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.

Female | French Provençal and Catalan version of Hebrew Anne meaning ‘grace’ | pronounced an-nah-EES

Discover more about the history of Catalan on our artistic itinerary in Barcelona.

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.

Interested in European culture? We have a range of immersive Euro Epic Trips and Mini Trips, including getaways in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Germany.

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