292 French Boy Names with meaning: From Popular to Unique

If you are expecting a baby and are looking for French boy names that are unique and cute, you’ve come to the right place! (Even if you are not, who doesn’t love reading a list of stylish names and their meanings?) But I should warn you, popular male names in France that will also work in English are not as easy to find as you might think.

If you’ve missed my post for girls and the issues we had to think about there, here is the link for French baby girl names. And I’ve also put together a list of gender-neutral French names to give even more ideas. I’ve gone for ones I love, that are a bit popular, a bit unusual, and most of all, pronounceable in English and in French.

As a parent in France, I sometimes wonder is it too late to change my own kids’ names? (Hint: it is. In France, you only have 5 days to decide. An administrative hell will descend upon you if you don’t register the birth within that time-frame.)

Besides the bureaucracy that comes with giving birth in France, there are so many questions to think about when naming a kid. Especially across cultures.

Does the name mean something to both parents? Will all the grandparents be able to pronounce it? Is the kid is going to blame you if he hates his given name? It’s a lot of pressure!

I don’t mean to stress you out but with that, here is my list of the top French boys names with their meanings. I’ve broken the names down into categories to provide some context, rather than just dump them all together. Allons-y!

I. Classic & Traditional Male French names

There are several French baby boy names that are tried and true classics. A lot of names originate from Latin and the Bible, and so are similar to the English versions of their name. There is no mistaking their parentage, however.

The list of classic baby names in France actually includes a lot of the same names in the U.S. and U.K. such as the name “Michael”. The name, however, is pronounced completely differently in English as the French version has two possible pronunciations that you could go with.

• Michael – pronounced Mi-shel (like Michelle) or Mi-kaël,
  • Meaning: who is like God.

Other names, like Ryan, took me a few minutes to figure out how it was spelt when I heard it in French, because it didn’t sound anything like the North American pronunciation of Ryan.

• Ryan – pronounced Rye-a(n),
  • Meaning: little king.

The name Adam is number 2 in Paris, but the French pronunciation is with the “m” turning into an “n”.

• Adam – pronounced Ad-a(n),
  • Meaning: to make.

I haven’t included these types of names in my list, because while they may be popular in France, you would be hard-pressed to get people to pronounce them with a French accent!

Some classic French boy names that are much better suited for English-speakers are:

1. André – manly and strong, French form of Andrew,
   • Famous people with the name: André Malraux (French writer and politician).
2. Antoine – priceless one, French version of Anthony,
   • Famous people with the name: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (French author of “Le Petit Prince”).
3. Claude – stuttering, from the name Claudius,
   • Famous people with the name: Claude Francois (French musician).
4. Edouard – wealthy guardian, French version of Edward
   • Famous people with the name: Edouard Philippe (French politician).
5. Harvey – old Celtic and Breton name meaning blazing
   • Famous people with the name: Harvey Fierstein (American actor and writer).
6. Jacques – French version of Jack or Jacob
   • Famous people with the name: Jacques Cousteau (French ocean explorer and inventor).
7. Julien – youthful or Jove’s child,
   • Famous people with the name: Julien Doré (French musician).
8. Louis – famous warrior, name of several French Kings
   • Famous people with the name: Sun King Louis XIV of France.
9. Maurice – dark or swarthy,
   • Famous people with the name: Maurice Ravel (French composer).
10. Nicolas – victory of the people,
    • Famous people with the name: Saint Nicolas (Santa Claus in French), Nicolas Sarkozy (French politician), Nicolas Anelka (French football player).
11. Pascal – relating to Easter, Passover,
    • Famous people with the name: Pascal Dupuis (Canadian hockey player).
12. Serge – durable woollen fabric,
    • Famous people with the name: Serge Gainsbourg (French musician).
13. Thierry – ruler of people,
    • Famous people with the name: Thierry Henry (French football player).
14. Victor – conquerer,
    • Famous people with the name: Victor Hugo (French writer).
15. Yves – yew wood,
    • Famous people with the name: Yves St. Laurent (French designer).

These French names ebb and flow in popularity, but they are all undeniably very French.

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II. Popular Boys names in France

Names that are classic may not always be the most popular today in France, so I put together a list of names that au courant today in Paris and the hexagon. The top popular names for baby boys in France have been chosen based on anecdotes as well as local French birth statistics.

So I have to at this point, add another caveat. I’m not trying to discourage you but French names for boys can be more difficult to pronounce for English speakers, compared to that of girls.

In general, boys’ names end in a consonant, while girl names end in a vowel. If you look at my list of French girl names, almost every single one ends with an “e”. (This is not on purpose, those are just the names I picked!)

But because the girls’ names end with a vowel, the last syllable is pronounced in both English and French. For boys’ names, we pronounce the last letter in English, but in French, it is very subtle.

• Adrien – pronounced Ad-ri-e(n),
  • meaning: wealthy.

For example, in Adrien, the “n” at the end is barely audible. This is the case with a lot of French boy names, so you will have to go through the list and decide for yourself.

As with the girls’ list, I have left out the names of family and friends, to avoid being biased! And with that, here are some of the most popular male French names, along with their meanings.

1. Aayden – fiery or little fire
2. Aimon – House or home
3. Alexandre – Defender of the people
4. Aimé – loved
5. Alfred – counsel
6. Alric – wise ruler
7. Armand – soldier
8. Arnaud – eagle power
9. Arsène – male, virile
10. Arthur – bear
11. Augustin – majestic
12. Aurélin – golden
13. Axel – father of peace
14. Ayden – little fire
15. Baptiste – after Saint John the Baptist
16. Basile – royal, kingly
17. Bastien – venerable, revered.
18. Bellamy – Good friend
19. Benet – from the french word “béni”, meaning “little blessed one”; diminutive of “Benoît”.
20. Benoît – blessed
21. Cédric – bounty
22. Cesar – head of hair, Julius Caesar
23. Charles – Free man
24. Clément – merciful
25. Corentin – tempest, hurricane
26. Coty – riverbank
27. Croix – Cross
28. Cyril – lordly, masterful
29. Dabney – From Aubigny
30. Damond – The world
31. Danon – God is my judge
32. Darrell – Open
33. Daumier – French artist name
34. Dax – water
35. Decartes – Dweller at the outskirts of town, after French philosopher Réné Descartes
36. Delano – From the sea
37. Delroy – Servant of the king
38. Deveraux – Riverbank
39. Didier – desire or longing, like French footballer and coach Didier Deschamps
40. Dumas – On the little farm
41. Duvall – Of the valley
42. Édouard – guardian, protector
43. Elie – meaning “the Lord is my God”
44. Elroy – The king
45. Emmanuel – God with us
46. Ernest – serious
47. Étienne – crown (French form of Stephan)
48. Eugène – wellborn, noble
49. Fabian – name of a Roman family in antiquity.
50. Fabrice – works with his hands
51. Favre – Ironworker
52. Ferdinand – bold, peace
53. Florentin – growing
54. Florin/Florian – flowering
55. Florent – flowering
56. François – meaning “french”
57. Fragan – Breton male variation of “François”
58. Frances – Provencal male variation of “François”
59. Franck – from France, free one
60. Gabriel – devoted to God
61. Gaspard – guest, man from Gascony
62. Gaston – guest, man from Gascony
63. Georges – farmer, earthworker
64. Gilles – shield bearer
65. Guillaume – resolute protector (French version of William)
66. Gustave – God’s staff
67. Hadrien – dark
68. Henri – powerful, ruler. Several French Kings were named Henri, including King Henri IV
69. Hugo – heart, mind, spirit
70. Jean – after Saint John
71. Jerome – of Sacred name
72. Johan – God is gracious
73. Jules – youthful
74. Kylian – after French footballer Kylian Mbappé
75. Lanier – Wool worker
76. Leon – lion
77. Leroy – The king
78. Lowell – Young wolf
79. Loïc – famed warrior
80. Loris – laurel, winner
81. Luc – light, illumination
82. Lucien – light
83. Lucas – after Saint Luke
84. Ludovic – famous fighter
85. Mael – Chief or prince
86. Malo – after Saint Malo
87. Marcus – dedicated to “Mars”
88. Mattéo – gift of God
89. Marcellus – Young warrior
90. Marquette – Land owner
91. Marin – of the sea
92. Marius – male (name from Provence, in the South of France)
93. Mathieu – Gift from God
94. Mathis – Gift of God
95. Maxence – greatest
96. Naël – short form of Nathanael
97. Nathanael/Nathaniel – Gift of God
98. Noah – rest, repose
99. Olivier – olive tree
100. Patrice – noble or patrician; French version of Patrick
101. Quentin – the fifth
102. Rafael – God has healed
103. Raoul – wolf
104. Raphael – meaning “God has healed”
105. Rayan – smart, thinker
106. Régis – ruler, kingly
107. Rémi – oarsman
108. René – born again
109. Roger – famous spear
110. Romain – citizen of Rome
111. Sebastien – Revered
112. Stéphane – crown
113. Thayer – of army of the nation
114. Théodore – God given
115. Thibault – bold, brave
116. Thoreau – from the name Thor
117. Timothée – honoring God
118. Timéo – honor
119. Tristan – sad, melancholy, from the french word “triste” meaning “sad”
120. Valentin – strong, healthy
121. Vardon – Green knoll
122. Villiers – Town-dweller
123. Vitus – Life
124. Yanis – Gift of God
125. Yannick – meaning “God is gracious”; after french tennis player Yannick Noah
126. Yoann – YAHWEH is gracious
127. Zinadine – after French footballer Zinadine Zidane

III. Unique, Unusual, & Rare names

Beyond the classic and popular names are the French male names that are a bit rarer, but still easily recognized in France.

It should be noted that in France, all names have to be approved by the local town hall of the city that the parents live in. Creativity in naming your baby is not encouraged.

In fact, it wasn’t until 1966 that French names could be something other than religious biblical names, and not until 1993 that baby names could be a bit more “unique”. As long as they were not considered offensive that is.

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So while male French names can now be a bit more creative, the names still have a history behind them. Some of the most attractive and unique French boy names with meaning are:

1. Achille – Greek warrior and leader in the Trojan War (the famous Achilles heel)
2. Agathon – man
3. Alderic – old ruler
4. Arman – sounds indian, but is quite popular in France. Meaning of the army
5. Baudouin – brave friend
6. Barbeau – Fisherman
7. Barnabé – meaning “son of the Prophet”.
8. Bayard – deforested land
9. Beauchamp – The beautiful field
10. Beaumont – Beautiful mountain
11. Beauregard – Beautiful gaze
12. Berne – Bold as a bear
13. Bouvier – Herdsman
14. Chandler – Candle maker
15. Egon – form of the German name Eginhard
16. Emeric – work and ruler
17. Enzo – home ruler
18. Erwan – dragon
19. Eustache – fruitful
20. Fénélon – named after François Fénélon, a famous 17th-century priest and writer
21. Fleury – flower
22. Gontran – fighter
23. Imbert – immense
24. Javier – born in january
25. Lievin – form of the Dutch name Leobwin
26. Lothaire – famous warrior, army
27. Mercer – merchant
28. Montagne – mountain
29. Morand – the sea
30. Nestor – one who returns from travels
31. Neville – New town
32. Noel – Christmas
33. Perceval – pierce or valley
34. Philibert – Much brightness; much fame
35. Pierrick – stone
36. Picard – From department of Picardy in northern France
37. Proust – after French writer Marcel Proust
38. Reynard – Counsel or brave
39. Roch – bounteous (Canadian singer Roch Voisin)
40. Rousseau – Red-haired
41. Sylvestre – woodsy
42. Tanguy – name of character in famous French movie, who continues to live with his parents as an adult

If you want to have some fun, you can check out my top names for cats and dogs as well, lots of unique names there. But I must admit, I’m not sure you will want to name your baby that!

IV. Attractive and Strong Names

In browsing baby boy names lists published in France, I noted that there are several attractive names that are people gravitate to because of the strength in their meaning:

1. Ademar – strong and famous
2. Ambroise – Immortal
3. Ames – Friend
4. Armel – Bear prince
5. Aubert – meaning “noble”, “brilliant”.
6. Aurélien – golden
7. Beau – handsome
8. Bernard – strong as a bear
9. Blaize – torch
10. Carl – strong
11. Chasse – hunter
12. Durant – steadfast
13. Duron – Strong and freedom
14. Elian – meaning “the lord is my God”.
15. Enriquet – meaning “master of the house”.
16. Ethan – strong
17. Gabin – force
18. Gaetan – from gaieté
19. Garnet – Pomegranate
20. Garson – To protect
21. Gaubert – Bright ruler
22. Gervais – Spearman or skilled with a spear
23. Gerhard – strong as a spear
24. Gilen – vow or oath
25. Godard – Strong God
26. Iker – Visitor
27. Izod – Hardy or strong
28. Jarret – mighty spearman
29. Lamont – From the mountain
30. Léandre – lion man
31. Léo – like a lion
32. Malin -smart
33. Marc – warlike
34. Noé – rest
35. Nolan – noble, famous
36. Obert – Noble or bright
37. Philippe – lover of horses (a name common among French royalty)
38. Rainier – strong counselor (name of royalty from French-speaking Monaco)
39. Renard – fox, brave
40. Ricard – powerful ruler
41. Richard – strong and powerful leader (pronounced Ri-shard)
42. Rupert – Bright fame (t is silent)
43. Sacha – defender of men
44. Talon – Large claw of a bird of prey
45. Urbain – From the city
46. Valère – strong and healthy
47. Vilem – resolute protector
48. Virgil – Intrepid

V. Old-Fashioned & Vintage Baby Boy Names

In the past, French babies used to be named after saints. The simplest way to do that, was to name the child after the Saints’ day when the baby was born.

You might think that this is ancient history, but even today, French calendars will track the Saint’s day, and parents and family members will wish the person “bonne fête du prénom”!

Laws around baby-naming may have loosened, but vintage names are making a comeback. Everything old does become new again! Some vintage and old-fashioned French boy names that you will hear are:

1. Àbelard – after famous French philosopher Peter Abelard
2. Alain – Little rock
3. Alberic – powerful
4. Algernon – mustached man
5. Albin – innocence of the heart
6. Alphonse – noble, rapid
7. Aramis – French literary name from The Three Musketeers
8. Audric – royal
9. Auguste, Augustave – majestic
10. Balthazar – God protect the King
11. Barthélemy – son of Tolomé
12. Benjamin – son of fortune
13. Bertrand – brilliant
14. Calendau – variation of the name Noël, which used to be given to a child born on Christmas Day.
15. Clovis – Renowned fighter, after King Clovis
16. Constantin – farm
17. Crispin – named after Saint Crispin
18. Cristòu – named after Christ; variation of “Christophe”.
19. Dagobert – an old-fashioned name that has fallen slightly out of style because of the french kids’ song “le bon roi dagobert“
20. Damien – from the Latin name Damia
21. Danis – meaning “God is my judge”; variation of “Denis”.
22. Dartagnan – name from The Three Musketeers
23. Dimitri – who appeared to Déméter, the sister of Zeus
24. Fantin – child
25. Félix – happiness
26. Frédéric – the power of peace
27. Gauthier – commander, governor
28. Gérald – lance
29. Gérard – fort
30. Gilbert – a descendant of a “high race”
31. Grégoire – awake
32. Guy – forest
33. Hebert – army
34. Hervé – strong, named after Saint Hervé
35. Hubert – intelligent
36. Isaac – to laugh
37. Jérémie – God
38. Karouintin – Celtic name after Saint Corentin.
39. Laurent – winner
40. Marcel – green of the sea
41. Marceau – hammer; named after famous mime “Marcel Marceau”
42. Martial – Mars
43. Martin – Mars
44. Octavien – of eight
45. Sylvain – forest
46. Thaddée – courageous
47. Vincent – winner

VI. Hyphenated and Compound Names

Hyphenated or compound names (prénoms composé) are also quite popular in France, going back generations. They often combine the names of grandparents and/or Biblical characters.

Common French compound and hyphenated boys names that you will hear around France are:

1. Félix-Antoine – Felix meaning happiness, and Antoine meaning priceless one
2. François-Xavier – François meaning free, and Xavier meaning new house. Nickname is FX
3. Jean-Luc – From the Bible, John the Baptist, and Luke. Also Jean-Luc Picard, the fictional captain on Star Trek Enterprise.
4. Jean-Marie – From the Bible, John the Baptist and the Virgin Mary. Famous name: Jean Marie Le Pen (ultra-right-wing French politician)
5. Jean-Paul – From the Bible, John the Baptist and Paul.
6. Léo-Paul – Paul meaning little, and Léo meaning lion
7. Louis-Thomas – Louis meaning famous warrior and Thomas meaning twin
8. Pierre-Louis – Pierre meaning Peter from the Bible or stone and Louis meaning famous warrior.
9. Pierre-Olivier – Pierre meaning Peter from the Bible or stone and Olivier meaning olive tree.

A lot of people use double-names in France, though you do have to be very precise as to whether there is a hyphen in the middle or not. One French man named Jean-Marie got into trouble when applying for a marriage license, when his town’s officiant rejected his paperwork because of hyphens applied or not-applied indiscriminately!

Shop Favorites for a French-style nursery:

• The Chandelier
• The Golden Mirror
• The Rug
• The Moses Basket

You can find more of our favorites for the new French-style nursery here.

If you enjoyed that article, you may want read more about what having a baby in France is like. And for some fun, you can download some baby-related French-English flashcards below. A bientôt!