78 Female Provencal names from Southern France

At first glance, Provencal names for girls don’t look very French at all. That is because the region of Provence used to be its own autonomous region, with its own culture and language.

With a deep Mediterranean influence from the days of the ancient Greeks and Romans, many of the typical female provencal names end in “o”, quite unlike typical French girl names from other parts of the country.

Nevertheless, many of the popular names today from this region of France are variations from classical French names, with an added twist of originality. So let’s get to the best female provencal names, shall we? Allons-y!

• Alàri – meaning “hilarious”, “joyous”; variation of “Hilaire” and the Breton female name “Alana”.
• Aneto – meaning “just”; diminutive of “Anne”.
• Ano – meaning “gracious”; variation of “Anne”.
• Antouneto – meaning “one who nourishes flowers”; variation of “Anne”.
• Babello – meaning “God protect my house”; diminutive of “Isabelle”.
• Babèu – meaning “God is oath”; diminutive of “Elizabeth”.
• Beatris – meaning “happy”; variation of “Beatrice”.
• Berenguiero – named after the Saint Berenguiero; variation of the classic French female name “Bérèngére”.
• Bernadeto – meaning “courage”, “bear”; variation of “Bernadette”.
• Bregido – meaning “force”; variation of “Brigitte”.
• Calendau – the first day of the month in the ancient Roman calendar; variation of “Calendal” and “Noël” which used to be given to a child born on Christmas Day. (Used in Provence for a boy’s name as well.)
• Carino – meaning “loved one”; variation of “Carine”.
• Carloto – meaning “strong and virile”; variation of “Charlotte”, and the French male name “Karl”.
• Catarino – meaning “pure”; variation of “Catherine”.
• Clareto – meaning “illustrious”; diminutive of “Claire”.
• Claro – meaning “illustrious”.
• Couleto – meaning “victory”; variation of “Colette”, “Nicole”.
• Crestiano, Crestino – meaning “the sacred one”; variation of “Christiane”.
• Danièlo – meaning “judge”; variation of “Danièle”.
• Daniso – meaning “God is my judge”; variation of “Denise”.
• Dóufineto – meaning “dolphin”, “heir”; diminutive of Delphine. The word “Dauphin” in French is what traditionally the heir to the French throne was called.
• Dóufino – meaning “dolphin”, “heir”; variation of “Delphine”.
• Doumenge – meaning “who belongs to the lord”; variation of “Dominique”.
• Eisabello – meaning “God is oath”; variation of “Isabelle”.
• Eisabèu – meaning “God is my oath”; variation of “Élizabeth”.
• Eleno – meaning “sunshine” or “heat”; variation of “Hélène”.
• Emilìo – meaning “worker”; variation of “Émilie”.
• Enrieto – meaning “mistress of the house”; variation of “Henriette”.
• Estello – meaning “adorn”; variation of “Estelle”.
• Esterello – from the old folk’s tale where Calendal falls in love with the fado Esterello, (the fairy Esterelle). A Provençal legend tells that the mountainous massif Estérel, between the towns of Fréjus and Cannes) was once the home of a fairy called Estérelle, who gave it its name.
• Fabiano – meaning “bean”; variation of “Fabienne”.
• Fineto – meaning “dolphin”, “heir”; diminutive of “Delphine”.
• Flourènço – meaning “flowering”; variation of “Florence”.
• Franceso – meaning “one from the Franks’ tribe” which was the historic old tribe that gave France its name; variation of “Françoise”.
• Françouneto – meaning “free”.
• Frederico – meaning “power of peace”; variation of “Frédérique”.
• Ivouno – meaning “shrub”; variation of “Yvonne”.
• Janeto – meaning “God forgives”; variation of “Jeanne”.
• Jaquelino – meaning “to supplant”, “protect”; variation of “Jacqueline”.
• Jaumeto – meaning “to protect”; variation of “Jacqueline”.
• Josefino – meaning “God adds”; variation of “Joséphine”.
• Lauro – meaning “crowned with laurel”; variation of “Laure”.
• Leno – meaning “sunshine” or “heat”; diminutive of “Hélène”.
• Lisabèu – meaning “God is my oath”; variation of “Élizabeth”.
• Louiso – meaning “glory”, “combat”; variation of “Louise”.
• Madaleno – meaning “high tower”; variation of “Madeleine”.
• Magali – meaning “pearl”; variation of “Marguerite”.
• Magalouno – meaning “pearl”; diminutive of Magalie.
• Margarido – meaning “pearl”; variation of “Marguerite”.
• Marìo – meaning “one who raises”; variation of “Marie”.
• Mariotto – meaning “one who raises”; diminutive of “Marie”.
• Marioun – meaning “raising”; variation of “Marion”.
• Mariouneto – meaning “one who raises”; diminutive of “Marion”.
• Martino – meaning “dedicated to mars, roman god of war”; variation of “Martine”.
• Miquèlo – meaning “who is like god”; variation of “Michèle”.
• Mirèio – meaning “prodigy”; variation of “Mireille”.
• Mounico – meaning “solitary”; variation of “Monique”.
• Natalìo – meaning “day of birth (of Christ)”; variation of “Nathalie”.
• Nicolo – meaning “victory of the people”; variation of “Nicole”.
• Ninoun – meaning “pure”; diminutive of “Catherine”.
• Nourat – meaning “honored”; diminutive of Honoré.
• Ounourat – meaning “honored”, “light”.
• Pascalo – meaning “passage”; variation of the gender neutral french name “Pascale”.
• Reiniero – meaning “advice”, “decision”; variation of “Renée”.
• Rieto – meaning “mistress of the house”; diminutive of “Henriette”.
• Sandrino – meaning “defense of humanity”; variation of “Sandrine”.
• Silvìo – meaning “forest”; variation of “Sylvie”.
• Simouneto – meaning “one who harkens”; variation of “Simon”, “Simone”.
• Simouno – meaning “God has heard”; variation of “Simone”.
• Soufìo – meaning “wisdom”; variation of “Sophie”.
• Soulanjo – meaning “solemn”; variation of “Solange”.
• Terèso – meaning “who harvests”; variation of “Thérèse”.
• Titino – diminutive of “Christine”, named after Christ.
• Touneto – meaning “just”; diminutive of “Anne”.
• Ugueto – meaning “spirit”, “intelligence”; variation of “Huguette”.
• Valerìo – meaning “courageous”; variation of “Valérie”.
• Verounico – meaning “she who brings victory”; variation of “Véronique”.
• Vitòri – meaning “victorious”; variation of “Victoire”.