There’s just something elegant and sophisticated about French girl names. Whether you have French heritage and want to pay homage to your ancestry, have sentimental ties to the country, or simply want to give your daughter a name that stands out in a sea of American names, you can’t go wrong with one of the beauties on this list!
If you’re looking for a French girl name that’s currently popular in the actual country of France, you won’t find many with that quintessentially elegant vibe we find so appealing. A lot of today’s popular French girl names are arguably non-French sounding: Jade, Emma, Rose, Alma, and Alice are all in their top 10, per Insee, France’s bureau of statistics. And funnily enough, many of the French names we consider perfectly contemporary and timeless here in the States are off the radar in France; names that end in -ette, like Josette, are considered vintage “old lady” names there (with the exception of Juliette, which is still on France’s popularity charts). Although who’s to say they won’t make a comeback there, just as names like Ruby and Hazel have done here?
From Andromeda to Zephyrine, these up-and-coming "maximalist" girls' names are absolutely gorgeous. https://t.co/q5egVztWgD
— SheKnows (@SheKnows) August 22, 2023
A couple of things to note before you decide on a French girl name: first, many of them contain accents over the letters (such as Anaïs and Zélie). These are called diacritical marks, and are not allowed on birth certificates in some states; you can check to see if yours is one here. Secondly, if you are dead set on using the French pronunciation but live in a predominantly English-speaking area, your daughter may find herself either constantly correcting people or silently accepting that almost everyone is going to say her name wrong. But if you’re OK with, say, Théa (pronounced TAY-ah) being largely pronounced as the English-speaking THEE-ah, carry on! Most of the French girl names we’ve curated on this list are fairly straightforward to pronounce, though — even if you don’t speak French! — and simply gorgeous, any way you say them.
For more baby name inspo, check out the SheKnows Baby Name Database!
Chloé
Pronunciation: KLO-EH
Chloé means “green shoot” in Greek — as in a young plant sprout. A beautiful name any time of year, but especially fitting for a springtime baby!
Théa
Pronunciation: TAY-ah
Théa is the French version of the name Thea, which is typically pronounced differently. It has no specific meaning, as Thea itself is a diminutive of names like Dorothea and Theresa.
Lilou
Pronunciation: LEE-LOO
Another name with no discernible meaning, Lilou is simply a nickname that has been used as a given name in recent years. In France, it comes from names that end in the sound -li or -lee, with the addition of -lou as a sign of affection. With names like Lila and Lily being so popular, Lilou is a distinctive-but-similar option.
Adélie
Pronunciation: AH-DEH-LEE
This one comes from the name Adela, which itself was a short form of names beginning with the element adal (i.e., Adalheide), meaning “noble.”
Marjolaine
Pronunciation: MAR-ZHAW-LEHN
Foodies might be especially drawn to this name — it’s the French word for the minty herb marjoram!
Joséphine
Pronunciation: ZHO-ZEH-FEEN
The French feminine form of Joseph, which comes from the Hebrew name Yusef, meaning “to increase.”
Bijou
Pronunciation: BEE-ZHOO
This one is a sparkling choice — it literally means “jewel” in French!
Josiane
Pronunciation: ZHO-ZYAN
Surprisingly enough Josiane is a diminutive form of Joséphine, so it also means “to increase.”
Esmé
Pronunciation: EHZ-may
You’re going to dote on your baby girl, so this French girl name is the perfect choice: it means “esteemed” or “loved.”
Anaïs
Pronunciation: AH-NA-EES
Sadly, the meaning of this beautiful name is unclear; it may be a form of Anne or Agnes, or derived from a longer name like Athénaïs.
Coraline
Pronunciation: KAW-RA-LEEN
This name was invented by French composer Adolphe Adam for his 1849 opera Le Toréador. But he likely based it on the name Coralie, which means “coral.”
Vivienne
Pronunciation: VEE-VYEHN
This gorgeously sophisticated-sounding name is derived from the Latin vivus, meaning “alive.”
Eléa
Pronunciation: Eh-LAY-ah
Eléa is a diminutive form of the name Eleanor, derived from the name Alienòr — which literally means “other Aenor,” and was used to distinguish 12th-century queen Eleanor of Aquitaine from her mother, named Aenor.
Aveline
Pronunciation: AV-eh-leen
Though scholars know this name was derived from the Old German awi, they don’t know what that element means. But it’s the same root word that brings us other names like Ava and Eileen.
Veronique
Pronunciation: VEH-RAH-NEEK
The French version of Veronica (and decidedly more chic), Veronique comes from the Greek name Pherenike, meaning “bringer of victory.”
Emmeline
Pronunciation: EHM-ah-leen
An Old French name, this beauty means “unceasing” or “brave.”
Zélie
Pronunciation: ZEH-lee
Zélie is a short form of Azélie, which comes from the same root word as Adélie: amal, meaning “noble.”
Manon
Pronunciation: MA-NAWN (the last N is more of a nasal sound than a hard N)
Manon is actually a French diminutive of Marie, which itself comes from Mary. Meanings are debated; some sources say it means “bitterness” or “rebelliousness,” while other sources say it means “wished-for child” or “beloved.”
Sandrine
Pronunciation: SAHN-DREEN
The French form of Sandra, which comes from Alessandra — ultimately from the male name Alexander — meaning “defender of men.”
Anouk
Pronunciation: ah-NOOK
They may not sound very similar, but Anouk is the French diminutive version of Anna — meaning “favor” or “grace.”
Sabine
Pronunciation: SAH-BEAN
Sabine is the feminine version of Sabinus, which was a Roman surname meaning “a Sabine” — referencing the Sabines, a people who lived in ancient Italy.
Amélie
Pronunciation: AH-MEH-LEE
Amélie is the French version of Amelial, and it has something in common with Emmeline, mentioned earlier; they both come from the root amal, meaning “brave” or “unceasing.”
Colette
Pronunciation: KAW-LEHT
Colette is a short form of Nicolette — a diminutive of Nicole, the French form of Nicholas (are you still following?), meaning “victory of the people.”
Maëlys
Pronunciation: MA-EH-LEES
Maëlys is the feminine form of the name Maël, a Breton name meaning “prince” or “lord.”
Élodie
Pronunciation: EH-LAW-DEE
Élodie is the French form of the name Alodia, which is said to mean “all wealth” or “all riches.”
Alizée
Pronunciation: A-LEE-ZEH
A beautiful name derived from the French word alizé, meaning “tradewinds.”
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