For Those Looking for Chic Baby Names, These Are Top Names in France

Home to tastemakers like Chanel, Balenciaga and, well, Emily in Paris, it's no wonder that France is also ahead of the curve when it comes to baby names. Those looking for très chic baby boy names or baby girl names should definitely consider sources in the City of Light for inspiration.

Not only are French names beautiful, they translate pretty much everywhere. “The overarching trend right now in France, and elsewhere in Europe, is cross-cultural names — those that work in various languages,” says Sophie Kihm, editor-in-chief of the baby name site Nameberry. “In the internet age, the world is getting smaller, and parents are placing higher value on names that work in multiple contexts — particularly if a child will be raised among multiple cultures.”

American parents are already following this trend. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the French girl’s names Charlotte and Ava are two of the ten most popular girls' names in the United States, sitting at number 3 and number 8, respectively. What’s more, Noah, the second most popular U.S. baby boy’s name last year after Liam, was also the sixth most adopted name for French baby boys as well. “French girl names including Josephine, Eloise, Sophie and Adeline are all in the U.S. Top 100, and names such as Elodie, Margot, Sylvie, Juliette, Estelle, Colette, Soleil, Esme, Louise, Rosalie and Celine are very fashionable rising choices,” Kihm adds.

And then there are French words that make lovely names on their own: The name Chanson, for example, literally translates as “song” in English; Amour, a name that suits any gender, means "love." What could be sweeter?

No matter which direction you choose, whether you're going for chic or sweet, For here are some top French names for babies in 2024.

Popular Names in France Right Now

These are the latest statistics, from the most current data available, which was 2021, but these names still reign.

Most Popular Girl Names in France

1. Jade

2. Louise

3. Ambre
   

4. Alba
   

5. Emma
   

6. Rose
   

7. Alice
   

8. Romy
   

9. Anna
   

10. Lina

Most Popular Boy Names in France

1. Gabriel

2. Léo

3. Raphaël

4. Maël

5. Louis

6. Noah

7. Jules

8. Arthur

9. Adam
   

10. Lucas

Of those, Lina is new, knocking Mia off the list for girls, while the boys are the same names as the year before in a different order. These seem to be holding steady as the most popular names in France.

Names Inspired by French Regions

Need more inspiration? Look at a map. Cities, towns and other regions of France can make for great names — just look at the popularity of the name Paris!

1. Brittany

2. Corsica

3. Denis

4. Étienne

5. Lyon

6. Marseille

7. Normandy

8. Rochelle

9. Rouen

10. Toulouse

Girls' Names With Religious Roots

“In terms of French naming practices, saints have a big impact,” says Kihm. “In France, many children are given saints’ names, which are connected to a name day — typically, the saint’s feast day. Even non-saint names are ascribed name days in France, and French baby name books will list the corresponding name day in every entry.” Kihm reports that these are popular saints’ names in France right now:

1. Agathe

2. Basile

3. Clément

4. Côme

5. Gabin

6. Marin

7. Salomé

8. Zélie

"Cowboy" Names for Boys

It’s all about Beau, which has a cool Western swagger that many French parents are choosing for their sons. “Beau broke into the Top 100 in 2021 and fits into the current trends of ‘cowboy’ names and ‘handsome’ boy names, making it a popular choice among parents with varying name styles,” says Kihm. Right now, it's sitting at No. 79 on the SSA list of the most popular boys' names. Chandler is another cool, frontiersy name with connections across the pond, coming from the French word for "candle maker." It's way down the list at No. 687, so it's a good choice for parents looking for an under-the-radar French name.

Unisex French Names

These names work equally well for any gender.

1. Ciel

2. Claude

3. Eden

4. Royal

5. Remy

6. Jean

7. Kayden

8. Maylone

9. Maé

10. Mahé

Letter-A Girl Names

“Some of the fastest-rising names in France are girl names that start and end in A,” Kihm explains. Among the most popular at the moment:

1. Alba

2. Alma

3. Aria

4. Assia

Other names that start with vowels also gained ground, including:

1. Ella

2. Albane

3. Ellie

Letter-O Boy Names

“For boys, many fast-rising names in France end in O, or the ‘O’ sound,” says Kihm. Current top choices include:

1. Malo

2. Nino

3. Elio

4. Alessio

More French Names to Consider

Ready to get inspired? Here’s a list of more original and beautiful French names to consider for your little one. Other ways to think outside the box: French movie stars have lovely names (think of the Oscar-nominated actress Isabelle Huppert or the lovely Brigitte Brigitte Bardot).

French Girl Names

1. Anais

2. Brigitte

3. Candide

4. Capucine

5. Claire
   

6. Clotilde

7. Delphine

8. Emanuelle

9. Emmeline

10. Fleur

11. Genevieve

12. Lilou

13. Madeleine
    

14. Manon

15. Mirabelle

16. Morgane

17. Oceane

18. Odette

19. Sylvie

20. Yvette

French Boy Names

1. Alain

2. Andre

3. Antoine

4. Charles

5. Dax

6. Deveraux

7. Dion

8. Guillaume

9. Guy
   

10. Harvey

11. Laurent

12. Lebron

13. Lucien

14. Marcel

15. Mathieu

16. Michel

17. Olivier

18. Percy

19. Pierre

20. Romain

French Gender-Neutral Names

1. Bellamy

2. Berenger

3. Blaise

4. Camille

5. Darcy

6. Jordane

7. Lafayette

8. Laurence

9. Leone

10. Lior

11. Lou

12. Marquette

13. Mars

14. Quincy

15. Pom

16. Sylvain

Looking for more baby name suggestions? Check out these other Good Housekeeping guides.

Most Popular Names for Boys | Most Popular Names for Girls | Indian/Hindu Boy Names | Indian/Hindu Girl Names | Italian Names | Hispanic Boy Names | Hispanic Girl Names | Irish Boy Names | Irish Girl Names | Japanese Names | Long Names for Boys | Long Names for Girls | Short Names for Boys | Short Names for Girls

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