11 Beautiful French Names and What They Mean
Both popular and traditional names in France are evidence of the rich variety of languages, dialects, and traditions that have left their mark on French culture over the centuries. Here are some of the most beautiful French names, what they mean, their origins, and how to pronounce them.
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Aimée
Female | The French form for Amy, meaning ‘beloved’ | pronounced e-me.
Anaïs
Female | French Provençal and Catalan version of Hebrew Anne meaning ‘grace’ | pronounced an-nah-EES
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Corentin
Male | Of Breton origin derived from the word for ‘friend’ or possibly ‘hurricane’ | pronounced kaw-rahn-ten.
Delphine
Female | From the city of Delphi, the site of the famous oracle, derived from the Greek word for ‘dolphin’ | pronounced del-pheen.
Étienne
Male | Derived from the Greek word for ‘garland’ or ‘crown’, a variation of Stephen | pronounced ay-tee-en.
Fleur
Female | From the French word for flower, it was the name of a literary character in the Forsyte Saga | pronounced flur.
Gaël
Male | From the Breton word meaning ‘generous lord’ also used to refer to speakers of Gaelic languages | pronounced ga-el.
Lucien
Male | The French derivative of the Latin name Lucius, meaning ‘light’ | pronounced luy-sien.
Maël
Male | From the Breton Mael, which was derived from a Celtic word meaning ‘chief’ or ‘prince’ | pronounced ma-el.
Océane
Female | Derived from the French word for ‘ocean’ | pronounced aw-se-an.
Thibault
Male | Derived from the ancient Germanic words for ‘courageous’ and ‘people’ | pronounced tee-bawld.
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