Last Updated on 6th May 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
If you’ve come to this page looking for unique or interesting French girl names, then you’ve come to the right place! Now I may be biased as I have two French girls names myself (Sophie Anne), but I truly think that there are some very special girls names in the French language.
If you’re considering a French name for your baby girl, then you have quite the choice in front of you- and the amount of names from which to select can be a little overwhelming! After all, you’re choosing a name which your baby might well end up keeping for the rest of their life!
The law in France surrounding French names
Though we’re much more used to hearing unique or rare names in the English language (such as Kim Kardashian’s daughter ‘North’ or Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter ‘Apple’), the majority of baby girl names in French are classic and find their roots in even more ancient languages such as Greek and Latin.
There is a cultural (and even legal!) reason for this, and that is baby name laws (which are often restrictive and sometimes racist). You see, between 1803- 1966 there were very strict rules about what you were allowed to call your child in France.
In fact, you were only allowed to name your child after a Saint from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints or for a historical person (as long as that, too, wasn’t offensive). The laws were racist and did not even allow for the names of regional dialects within France such as Breton and Occitanie.
If a child was not given one of the permitted names, then they would not be allowed to hold ID cards, vote, and they would find it hard to take part in modern life.
In 1966, following intense legal battles, the law was changed and parents were allowed to give their children names from regional dialects of France, as well as shortened nicknames.
People were also allowed to name their babies names from languages other than French, and mythological names were also finally allowed. In 199″, under French President François Mitterrand, baby name laws were changed once more, allowing for even more freedom when choosing a French baby name.
This was as long as the name would be in the best interest of the child and would not harm other third parties. There is no official list of banned names in France, though there is a law that allows French authorities to prevent people from naming their child something rude or offensive, such as a swear word, something that would cause the child to be bullied, or after a dictator.
Children are also not allowed to have the last name of one of their parents as a first name. Please note that only French citizens have to abide by French baby name laws. Other citizens residing in France do not have to abide by French baby name laws.
Popular French Girl Names
Today, some of the top French girl names around the world include Charlotte (popular across Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK), Annabel, and Sophie. In France, some of the most popular names are Jade, Louise, Emma, Alice, Ambre, Lina, Rose, Chloe, Mia, Léa.
250+ French Girl Names
Please note that many names have multiple variations and so these have been grouped and listed together. While some spellings may be more common than others for the names, their meaning remains the same.
Abrielle: Meaning God is my strength
Aceline: Meaning noble
Adalaide, Adélaïde: Meaning a noble person
Adalene, Adaline, Adeline, Adelle, Adelyn: Meaning a noble person
Adrienne, Adriene: Meaning from the city of Hadria
Agathe: Meaning good
Agnès: Meaning pure
Albertine: Meaning noble or bright
Alexandrine: Meaning defender of men
Alice: Meaning noble or light
Alizée: Meaning Trade Wind
Alida: Meaning noble
Aline: Meaning noble
Alodie: Meaning wealthy
Alphonsine: Meaning ready for battle (female version of Alphonse)
Amalie, Amelie: Meaning hardworking
Amy, Aimée: Meaning beloved or well-loved
Anaïs: Meaning graceful or holy
Anastasie: Meaning resurrection
Andrée: Meaning brave (female version of André)
Anelise, Annelise: Meaning from the grace of God
Angeline: Means messenger of God
Angélique: Meaning messenger of God
Annabelle: Meaning graceful or favour
Anne, Annette: Meaning grace
Antoinette/Antonine: Meaning praiseworthy (female version of Antoine)
Arielle: Meaning lion of God
Amandine: Meaning worthy of love
Armande: Meaning army man (unisex name)
Audette: Meaning a bird
Aurore/Auroette: Meaning Goddess of dawn
Avice: Meaning a refuge in battle
Avriel/Avril/Avryll: Meaning spring and April
Aubrey: Meaning elf/ supernatural ruler
Audrey: Meaning noble strength
Augustine: Meaning the great, venerable
Aurelie: Meaning golden
Aveline: Meaning hazelnut (derived from the Italian city of Avella)
Barbe: Meaning foreigner, traveller from a foreign land
Belle: Meaning beautiful
Bernadette: Meaning brave as a bear
Berthe: Meaning bright, glorious
Bijou: Meaning jewel
Blanche: Meaning white
Blisse: Meaning delight or joy
Brielle: Meaning heroine of God
Brigitte: Meaning magnificent and great
Camille: Meaning young ceremonial attendant
Capucine: Meaning nasturtium (the flower)
Carole, Carolina, Caroline: Meaning a strong woman, free woman
Catherine: Meaning pure and clear
Cécile: Meaning blind
Celeste, Célestine, Céline, Celine: Meaning heavenly
Cerise: Meaning cherry
Cezanne: Meaning artist seeking freedom (unisex name)
Chanel: Meaning from the canal or channel
Chantae: Meaning a singer
Chantal: Meaning a stone for building
Charlotte: Meaning a strong woman, free woman
Chloé, Chloë: Meaning flourishing, blooming
Christine: Meaning follower of Christ
Claire, Clarette, Clarisse: Meaning bright, clear
Claudine: Meaning lame
Clémence/Clementine: Meaning merciful, mild
Clotilde, Clothilde: Meaning famous in battle
Colette: Meaning people of victory
Constance: Meaning constant
Coralie, Coraline: Meaning coral
Corinne: Meaning beautiful maiden
Cosette: Meaning victorious
Danielle: Meaning God is the judge
Delphine: Meaning woman from Delphi, dolphin
Denise: Meaning devoted to Bacchus
Desiree: Meaning desired and longed for
Dominique: Meaning belonging to the Lord
Édelie: Meaning having high principles, qualities
Édith: Meaning blessed with riches
Eglantine: Meaning wild rose
Elayne: Meaning a ray of light
Elloise: Meaning light
Elaina, Elaine: Meaning bright, shining light
Eléonore: Meaning bright, shining light
Elise: Meaning my God is abundance
Elle: Meaning she
Élodie: Meaning foreign riches
Eloise, Héloïse: Meaning healthy
Émilie: Meaning excelling in all things
Esme, Esmée: Meaning esteemed, beloved one
Estelle: Meaning star
Étiennette: Meaning woman with crown, garland
Eugénie: Meaning well born
Eulalie: Meaning a sweetly-speaking person
Fayette: Meaning a little fairy
Félice: Meaning lucky
Fernande: Meaning adventurous
Fleur, Fleurine, Florentine: Meaning flower, blossoming
Fosette: Meaning dimpled, love of helping others
Francine: Meaning from France or free woman
Gabrielle: Meaning God is my Strength (female version of Gabriel)
Geneviève, Geneve: Meaning woman of the family
Georgette: Meaning farmer
Gertrude: Meaning strength
Giselle: Meaning: promise, pledge
Hélène: Meaning bright, shining
Henriette: Meaning ruler of the home
Honorine: Meaning woman of honour
Hortense: Meaning gardener
Huguette: Meaning bright in mind and spirit
Inés: Meaning pure
Isabelle: Meaning pledged to God
Jacqueline: Meaning supplanter
Jeanne: Meaning God is gracious (female version of Jean)
Joelene: Meaning pretty, beauty
Jolie: Meaning pretty
Josephine: Meaning Jehovah shall grow
Julia, Juliet, Juliette: Meaning youthful
Léonie: Meaning lion
Liana: Meaning to climb like a vine, twine around like a vine
Lilou: Meaning lily
Lizette: Meaning God’s promise
Lorraine: Meaning from the province of Lorraine
Louise: Meaning brave, famous warrior
Lourdes: Meaning from the town of Lourdes
Lucie, Lucienne, Lucile, Lucille: Meaning light, illuminating
Lydie: Meaning woman from Lydia, Greece
Marlène: Meaning star of the sea
Maëlle, Maëlys: Meaning chief, princess
Madeleine, Madelyn: Meaning from the city of Magdala
Malory, Mallory: Meaning unfortunate
Manette, Manon: Meaning bitter
Margot/Margaux/Marguerite: Meaning pearl
Marie: Meaning star of the sea
Marthe: Meaning mistress of the house
Mathilde: Meaning strength in battle
Mélanie: Meaning little dark-haired girl
Meline: Meaning honey
Michelle: Meaning resembles God
Mirabelle: Meaning plum
Mirielle: Meaning to admire, prosper
Monique: Meaning wise counsellor, advisor
Natalie: Meaning birthday of the Lord
Nicole, Nicolette: Meaning people of victory
Ninette: Meaning grace
Noelle: Meaning Christmas (for children born in December)
Noémie: Meaning good, pleasant, lovely
Océane: Meaning ocean
Octavie: Meaning eighth
Odette: Meaning wealthy
Paris: Meaning Paris, the capital of France
Patrice: Meaning noble (unisex, more commonly used as a boy’s name)
Pauline: Meaning little
Philomène: Meaning loved one, friend of strength
Pierrette: Meaning rock, strength (female version of Pierre)
Reine: Meaning queen
Renée: Meaning born again or reborn
Risette: Meaning smile
Rosalie, Rosalee: Meaning rose
Rochelle: Meaning woman who is like a rock
Sara: Meaning princess
Salomé: Meaning peace
Severine: Meaning stern, serious
Seychelle: Meaning shell of the sea
Solange, Solenne: Meaning solemn, religious
Sidonie: Meaning woman of Sidon
Simone: Meaning she heard, God has heard
Sophie: Meaning wise, wisdom
Stéphane, Stephanie: Meaning crown, glory
Suzanne, Suzette: Meaning lily
Sylvie: Meaning from the forest
Thérèse: Meaning to reap, to gather, late summer
Valentine, Valerie: Meaning strength, healthy (female version of Valentin)
Véronique: Meaning true image
Violette: Meaning a purple blue flower
Virginie: Meaning pure maiden
Vivienne: Meaning life
Yvette: Meaning yew, archer (female version of Yves)
Yvonne: Meaning yew wood
Yolanthe: Meaning strong
Zélie: Meaning mother of St. Therese of Lisieux
Zoe: Meaning vibrant and full of life
Sophie Nadeau loves dogs, books, travel, pizza, and history. A fan of all things France related, she runs solosophie.com when she’s not chasing after the next sunset shot or consuming something sweet. She currently splits her time between Paris and London. Subscribe to Sophie’s YouTube Channel.