330 beautiful French female names & meanings: rare, chic, popular & old

Choosing the perfect name for a girl can be an exciting and fun experience, but it can be stressful, too.

After all, it will be her name FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE! If you’re here, my guess is you’re interested in French girl names.

Whether you’re interested in popular baby names, traditional, pretty French girl names, or a unique French baby girl name that reflects your French heritage, I’ve put together a huge list of more than 300 beautiful French female names and their meanings that are typically given to girls in France, along with their meanings.

Rather than organizing this list of French baby girl names based on what I think are pretty names, I combed through the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies ( Insee.fr ) and listed the names that parents in France have actually given to their daughters since the 1800s and organized them into convenient categories. 

1. Popular names by year and decade: 2022, the 1920s, 1950’s and 1980s.
2. Traditional and Classic names between the 1800s and 1900s
3. Rare names and ones that are disappearing

I’ve also included the following types of names in this list. 

1. Hyphenated or Compound names such as Marie-Antoinette, which is a very royal French girl name. 
2. Gender-neutral names: names for boys and girls
3. Famous French actress names. 
4. French goddess names and Frenchified mythological names. 

*There may be some overlap : Certain names show up in multiple categories. For instance, the name Marie has been popular girls name for multiple decades so it may show up in vintage names and popular names. 

Related: French boy names are here.

French names tend to be more traditional or classical.

For anyone searching for an eccentric, made-up, or unconventional French name like “Moonraker” or “Stormi,” you may be in for a slight letdown. Names in France tend to be more classical and traditional. And there’s a rationale behind it, which you may find surprising or odd; I know it did to my husband. 

Many countries, including France, have strict baby-naming laws that prohibit parents from legally giving their children certain names. Typically, these laws are designed to protect children from being given offensive names like Adolph Hitler, which is banned in most countries. 

However, it’s not just those offensive names that are banned in France. If the French authorities think a given name will be embarrassing for a child, they can force parents to change it to something more socially acceptable.

For instance, a couple once tried to name their baby girl “Fraise,” which is French for strawberry. However, in another well-known case, parents attempted to name their daughter after Nutella, the popular chocolate hazelnut spread. In both instances, the parents were not allowed to use the names they had chosen and were forced to select different ones for their children.

Related: French baby name laws: 31 names banned in France.

Since 1966, Foreign names have become more popular in France

From 1803 to 1966, parents in France could only give their child either a saint’s name from the Roman Catholic calendar of saints or a historical person’s name. This created a long-standing baby-naming tradition, which explains why there were so many people with names like Jean-Paul, Marie, Pierre and Louis during this period. 

French baby naming regulations have relaxed quite a bit since 1966, and French parents are now giving their babies nams that were previously unheard of in France. There’s also a growing trend for foreign names not of French origin, such as “Jade,” pronounced /Zhad/, a popular name which first appeared in France in the early 1970s and has consistently ranked among the top 10 names given to girls for years. Jade can also be a boy’s name in France, but it’s not as common. 

The list of French girl names starts here.

Top 10 most popular and most common French girl names in France (2023)

For the past decade, there have been certain names that always end up on the top 10 list of baby names given to children in Metropolitan France. 

They are Jade, Louise, Emma, Alice, and Rose. Of course, there are ebbs and flows, like “Lina,” a popular French name that falls on and off the top 10 list every so often. 

Certain names are popular in certain regions. For example the names Lina, Mya, Chloé, and Mia, which were popular names given to girls in 2020 in several French overseas territories.

100 most popular names given to girls in 2023

Below are the Top French girl names that parents from France have chosen to give their babies born in 2022. Data is based on data from INSEE (French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies) and approximate numbers.

While most of the names on this list are traditional French names, there are some foreign names such as AÏCHA, INAYA, ASSIA, and NOUR which are of Arabic origins.

Top 30 Most Popular Names in the 80’s

Weren’t the 80’s fun? François Mitterrand was the president of France during the ’80s (from 1981 to 1995). It was the first time since 1958 that the socialist party was in power. The large glass pyramid in front of the Louvre was completed in 1988, and New Wave music was arriving in Paris with bands like Les Rita Mitsouko. I still love that band.

30 Top French names for girls in the ’50s

In the 1950s, France was still very much the France of the cliché. It was pre-American culture, pre-television, and pre-globalization. Women could now vote thanks to a law that was enacted in 1944. France still had strict baby-naming laws, so parents had to choose traditional French female names for girls based on the Roman Catholic calendar. You won’t see the name Jade on this list.

70 Old-fashioned and vintage French female names (1800 to 1900)

Although some of these names may be old-fashioned or rare girl names from the 1800s that don’t make it to the top of French baby name lists anymore, they were extremely popular in France during the Belle Epoque (1871 – 1914.), which overlaps with the British Victorian era (1837-1901) and the Gilded Age in the United States (1870s)

Like fashion, popular baby names in France come and go, and sometimes names come back into fashion. For instance, both Léa and Louise were extremely popular names in 1902 but declined in popularity for a few decades, then made a comeback in the 2000s.

Vintage names are a good choice for parents who want a more traditional or classic French name but also for anyone who wants to steer clear of a common French name like Jade.

Uncommon and unique French female names 

A pretty French girls name doesn’t always make it the the top of popular name lists. Here are some less common but well-known names for girls.

Really rare names that are disappearing or have disappeared in France

If you’re looking for extremely rare, original-sounding, and unique French girl names, here are some French female names that are so rare they’ve all but disappeared in France.

Related: Herminie Cadolle is a French woman who invented the modern bra

Compound hyphenated French female names

Sometimes, French names are “Compound names” (prénom composé), which are a set of two or more first names used together, usually separated by a hyphen, but not always.

Compound names are one single name and not a first and middle name.

For instance, if you met a French person with the compound name Anne-Laure or Anne Laure, you would call her Anne-Laure, not Anne, and not Laure, unless she asked you to call her by a single name. 

Compound girl names can contain a male name, and vice versa.

Although compound names in France are usually composed of two names of the same gender, they can also be composed of both a male and a female name.

The first part of the compound name dictates whether the name is for a man or a woman. 

For example: 

• Marie-Paul and Marie-Joseph are both female names. 
• Paul Marie and Joseph Marie are both male names.  

Paul Marie (born in 1995) is a French professional footballer for MLS club San Jose Earthquakes.

Now, on to the list of compound French names for girls.

1. Ange-Marie (Ange can be a boy’s name or a girl’s name in French.)
2. Anne-Claire
3. Anne-Françoise
4. Anne-Lise
5. Anne-Louise
6. Clara-Rose
7. Eva-Louise
8. France-Line
9. Laure-Anne
10. Lee-Lou
11. Lili-fleur
12. Lilu-Rose
13. Lou-Anne
14. Marie-Adélaïde
15. Marie-Antoinette
16. Marie-Carmen
17. Marie-Claire
18. Marie-France
19. Anne-Laure
20. Marie-Lou
21. Marie-Océane
22. Marie-Soleil 
23. Sarah-Lou

Beautiful French goddess names and mythology names

Although the concept of gods and goddesses originated in ancient Greek and Roman mythology, the French variation of their names have been adapted and used in various cultures and languages around the world.

In France, for instance, certain goddesses have been incorporated into the French language and culture, and when needed, French accents were added for the pronunciation of certain letters. For example, the name “Hélène” has an accent on the first “e” to indicate that it is pronounced with an “ay” sound.  

These are just a few examples of French goddess names, but there are many more that have been adapted and used in French culture.

Aliénor:

Pronounced /Ah-Lee-Aye-Nor/

This particular spelling has Breton roots and means “spark.”

The origin of this female French name is uncertain but is usually considered a variant of the Greek first name “Helena,” which means torch or light. In Greek mythology, Helena was not a goddess; she was a mortal woman who was known for her extraordinary beauty. She was abducted by Paris, a prince of Troy, which was one of the events that led to the Trojan War.

Other more recent versions of this name include “Eleonore,” such as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. 

Apolline:

Pronounced /Ah-Po-Lean/

The feminine version of Appolo, the Greek god of the sun, healing, music, and prophecy. Apolline means of “Appoll,” or “belonging to Appolo,” and has been popular in France for centuries. 

Athénaïs: 

Pronounced /Ah-Tay-Nah-ees

Athénaïs means “wisdom” or “intelligence.” Athénaïs is a French adaptation of the Greek goddess of wisdom, war, and crafts, Athena.

In 17th century France, Françoise d’Aubigné, who later became known as Madame de Maintenon, took the name Athénaïs when she converted to Catholicism. After Françoise married King Louis XIV in 1683, the name Athénaïs became popular in French society. Today, the name is still used in France and is considered a classic French name.

Aurore: 

pronounced /Oh-Roar/

Aurore is the French equivalent of Aurora, the Roman goddess of the dawn who brought the light of the new day. Her name is from the Latin word “Aurora,” which means “dawn.”

Sélène: Alternate spelling Séléné

Sélène:  

Séléné =Alternate spelling 

Pronounced /Say-Leny/

Sélène is the French version of the name Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon who was often depicted riding a chariot across the night sky, pulling the moon behind her.

Also spelled Sélène. She was the goddess of the moon

Circé:

pronounced /Sear-Say/

Circé was a minor goddess in Greek mythology of magic and Sorcery. In French literature and culture, the name Circé is associated with femininity, beauty, and mystery and became popular in France in the 19th century.

Cybèle:

pronounced /Sib-Ell/

Cybèle is of French and Greek origins, meaning “the mother of all gods.”

Cybèle was originally a Phrygian goddess from Asia Minor, in modern-day Turkey, who was worshipped in ancient Greece and Rome. Her cult spread throughout the Roman Empire, and her name was later adopted by the Gauls, the Celtic people who lived in what is now France.

Cyréne: 

pronounced /See-Ren/

Cyréne is from the Greek word “kyrios,” which means “lord” or “master. In Greek mythology, Cyrene or Kyrene, was the sovereign queen and ruler of the North African city of Cyrene. According to the myth, the city was founded and named after her by Apollo. 

Denise:

pronounced /De-Neez/

Denise is a French version of the Greek name Dionysus, who was the god of wine, fertility, and ecstasy in Greek mythology. Denise is a French version of the Greek name Dionysus, who was the god of wine, fertility, and ecstasy in Greek mythology.

Daphné:

Pronounce /Daf-Nay/

Daphne is of Greek origin, which means Laurel Tree or Bay tree and was a Greek water nymph.

Daphné is a French girl’s name from the Greek mythological character of the same name. In the myth, Daphne was a beautiful nymph who was pursued by the god Apollo. To escape Apollo’s advances, Daphne prayed to her father, the river god Peneus, to help her. As a result, she was transformed into a laurel tree, and Apollo made the laurel his sacred tree.

Gaïa:

 Pronounced /Guy-yah/

popular french girl name

Gaïa is the French spelling of Gaia, the Greek goddess of the earth and mother of all life who was married to Uranus (Heaven).

Gaïa was first used in France in 1989 and became a popular French girl name in 2009, with 113 girls be given this name. 

Iris:

Pronounced /Ee-Ree/

In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of rainbows and messenger of Hera and Zeus, riding the rainbow between Olympus and Earth. She was known for her speed and agility, and she was often depicted with wings on her ankles and shoulders. As the messenger of the gods, Iris was responsible for delivering messages between the gods and mortals, and she was also associated with the rainbow as a symbol of hope and renewal.

Vénus:

Pronounced /Vay-Nusse/

Venus is the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility in Roman mythology and was associated with the planet Venus. The name became popular in France during the Renaissance when the ideas and culture of ancient Rome were revived.

Related The names of the 7 days of the week in French And their curious ancient Roman and Greek origins.

French Actress names

If you love French movies, fashion, and French music, here are some famous French and Belgian personalities in France — past and present. Sometimes, names will spike in popularity based on the popularity of a famous French person.

Gender-neutral French names

The following are gender-neutral, aka unisex French names (les prénoms mixtes) given to both boys and girls in France. 

Wrapping up French baby names for girls

If you’re considering a French name for your baby girl, you’ll be paying homage to French culture, which places a huge emphasis on family and tradition.

On the other hand, you may simply love the melodic way a name sounds, which can also be a great way to choose the perfect name for your little one.

Best of luck in your search for French baby names.