Are you looking for a baby name? Are you due in 2019 and still looking for the perfect name for your baby? We got you! There are plenty of beautiful French baby names to choose from, especially if you like short names ending in “a”. Here are a few popular French baby names for all the moms-to-be in 2019.
What is a good baby name? Should it be classic, original, trendy or timeless? Should you choose from your favorite movies or from a trip you did? Just to help you and give you some inspiration, we looked for the most popular French baby names for 2019.
Popular French Baby Names For Girls
Camille
This name comes from the Latin “camillus or camilla”, which means “young man or girl of good family”. Your child would have a good start in life. Camille is a mixed first name, which means it can be both given to boys and girls! Is it why it’s been so popular lately?
Louise
Still a popular name in France! You might have noticed it already : Louise is the feminine form of Louis, another famous French name often given to kings… The name Louise was popular in the 1900s but declined after the 70s. But obviously, it’s coming back in fashion.
Léa
Did you know that in Latin, lea means “lioness”? And in Hebrew, Léa is the French form of Leah, which means “lioness of wisdom”. Léa is a strong name, which can explain why it’s been so popular in the last years.
Ambre
The name Ambre is the French translation of “amber”, the fossilized yellow resin that can be used for jewelry. But the word ultimately derives from Arabic عنبر (‘anbar). This name wasn’t really used until the 1980s, but it has become popular in the 2000s.
Agathe
The name Agathe is the latinized form of the Greek name Αγαθη (Agathe), derived from Greek αγαθος (agathos), which means “good”. Totally forgotten in the 50s, the name Agathe came back in fashion around the 80s. Do you know any famous Agathe? Most of the time, people think about the writer Agatha Christie.
Jade
What a beautiful name! For most people, it reminds them of the green precious stone. So it’s no surprise that in France and in Quebec, it has been in the top 20 of baby names for a few years.
Julia
If you’re looking for a bilingual name, Julia is the perfect choice. It’s a very popular name in France, while also being a beloved name in English-speaking countries. We all know the famous Julia Roberts!
Mila
Surely, Mila isn’t a classical French name, which is good if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary. In fact, this name wasn’t really used until the 2000s. Mila is a diminutive of Ludmila, which comes from the Slavic word “ljudi”, the people, and “milo”, loved. Mila is “loved by the people”!
Alice
Alice comes from the Old French name Aalis, which is a short form of Adelais, itself a short form of the Germanic name Adalheidis. Amongst famous Alice (and in addition to “Alice in Wonderland”), you might know Alice Dellal and Alice Taglioni.
Chloé
Have you noticed how the short names have been popular lately? So it’s no surprise that Chloé continues to climb the list of popular baby names. In addition, this name means “young plant” in Greek. A beautiful and eco-friendly name, what else?
Emma
Emma has always been a staple in the United Kingdom and it seems difficult to overthrow it. And since the 90s, it has also been a very popular name in France. Actually, since the 2000s, it has always been in the 5 most popular names. Impressive! This name could have a Germanic root, from the world “ermin” (“omnipotence” or “mighty power”). Many celebrities are named Emma : Emma de Caunes, Emma Stone, Emma Watson…
Andréa
With or without an accent, for girls or for boys… This name is very versatile. Andréa is a name of Greek origin symbolizing “strength” or “courage”. If you were addicted to TV shows in the 90’s, you might remember Andrea Parker, a very strong character from The Pretender.
Anna
Anna is derived from Hannah, from the Hebrew name חַנָּה (Channah) meaning “favour, grace”. For years, the form Anne was more popular, but around the end of the 90s, the name Anne was overthrown by Anna! And did you notice that it’s a palindrome, like Eve, Natan or Awa? A palindrome is a name that reads the same forward or reversed.
Lucie
Do you know the song Lucy in the sky with diamonds? You could use the English version of the name, or shake things up with Lucie! Lucie originates from the Latin root “lux” or “lucis”, meaning of “light”.
Eden
We all know the Garden of Eden, which in the Old Testament, was the place where the first people, Adam and Eve, lived before they were expelled. This name possibly comes from Hebrew עֵדֶן (‘eden) meaning “pleasure, delight”. It’s a name that will either suit a girl or a boy.
Romane
It’s easy to guess the etymology of this name. In fact, Romane comes from the Late Latin name Romanus meaning “Roman”. This name was almost nonexistent before the 90s, but we can guess that the actress Romane Bohringer allowed it to become popular.
Élise
This short version of Elisabeth has always been popular in France. It comes from Ελισαβετ (Elisabet), the Greek form of the Hebrew name אֱלִישֶׁבַע (‘Elisheva’) meaning “my God is an oath”. And did you know that the piano music “Für Elise”, one of Ludwig van Beethoven’s most popular compositions, might have initially been for someone named Thérèse?
Lola
The name Lola is a diminutive of the name Dolores which means “pain” in Spanish. But it doesn’t prevent future parents from choosing this popular baby name. Funnily enough, it became more popular in France than in Spain!
Zoé
In Greek, the word “zoè” means “life”, which is a beautiful name to welcome someone in your life… The version without the accent (Zoe) isn’t as popular. But if you’re looking for a French baby name, you have to choose the one with a “é”. So French!
Emy
Some people choose to see the name Emy as a diminutive for Emilie. Others think that it’s a diminutive for Emma. Either way, it’s a lovely name which appeared around the 2000s and became popular in the last years.
Léonie
Léonie is a name of Latin origin. It’s a derivative of the first name Leon, which comes from the Latin word “leo” meaning “lion”. Léonie is a name that symbolises strength and courage.
Mia
Mia is the Scandinavian, Dutch and German diminutive of Maria. It could be a variant of Mary, whose etymology translates as “dear” or “loved”. Mia also comes from Latin “amatus” meaning “who is loved”. It’s a name full of love!
Rose
The common name “rosa”, from which this name is derived, means “rose”. Easy enough. But another hypothesis is that Rose is derived from the German roots “hrod”, meaning glory, and “haidis” (rank), and would be interpreted in the sense of “one who has a glorious rank”.
Candice
Candice is derived from a Latin adjective “candidus” which literally means “white” or “bright white”. It also comes from the Latin name Candace, from the hereditary title of the queens of Ethiopia.
Amélia
Although many people think that Amélia is an alternative form of Amélie, it might also come from Amalia, the Latinized form of the Germanic name Amala, a short form of names beginning with the element “amal” meaning “work”.
Popular French Baby Names For Boys
Louis
Like the feminine version Louise, Louis was a popular name amongst kings, since it means “illustrious in combat”. Despite a decrease in popularity in the 1970s, this name remains a must for future parents.
Gabriel
The name Gabriel comes from the Hebrew words “gabor” and “el”, meaning “God’s strength”. It has always been a popular name in France. But since 2010, it has been in the top 10 lists of baby names for boys.
Léo
The name Léo comes from the Latin word “leo”, which means “lion”. A great start in the jungle of life… You can choose to write it with or without the accent on the letter “e”.
Maël
You can hardly find a more French name, since Maël is the French form of Breton “Mael”, which was derived from a Celtic word meaning “chief” or “prince”. There is a feminine version, Maëlle.
Paul
Looking for a classic name, which has been popular for centuries? Well, Paul is the one. It comes from the Roman family name Paulus, which means “small” or “humble” in Latin.
Hugo
Hugo is a Latinized version of Hugh, which comes from the Germanic element hug, meaning “heart, mind, spirit”. In France, it has been a popular name for twenty years.
Valentin
We all know the cute image of the cherub of Valentine’s day. But did you know that Valentin was a priest who was tortured for performing marriage ceremonies against command of Emperor Claudius the second? Valentin comes from the Roman cognomen “Valentinus”, which was itself originated from the name “Valens” meaning “strong, healthy” in Latin.
Gabin
This name completely disappeared between the 60s and 90s. It’s even considered an “old” name. Nevertheless, what is vintage is trendy, and the name Gabin has been very popular for the last 20 years.
Arthur
Are you looking for a name full of legends and mythical stories? Arthur is the name of the main character in the Arthurian legend, a 6th-century king of the Britons who resisted Saxon invaders.
Still, the meaning of the name is unknown. It could come from the Celtic elements “artos” (meaning “bear”) combined with “viros” (man) or “rigos” (king).
Théo
Did you know that the name Théo comes from the Greek “theos” and means “God”? That’s a powerful name to give your baby. It can also be the short version of Theodore. In France, the version with an accent is more popular (Théo), but feel free to choose Theo.
Jules
Are all babies named Jules fearless leaders ? We all know Julius Caesar, the populist Roman dictator, politician and military general who lived from 100 BC to 44 BC. But amongst famous Jules, we can also mention the French writer Jules Verne or the French painter Jules Breton. The name could come from a Roman family name derived from Greek ιουλος (ioulos) meaning “downy-bearded”.
Lucas
Surely, your baby will be like a beautiful ray of sunshine. So why not call him Lucas, derived from the name Luc, which in Latin, comes from the word “lux”, meaning “light”.
Sacha
Yes, it’s the name of the main character in the French version of the Pokemon saga (in English, he’s called Ash). It comes from “Sasha”, the Russian diminutive of the name “Aleksandr”. And the name Alexandre comes from the Greek words “alexein” (defend) and “andros” (man, enemy).
Ethan
Ethan comes from the Hebrew name אֵיתָן (‘Eitan) meaning “solid, enduring, firm”. French people waited until the beginning of the 2000s to really embrace this name. Maybe thanks to the actor Ethan Hawke?
Timéo
With or without the accent on the “e”, the name Timéo became really popular in the 2000s. It might be the Spanish and Italian version of the name Timaeus, itself the Latinized form of the Greek name Τιμαιος (Timaios), derived from τιμαω (timao) “to honour”.
Antoine
The name Antoine is the French version for Anthony, which comes from the Latin word “antonius”, meaning invaluable. It has been incorrectly associated with Greek ανθος (anthos) “flower”, which explains the addition of the h to Anthony in the 17th century.
Nathan
Nathan comes from the Hebrew name נָתָן (Natan), which means “he gave”. If you were a teen in the 2000s, you might remember the show One Tree Hill, which featured two brothers named Nathan and Lucas. Did the show made these two names popular? Who knows…
Raphaël
Will you choose the French version Raphaël, or settle for the Spanish version Rafael? Both are beautiful and come from the Hebrew word “rephael”, meaning “God has healed”.
Thomas
Here is the perfect bilingual name, since it’s popular in France and in the United States… It comes from the Greek form of the Aramaic name תָּאוֹמָא (“Ta’oma’”), meaning “twin”.
Tom
Like Thomas, it comes from the Greek form of the Aramaic name תָּאוֹמָא (“Ta’oma’”), meaning “twin”. It became extremely popular in the 90s, maybe thanks to the rising career of Tom Cruise.
Mathéo
This name, derived from Mattatyahu or Matthieu in French, means “gift of God”. It was a popular name in Italy since the 1990s, but it only began to make itself known in France in the 2000s.
Mathis
Do we really have to explain the etymology again. It seems that after the popularity of the classic name Mathieu, French people tried to find a new and more original name.
Samuel
Samuel is a name of Hebrew origin from the term “chmuel”, which gave the ancient name Shemuel, which could mean either “name of God” or “God has heard”. Since the 70s, the name’s rank has stayed the same in France.
Tiago
The name Tiago is the Portuguese translation for Jacques or James. In France, its popularity peaked in the late 2000s.
Baptiste
The name Baptist is derived from the Greek “baptizein” whose meaning is “baptize”. It can be associated to the name Jean, and becomes Jean-Baptiste. This name disappeared between the 50s and 70s, but regained some popularity in the 80s.
If you’re still looking for some inspiration, you can have a look at our list of trendy baby names in the United States. (Just for your information, it is written in French). Some of these names became very popular amongst French people… You will recognize some of the names, but also discover new ones. And don’t forget about our baby names list for 2020!
