. It is short for Adeline. Another feminine form of this name is Thérésa. Other names with the same meaning include Amaryllis and Lilly. In fact, it seems that every language has a variation of this name!
12. Mathilde
This is another name with its origins in Germany, as Matilda and Maud (which is quite popular in the UK right now). It means ‘strength of a warrior’.
13. Zoé
This is a French version of the English name Zoe, and it means ‘life’. It is also a very biblical name, as it represents the first woman created in the Bible (Genesis 3,20). It is usually pronounced as zo ʒə, with the accent on thee. Sometimes it’s even pronounced zo ʒe by people who are fans of English accents!
14. Noémie
This name means ‘mercy’, and is a French version of the name Naomi. It was popular in the early 2000s but has since dropped in popularity.
15. Lola
This is an interesting name meaning ‘lilac flower’, which comes from Spain, as it is short for Dolores. It can also mean ‘enthusiasm’ or ‘jubilation’. In German, it means ‘cheerful’.
16. Sophia
This is a very popular name and comes from the New Testament. It means ‘wisdom’. This name is also popular in other cultures like that of the Philippines, where it is often used as a nickname for Sofia. It is also used as an English middle name.
17. Juliette
Juliette is basically the French version of Juliet, which comes from Shakespeare’s famous play Romeo and Juliet. It means ‘youthful’ in Hebrew and Latin.
18. Amandine
This is a French name that means ‘a little angel’. It’s also related to the masculine name Amand, which means ‘a knife’ in French. Although not a popular name in the UK, it is gaining popularity, and there are many different forms of this name. In Spanish, it can be pronounced as Amanda, Ana, and Anais. Other variations include Emma-Dina and Emmersonia .
19. Julia
Julia is a popular name throughout the English-speaking world. It’s a Latin name and is widely used in France as well, but it means ‘youthful’. In English, it was also used to mean ‘healthy’ at some point in history. It comes from the family name Julien, which could be a version of Julian or Jules.
20. Angeline
This Latinate name means either ‘angel’ or ‘angelic’ (to be more precise). It can also mean ‘angel’ or ‘messenger, emissary’.
21. Louise
This is an old French name and was a version of Latin Lucia. It means ‘light’ or ‘glory’. It was popular in the Middle Ages when it was used as the title of a courtly love poem called “La Chanson de l’Oisillon” (Song of the little bird).
22. Camille
This name means ‘attendant’, or ‘chambermaid’. It was common in the Middle Ages for girls to be named after a profession or position.
23. Jeanne
This name means ‘God is gracious, or ‘God is my judge’. It came from the French version of the Hebrew name Hannah and was also used as a form of John, which comes from the Hebrew. The suffix -ne can also be an alternative way to spell Janne, which means ‘God has come.
24. Ella
This name is a contraction of the Greek Eleni. It means ‘sun light’. In French, it’s pronounced as e ʒi or as e ʒa.
25. Elodie
This name means ‘the voice’, and is a feminine form of the male name Éloi, which means ‘God is my helper’. This name was quite popular in the early 2000s but has recently become less common.
26. Éléanor
This feminine version of Édouard means ‘God is gracious, or ‘God is my judge.’ The name comes from the French version of the Italian name Eleonora and means ‘Eleanor’. It was popular in the English-speaking world in the 1960s.
27. Raphaëlle
Raphaëlle was a popular French name in the early 2000s, but it has recently dropped off in popularity. It means ‘healing’, and is related to the masculine name Raphaël.
28. Maud
This name is pronounced as maʁf in French and means ‘strength of a warrior’. There are other names with this meaning in French: Amaryllis and Lilly. It comes from the Anglo-Saxon name Matilda, which comes from that of the Latin Matertera, which means ‘mother’s beloved’.
29. Charlotte
This name comes from the French name Charis, which means ‘grace’. It is also related to the English names Charley and Charlie. The spelling of Charlotte is also used in Germany, and this name has been used in France since the Middle Ages. The spelling of Charlotte was popular in the UK in the 1950s, but it has recently dropped off a bit. This name means ‘charlottern’ in French, a word that refers to a type of flower.
30. Aliénor
This name means ‘industrious’, or ‘all in labor’, and is related to the names Alice and Alison. It was often pronounced with a silent final ‘e’ in French, as Allynor, which is why it sounds like the present-day name Aline. The name comes from the Latin Helenor.
31. Amélie
This name means ‘grace’ or ‘favor’. The name comes from late Latin amabilis, which means ‘loveable. It comes from the French Amable, which means ‘lovable’.
32. Roselyne
This name means ‘most beautiful, and is a variant of the English name Rosalie. It comes from the French version of the English Roseola (Rosyln). It can also be a shortening of Roselyn, which is short for Rosalie.
33. Aurélie
This name is a French version of the Latin Aurelia, which means ‘golden’. It’s pronounced as or ʁe ʒi. This is a very common name in France, although it has dropped in popularity recently.
34. Aurélien
A male form of Aurélie and Aurelia, this name means ‘gold-bearer’. It was not used much until the early 2000s but is becoming more popular again.
35. Benoîte
The name Benoîte comes from the Latin Benedicta and means ‘blessed’. It was quite popular in the Middle Ages. The name can also have a meaning of ‘benediction’, or ‘happy’.
36. Capucine
The name Capucine means ‘cappuccino’, and is a shortened form of the French name Capucine. This name was given to a coffee drink, but there are also other names like this: Capucine comes from a type of flower called Erythraea caput-cappitis. This plant was used as a perfume, and it has been used in poetry since the mid-1700s.
37. Désirée
This name means ‘desired’, and was a common name for girls in the past, as well as for boys. It could be used for either gender. It is a French version of the Latin Desideria, which means ‘desired’.
38. Edwige
This name refers to female saints who lived in the Middle Ages. It came from the Latin name Eugenia, which was itself derived from the Greek ευγνια (meaning ‘good birth’).
39. Éloïse
This name can mean ‘God is my helper’, and also means ‘God is my joy’. It comes from the French version of the name Eleonore, which was used in the Middle Ages and meant ‘Eleanor’.
40. Geneviève
This name came from a mining district near Paris, where there was a kind of mineral called génevois. It was used as a given name in the 18th century. It could mean a ‘generous gift’.
41. Geneviève-Gabrielle
This name means ‘Generous gift of God’ and comes from the Latin name Juliana, meaning ‘youthful’. The final element Gabrielle comes from the French word for Gabriel. This is a very old name and was used in the Middle Ages by members of the French royal family.
42. Félicité
This name means ‘favor’ or ‘favorite’. It comes from the Latin name Félix, which is itself a short form of Felix. It might also have been pronounced with a silent final ‘e’ in French, as Félicité, which is why it sounds like the present-day name Felicity. The spelling of Félicie is also used in Germany and France.
43. Gaëlle
This name is a feminine form of the male name Gaël. It means ‘petite Gaulle’ or ‘small Gaul’. The suffix -we can also be used with the names Sophie, Arielle, and Joëlle.
44. Gisèle
The noun gisant in French refers to someone who is lying down. This name was popular in the Middle Ages, but it’s now out of popularity. It comes from the Italian name Gisella, which is a diminutive of Giselda. However, the English form of this name is Isabella.
45. Irma
This name means ‘the prosperous army’, and was popular as a given nickname for Yvette or Yvonne during the 19th century. The name comes from the Greek name Eirene (meaning ‘peace’). It can also mean ‘wet’. There are other French names with this meaning: Aurore and Ora.
46. Haydée
This name means ‘life’ and was popular in the Middle Ages. There are other French names with this meaning: Hélène and Adelaine.
47. Hermine
This name comes from the word ‘ermine’ and is a word for a type of mammal, as well as being a type of fabric. It is pronounced as. This was once a very popular girls’ name in France, but it has become less common in recent years.
48. Inès
This feminine form of ‘Jean’, is a popular given name in France but is rarely used as a surname. The name means ‘God is gracious’ and was popular in the Middle Ages. Inés also comes from the Latin name Johannes, which means ‘Yahweh favors’.
49. Jeanne (or Jeanne)
This name comes from the French version of the English John, and has been very common in the UK and French-speaking countries for a long time. It’s pronounced . This name made it to the English top-500 in 2007, and was the most popular given name in France in 2011.
50. Léontine
This name means ‘lion’. It was a very popular given name in the Middle Ages and, in fact, the most popular given name for centuries. This is because it comes from the Latin Leon, which means ‘lion’. The current form is Léonor.
51. Maëlle
This name means ‘bride’, and it was popular during the Middle Ages. It is pronounced as . It’s a French form of the name Maia. The current spelling of this name is also used in Germany and France.
52. Marguerite
This name means ‘deceptive one, cunning woman’. In a way, it’s a life-saving name, as many women with this title were sent into convents where they could be sheltered from dangers outside their walls.
53. Océane
This name means ‘neat, well-ordered’. It was a very common French name during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The current spelling is also used in Germany.
54. Perrette
This name means ‘little sparrow’ in French. It was popular during the Middle Ages, and there were several people with this name at that time: Perrot, Perrotin and Perrotinette. The current spelling is also used in France.
55. Pénélope
Pénélope literally means ‘yoke’, and refers to a type of tool used in ancient Greece. It was also a popular name for girls during the Middle Ages, probably because it was thought to symbolize steadfastness. The name is pronounced . This name was one of the most popular names for girls in France until the 18th century. The current spelling is also used in Germany and Spain.
56. Olympe
This name means ‘to love well’. It was a very popular name for girls in France and other French-speaking countries. The current spelling is also used in various English-speaking countries, especially the United States, Australia and Canada.
57. Thérésa
This name means ‘beloved’ and is derived from the Greek name Theodora. It was a very popular given name in France during the Middle Ages, and it can be found in the form Thérèse. The current spelling is also used in Germany and other countries.
58. Yvonne (or Yvonne)
This name comes from ‘huve’ or ‘yove’, which means ‘well loved’. It was a very popular given name during the Middle Ages, possibly because it was closely related to the word for love (amour).
59. Reine
This name means ‘queen’, and it was popular during the Middle Ages because the word reine was derived from the Latin Regina, meaning ‘queen’. This name is also used in other French-speaking countries. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Germany, Belgium and Austria.
60. Élisabeth
This name means ‘God is my oath’ or ‘God be praised’. It’s an abbreviation of Elisabetha or Elisabeta. The current form of this name (Elisabet) is used in many English-speaking countries, including the United States and Australia.
61. Lucie
This name means ‘light’ in French, and it’s taken from the Latin Lucia, which means the same thing. It was very popular in the Middle Ages, and remains popular among French-speaking people today. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Poland and Belgium.
62. Solène
This name, which means ‘sun’ in French, was not popular in the Middle Ages. It’s a combination of Soleil (Sun) and the suffix -ène, used with names like Marie, Chloé and Camille. The current spelling is also used in Germany.
63. Suzanne (or Suzanne)
This name means ‘lily’, and it’s the feminine form of Simon. The current spelling of this name is also used in Germany and other countries.
64. Marie-Anne
This name means ‘Mary’s Anne’. It was a very popular given name in France during the Middle Ages, and it can also mean ‘Mary’s grave’ in some dialects. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria, Belgium and other countries.
65. Amélie
This name means ‘lovely’ or ‘dearest’, and this is perhaps the most common given name for girls these days in France. The name is derived from the name Amélie, which means ‘amiable’. This name made it to the English top-500 in 2011.
66. Margot
This name comes from the Italian word Margherita (‘little pearl’), and it was popular during the Middle Ages, possibly because it was closely associated with pearls. The current spelling is also used in Germany and other countries.
67. Chloé
This name, which means ‘flower’ in French, was extremely popular in the 15th and 16th centuries. It’s said to be the feminine form of Nicolas, which means ‘victory of the people’. The current spelling is also used in Germany and other French-speaking areas.
68. Colette
This name comes from a diminutive form of Nicholas, meaning either ‘victory of the people’ or ‘people’s victory’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. It became popular in the English-speaking world by the 1960s. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Finland and Denmark.
69. Dorothée
This name means ‘gift of God’. It was a very popular name for girls in France during the Middle Ages. It’s a diminutive of Dorothea, which means ‘gift of God’. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria and Belgium.
70. Coralie
This name means ‘coralline’, and in French, it’s a combination of Coralie and –ie. Coralie can mean ‘coralline’ or describe someone with a rosy complexion. Coral is also used in English to describe the precious red material. The current spelling is also used in the United Kingdom and various English-speaking countries.
71. Céline
This name means ‘hailstone’, and it’s derived from the Latin word caelum, meaning ‘sky’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, and remained popular in France until the 18th century. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Belgium and other countries.
72. Estelle (or Estelle)
This name means ‘stone’, and it’s a diminutive form of a different name, Esther. It was very popular in France during the Middle Ages, and it remains one of the most common female names today in France. The current spelling is also used in France as well as Germany, Austria and Belgium.
73. Cosette
This name means ‘little stone’, and it was popular in France during the Middle Ages, possibly because it was a symbol of purity. The name is derived from a diminutive form of Esther. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria and Belgium.
74. Daphné
This name means ‘dove’, and it was popular during the Middle Ages. It’s a feminine form of the name Daphné, which means ‘pearl’. The current spelling is also used in various English-speaking countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States.
75. Élise
This name means ‘God is love’ or ‘God is my love’, and it can also be translated as ‘My God is Love’. It was very popular during the Middle Ages. The current spelling of this name is also used throughout Germany, Switzerland and Poland.
76. Lucie
This name means ‘light’, and it’s a combination of Lucia and the suffix -ie. It was extremely popular in France during the Middle Ages. It has remained popular in Newfoundland, where it was first brought by French settlers in the 17th century, as well as in other English-speaking countries. The current spelling is also used in Germany and other English-speaking countries.
77. Laure
This name means ‘laurel tree’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, but it has not been as common in modern France. It’s a combination of Laure and the suffix -ie. The current spelling is also used in France as well as Germany, Denmark, Finland and other countries.
78. Lila
This name means ‘night’. It was used in France during the Middle Ages, but it was never popular there. In fact, the name made it to the top-100 among French girls in 2015. However, it is one of the most popular names in Germany. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria and other countries.
79. Lisa
This name means ‘light’ or ‘lucky’, and it was extremely popular during the Middle Ages. It’s a feminine form of Lille, which means ‘light’. The current spelling is also used in some German-speaking regions and parts of France as well.
80. Manon
This name means ‘lily’, and it was popular during the Middle Ages. However, it managed to stay more popular in Brittany than elsewhere in France. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria and Belgium.
81. Noèle
This name means ‘no one’ or ‘nobody’, and it was popular during the Middle Ages. It’s a diminutive of Noëlle, which means ‘holy’. The current spelling is also used in Spain and other countries.
82. Sonia
This name means ‘lily’ or ‘nose’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, and it remained popular among French people until the 18th century. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria and Belgium.
83. Sabine
This name means ‘serene’, and it’s a continental variant of the name Sabah. It was extremely popular in France during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Poland and other countries.
84. Sita
This name means ‘victory’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, and it remains popular in France today, as well as in Portugal, where it’s considered a traditional Portuguese name (the -ita suffix is a common diminutive in Portuguese).
85. Virginie
This name means ‘virgin’. It was extremely popular among French people during the Middle Ages, and it remained popular in France until the 18th century. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria and Belgium.
86. Ariane
This name comes from a Latin word which means ‘lovely or charming’. In French, it’s a combination of Arion and –ie. Arion means ‘song’ or ‘melody’. Ariane is also a feminine form of Alexander, which means ‘defender of men’. The current spelling is also used in the United Kingdom and various English-speaking countries.
87. Carole
This name means ‘little dove’, and it comes from the French word for dove, colombe, combined with the suffix -e. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages and still remains quite popular in France today, as well as in other English-speaking countries.
88. Zoé
This name means ‘life’ or ‘lively’, and it’s a feminine form of the name Zoila, which means ‘crown’. Zoé was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, and it remains popular in France today. The current spelling is also used in Germany.
89. Alizée
This name means ‘blaze of glory’ or ‘blaze of light’, and it’s a feminine form of Alix, which means ‘love’. The current spelling is also used in Germany and other countries.
90. Geneviève
This name means ‘royal’ and it’s a feminine form of the word for king, général. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages and it remains popular in France today. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Switzerland, Poland and other countries.
91. Camille
This name means ‘chosen one’ or ‘stranger’, and it comes from the Latin word for stranger or foreigner, camillus. Camilla is another feminine form of this word.
92. Séphora
This name means ‘purifier’ or ‘one who clarifies’. It was very popular in France during the Middle Ages, but it dropped out of use after the Renaissance. It’s a combination of ‘Sephoras’ and –ie. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
93. Ernestine
This name means ‘truthful’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, but it has remained quite rare until today. It’s a combination of the Greek and Latin words for truth, ‘aletheia’ and veritas’, combined with the suffix -tine. The current spelling is also used in Germany and other countries.
94. Agathe
This name means ‘good’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, but it has not remained as popular among French people. It’s a feminine form of the Greek word agathos, which means ‘good’.
95. Christiane
This name means ‘Christian’, and it’s a feminine form of the word for Christian, Christianus. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and other countries.
96. Delphine
This name means ‘from Delphi’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages and it remains popular in France today. It’s a feminine form of the Latin word for dolphin, delphinus. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria and some other countries as well.
97. Françoise
This name means ‘French’ or ‘free man’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, and it remains extremely popular in France today. It’s a feminine form of the word for Frenchman, Francus. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Switzerland and some other countries.
98. Gisèle
This name means ‘pledge’ or ‘hostage’, and it comes from the name of a saint called Giselle who was killed for refusing to renounce her faith. This name was extremely popular among French people during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The current spelling is also used in Germany, Austria and Belgium.
99. Myriam
This name means ‘strong’. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, but it dropped out of use after the Renaissance. It’s a combination of myrrh and –e. The current spelling is also used in Germany and other countries as well.
100. Hélène
This name means ‘sky’, and it comes from the Greek word for sky, heaven. It was extremely popular during the Middle Ages, but it dropped out of use after the Renaissance. It’s a feminine form of Helen, which means ‘sunset’. The current spelling is also used in Germany and other countries as well.