Choosing a French name for your baby boy…
On the hunt for an amazing French boy’s name that’s cool in the United States? 🇫🇷
Easier said than done!
There are lots of popular French boy names that are extremely popular in France but aren’t quite right for an American little boy.
Either the names are too feminine (like Robin), too boring (like Arthur), or unintuitive for English-speakers to pronounce (like Chevalier).
But not to worry, there are tons of great options, and I’ve got all of them right here!
Below, we’ve got a nice neat list of actually great choices of first and middle French names for boys who live in the U.S.
Es-tu prêt? Allons-y…
Table of Contents
- Names that are currently popular in France
- Quintessentially French boy names
- French names that Americans are less likely to slaughter 😜
- Names that are currently popular in BOTH the U.S. and France
- More French names for boys
- Deciding whether to keep or drop the accent marks
- Additional questions to ask yourself
Popular French Male Names
We’re kicking off our list with some cool baby names that are currently in the TOP 50 in France.
Some of these are practically unheard of in the United States, making them unique and unusual choices for French boy names.
Sources: U.S. data comes from here and French data comes from here. Note that French name stats are not available beyond the top 100.
Ayden
Name meaning: Little fire.
Popularity: Not only does the name mean fire, but it’s also on fire across the globe!
Ayden, spelled with a y, ranks #122 in the United States and #42 in France.
When spelled Aiden, it ranks #24 for baby boys in the U.S.
French pronunciation: ay-dawe
Middle name ideas:
- Ayden James
- Aiden Hayes
- Aden Gage
- Ayden Beau
- Ayden Barrett
- Aiden Emerson
- Ayden Jérôme
- Ayden Laurent
- Ayden Jacques
- Ayden Mathieu
- Ayden Mathis
- Ayden Gaspard
Related: 100 Middle Names for Aden
Enzo
Name meaning: Estate ruler.
Popularity: This E name is currently the 173rd most popular baby boy’s name in the United States… and it comes in at #31 in France!
French pronunciation: en-zoh
Middle names for Enzo:
- Enzo Theodore
- Enzo Alexander
- Enzo Gabriel
- Enzo Oliver
- Enzo Luc
- Enzo Pierre
- Enzo Damien
- Enzo Ruben
- Enzo Lucas
- Enzo Laurent
- Enzo Valentin
- Enzo Lazare
Hugo
Name meaning: Intellect.
Popularity: Hugo is currently the 424th most popular boy’s name in the United States, but it’s way more popular in France…
Hugo is the 9th most popular French baby boy’s name.
French pronunciation: oo-goh
Middle names for Hugo:
- Hugo Bastien
- Hugo Dashiell
- Hugo Christophe
- Hugo Valentin
- Hugo Raphael
- Hugo Marius
- Hugo Pierre
- Hugo Blaise
- Hugo Gabriel
- Hugo Theodore
- Hugo Fabien
- Hugo Laurent
Jules
Name meaning: Youthful.
Popularity: Jules is not currently within the top 1000 baby boy names in the United States; however, it’s #8 in France.
(The similar name Julian ranks #34 in the U.S.)
French pronunciation: juool
Middle names for a boy named Jules:
- Jules Gabriel
- Jules Oliver
- Jules Baptiste
- Jules Ethan
- Jules Eliott
- Jules Victor
- Jules Corentin
- Jules Quentin
- Jules Sébastien
- Jules Valentin
- Jules Remington
- Jules Harrison
- Jules Avery
- Jules Hamilton
- Jules Mason
If you like this 1-syllable name, check out this list of one-syllable boy names.
Louis
Name meaning: Famous warrior.
Popularity: Louis is currently the 260th most popular baby boy’s name in the United States. It’s much more popular in France, coming in at #5.
(The similar name Luis is #137 in the U.S.)
French pronunciation: loo-ee
Middle names for Louis:
- Louis Gabriel
- Louis Gideon
- Louis Jeremiah
- Louis Alexander
- Louis Oliver
- Louis Bastien
- Louis Ruben
- Louis Axel
- Louis Elliott
- Louis Nolan
- Louis Quentin
- Louis Jacques
Maël
Name meaning: Chief or prince.
Popularity: Unsurprisingly, Maël is not currently within the top 1000 baby boy names in the United States; however, it’s super popular in France, coming in at #10.
French pronunciation: mah-el
Middle names for Maël:
- Maël Jules
- Maël Claude
- Maël Jacques
- Maël Pierre
- Maël Blaise
- Maël Damien
- Maël Aaron
- Maël Gabriel
- Maël Theodore
- Maël Victor
- Maël Valentin
- Maël Brice
- Maël Laurent
- Maël Sébastien
Marceau
Name meaning: Little warrior.
Popularity: Marceau is not currently within the top 1000 baby boy names in the United States; however, it’s #46 in France.
French pronunciation: mar-so
Middle names for Marceau:
- Marceau Claude
- Marceau Luc
- Marceau Pierre
- Marceau Jérôme
- Marceau Lazare
- Marceau Gabriel
- Marceau Léon
- Marceau Simon
- Marceau Victor
- Marceau Édouard
- Marceau Octave
- Marceau Valentin
Marius
Name meaning: From Mars, God of war.
Popularity: Marius is not currently within the top 1000 baby boy names in the United States; however, it’s #32 in France.
French pronunciation: mah-ree-oos
Middle names for Marius:
- Marius Alexander
- Marius Rhys
- Marius Oliver
- Marius Roman
- Marius Jacques
- Marius Christophe
- Marius Gustave
- Marius Gabriel
- Marius Sebastien
I don’t know about you, but this French boy’s name always reminds me of Marius from Les Miserables.
Raphaël
Name meaning: God has healed.
Popularity: Spelled Rafael, this name is the 247th most popular name in the United States. Spelled Raphael, it’s #514.
In France, Raphaël is the 3rd most popular baby boy’s name.
French pronunciation: rah-fa-ehl
Middle names for Raphaël
- Raphaël Bennett
- Raphaël Leo
- Raphaël Jacques
- Raphaël Luc
- Raphaël Serge
- Raphaël Quentin
- Raphaël Sébastien
- Raphaël Valentin
- Raphael James
- Raphael Blake
- Raphael Gabriel
- Raphael Hayes
- Raphael Cruz
- Raphael Drake
- Raphael Zeus
- Raphael Slade
- Raphael Graham
Sacha
Name meaning: Warrior.
Popularity: Sacha is not currently within the top 1000 baby boy names in the United States; however, it’s #16 in France.
When spelled with an s, Sasha ranks #605 in the United States for girls.
French pronunciation: sah-shah
Middle names for a boy named Sacha:
- Sacha Gabriel
- Sacha Rhys
- Sacha Felix
- Sacha Alexander
- Sacha Hayes
- Sacha Reign
- Sacha Blaise
- Sacha Luc
- Sacha Nolan
- Sacha Fabien
- Sacha Valentin
- Sacha Lazare
- Sacha Thiago
Related: Gender Neutral Names
Tiago or Thiago
Name meaning: Supplanter.
Popularity: Tiago is not ranking, but Thiago with an h is the 165th most popular baby boy’s name in the United States.
In France, Tiago ranks #15 and Thiago ranks #92.
French pronunciation: tee-ah-go
Middle names for Thiago:
- Thiago Raphaël
- Thiago Gray
- Thiago James
- Thiago Drake
- Thiago Blaze
- Thiago Reign
- Thiago Gage
- Thiago Gabriel
- Thiago Julian
- Thiago Damien
- Thiago Maximus
- Thiago Slade
- Tiago Luc
- Tiago Bastien
- Tiago Lazare
- Tiago Raoul
Quintessentially French Boy Names
Currently popular or not, these obviously French baby names just might have that oh là là factor you’re looking for!
Beau
Name meaning: Handsome.
Popularity: This B name is currently the 109th most popular baby boy’s name in the United States.
French pronunciation: bo
French middle name ideas:
- Beau Jules
- Beau Philippe
- Beau Baptiste
- Beau Jérôme
- Beau Lazare
- Beau Charles
- Beau Gabriel
- Beau Michel
- Beau Léon
- Beau Victor
- Beau Alexandre
- Beau Laurent
Related: Southern Boy Names
Benoît
Name meaning: Blessed.
Popularity: Benoît does not rank in the top 1000 baby names in the United States, making it a unique choice for a French boy’s name.
French pronunciation: behn-wah
French middle name ideas:
- Benoît Michel
- Benoît Hugo
- Benoît Maël
- Benoît Marceau
- Benoît Luc
- Benoît Matieu
- Benoît Olivier
- Benoît Lazare
- Benoît Marcel
- Benoît Gabriel
- Benoît Alexandre
- Benoît Clément
- Benoît Laurent
Claude
Name meaning: Limping.
Popularity: Claude is not in the top 1000 baby names in the United States, making it an uncommon French male name.
French pronunciation: cloe-d
Middle name ideas:
- Claude Hugo
- Claude Louis
- Claude Maël
- Claude Marceau
- Claude Raphaël
- Claude François
- Claude Gaspard
- Claude Gaston
- Claude Philippe
- Claude Baptiste
- Claude Jérôme
- Claude Lazare
- Claude Marcel
- Claude Noel
- Claude Alexandre
- Claude Laurent
- Claude Lucien
- Claude Renard
- Claude Valentin
Related: Boy Names that Start with C
Étienne
Name meaning: French version of Steven, which means wreath or crown.
Popularity: Étienne does not rank in the top 1000 names in the United States, making it a unique choice for a French baby name.
French pronunciation: ay-tee-ehn
Middle name ideas:
- Étienne Hugo
- Étienne Maël
- Étienne Marceau
- Étienne Tiago
- Étienne François
- Étienne Gaspard
- Étienne Gason
- Étienne Philippe
- Étienne Baptiste
- Étienne Beaumont
- Étienne Gustave
- Étienne Lazare
- Étienne Marcel
- Étienne Noel
- Étienne Raoul
- Étienne Laurent
- Étienne Maxence
François
Name meaning: Free man.
Popularity: This quintessentially French boy name does not rank in the top 1000 in the United States.
French pronunciation: fron-swah
Middle name ideas:
- François Hugo
- François Marceau
- François Gaspard
- François Gaston
- François Guillaume
- François Philippe
- François Baptiste
- François Bastien
- François Gustave
- François Jérôme
- François Lazare
- François Marcel
- François Raoul
- François Sylvestre
- François Laurent
Gaspard
Name meaning: Treasurer.
Popularity: Gaspard is not a top 1000 boy’s name in the United States, so it’s a unique choice for a French first name.
French pronunciation: gas-parr
Middle name ideas:
- Gaspard Léon
- Gaspard Matieu
- Gaspard Raphaël
- Gaspard Alexandre
- Gaspard Augustin
- Gaspard Clément
- Gaspard Corentin
- Gaspard Fabien
- Gaspard Philippe
- Gaspard Laurent
- Gaspard Lucien
- Gaspard Mathis
- Gaspard Maxence
- Gaspard Quentin
- Gaspard Renard
- Gaspard Valentin
- Gaspard Antoine
- Gaspard Baptiste
- Gaspard Damien
- Gaspard Jérôme
- Gaspard Marcel
- Gaspard Noel
- Gaspard Pascal
- Gaspard Raoul
Gaston
Name meaning: Guest.
Popularity: Gaston does not rank in the top 1000 baby names in the United States, making it a unique choice for a French male name.
French pronunciation: ga-stohn
Middle name ideas:
- Gaston Louis
- Gaston Maël
- Gaston Marceau
- Gaston Raphaël
- Gaston Alexandre
- Gaston Clément
- Gaston Philippe
- Gaston Laurent
- Gaston Lucien
- Gaston Pierre
- Gaston Mathis
- Gaston Maxence
- Gaston Quentin
- Gaston Régis
- Gaston Renard
- Gaston Baptiste
- Gaston Bastien
- Gaston Cédric
- Gaston Christophe
- Gaston Damien
- Gaston Frédéric
- Gaston Lazare
- Gaston Marcel
- Gaston Noel
- Gaston Pascal
- Gaston Timéo
Does this name remind you of Beauty and the Beast, or is it just me?
Guillaume
Name meaning: French version of William, meaning resolute protection.
Popularity: This male French name is not currently popular for baby boys in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: ghee-yohm
Middle name ideas:
- Guillaume Gabriel
- Guillaume Lucas
- Guillaume Samuel
- Guillaume Benoît
- Guillaume François
- Guillaume Olivier
- Guillaume Louis
- Guillaume Marceau
- Guillaume Raphaël
- Guillaume Alexandre
- Guillaume Clément
- Guillaume Corentin
- Guillaume Édouard
- Guillaume Fabien
- Guillaume Gérard
- Guillaume Philippe
- Guillaume Laurent
- Guillaume Lucien
- Guillaume Martin
- Guillaume Renard
- Guillaume Antoine
- Guillaume Baptiste
- Guillaume Lazare
- Guillaume Marcel
Jacques
Name meaning: Supplanter.
Popularity: This quintessentially French boy name does not rank in the top 1000 in the United States.
French pronunciation: zhahk
Middle name ideas:
- Jacques Gabriel
- Jacques Samuel
- Jacques François
- Jacques Louis
- Jacques Marceau
- Jacques Alexandre
- Jacques Clément
- Jacques Corentin
- Jacques Édouard
- Jacques Fabien
- Jacques Gérard
- Jacques Philippe
- Jacques Laurent
- Jacques Lucien
- Jacques Martin
- Jacques Renard
- Jacques Baptiste
- Jacques Lazare
- Jacques Marcel
Luc
Name meaning: Man from Lucania, a historical region of Southern Italy.
Popularity: When spelled as above, this short French name hasn’t ranked in the Untied States since 2002.
Spelled Luke, the name is currently the 31st most popular boy’s name in the U.S.
French pronunciation: loo-k
Middle name ideas:
- Luc Axel
- Luc Gabriel
- Luc Nolan
- Luc Gaspard
- Luc Gaston
- Luc Marceau
- Luc Raphaël
- Luc Alexandre
- Luc Corentin
- Luc Laurent
- Luc Mathis
- Luc Maxence
- Luc Renard
- Luc Valentin
- Luc Baptiste
- Luc Beaumont
- Luc Damien
- Luc Lazare
- Luc Marcel
- Luc Pascal
Mathieu
Name meaning: French version of Matthew, meaning gift of God.
Popularity: Mathieu is unsurprisingly not popular in the U.S., but Matthew is the 30th most popular name for baby boys.
French pronunciation: mah-tyoo
Middle name ideas:
- Mathieu Aaron
- Mathieu Gabriel
- Mathieu Léon
- Mathieu Simon
- Mathieu Benoît
- Mathieu François
- Mathieu Gaspard
- Mathieu Gaston
- Mathieu Enzo
- Mathieu Raphaël
- Mathieu Brice
- Mathieu Clément
- Mathieu Corentin
- Mathieu Laurent
- Mathieu Quentin
Olivier
Name meaning: Olive tree.
Popularity: Spelled the French way, with an i, Olivier is not popular in the United States. However, when spelled Oliver, this name is extremely popular, ranking at #3.
French pronunciation: oh-lihv-ee-ay
Middle name ideas:
- Olivier Baptiste
- Olivier Benoît
- Olivier Charles
- Olivier Claude
- Olivier Clément
- Olivier Fabien
- Olivier Gabriel
- Olivier Gaspard
- Olivier Laurent
- Olivier Lucas
- Olivier Marceau
- Olivier Nolan
- Olivier Pierre
- Olivier Simon
- Olivier Valentin
Philippe
Name meaning: Lover of horses.
Popularity: This very French-sounding boy’s name is not in the top 1000 here in the United States.
French pronunciation: fee-leep
Middle name ideas:
- Philippe Marceau
- Philippe Raphaël
- Philippe Benoît
- Philippe Gaspard
- Philippe Gaston
- Philippe Antoine
- Philippe Beaumont
- Philippe Lazare
- Philippe Marcel
- Philippe Noel
- Philippe Pascal
- Philippe Gabriel
- Philippe Simon
- Philippe Clém
- Philippe Laurent
- Philippe Renard
- Philippe Valentin
Pierre
Name meaning: Rock.
Popularity: This quintessentially French male name does not rank in the top 1000 in the United States. (The last time it ranked was 2013).
French pronunciation: pee-air
Middle name ideas:
- Pierre Marceau
- Pierre Benoît
- Pierre Gaspard
- Pierre Gaston
- Pierre Guillaume
- Pierre Baptiste
- Pierre Jérôme
- Pierre Léon
- Pierre Alexandre
- Pierre Clément
- Pierre Gérard
- Pierre Laurent
French names that Americans are less likely to slaughter
Take that heading with a grain of salt. 😅
The truth is, we Americans will never give French names the pronunciation they deserve.
At best, we won’t say them completely wrong.
The French boy names below are reasonably intuitive for English speakers to pronounce.
Adrien
Name meaning: Son of the red earth.
Popularity: Adrien (with an e) hasn’t ranked in the U.S. since 2019. Adrian (with an a) ranks #58.
In France, however, Adrien (with an e) is the 94th most popular name for baby boys.
French pronunciation: ahd-ree-ahn(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Adrien Baptiste
- Adrien Benoît
- Adrien Charles
- Adrien Claude
- Adrien Clément
- Adrien Gaspard
- Adrien Laurent
- Adrien Lucas
- Adrien Marceau
- Adrien Nolan
- Adrien Pierre
- Adrien Simon
Antoine
Name meaning: French version of Anthony, which means priceless one.
Popularity: Antoine hasn’t ranked in the United States since 2015; however, it is currently the 24th most popular baby boy’s name in France.
French pronunciation: ahn-twan
Middle name ideas:
- Antoine Baptiste
- Antoine Beau
- Antoine Blaise
- Antoine Gabriel
- Antoine Gaspard
- Antoine Laurent
- Antoine Maël
- Antoine Marceau
- Antoine Pascal
- Antoine Philippe
- Antoine Raphaël
Baptiste
Name meaning: Baptist.
Popularity: This French boy’s name is not currently ranking in the United States, but is very popular in France, coming in at #47.
French pronunciation: bah-teest
Middle name ideas:
- Baptiste Alexandre
- Baptiste Clément
- Baptiste Damien
- Baptiste Étienne
- Baptiste Gabriel
- Baptiste Gaspard
- Baptiste Gilbert
- Baptiste Jérôme
- Baptiste Laurent
- Baptiste Marcel
- Baptiste Pascal
- Baptiste Renard
- Baptiste Simon
Bastien
Name meaning: One from Sebastia.
Popularity: This male French name is not currently popular in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: bahs-tyahn(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Bastien Blaise
- Bastien Claude
- Bastien Clément
- Bastien Gabriel
- Bastien Jérôme
- Bastien Laurent
- Bastien Lazare
- Bastien Leon
- Bastien Marceau
- Bastien Nolan
- Bastien Simon
- Bastien Timéo
Beaumont
Name meaning: Beautiful mountain.
Popularity: This French boy’s name is not currently ranking in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: bo-mon
Middle name ideas:
- Beaumont Antoine
- Beaumont Baptiste
- Beaumont Bastien
- Beaumont Gabriel
- Beaumont Hugo
- Beaumont Jérôme
- Beaumont Marceau
- Beaumont Philippe
- Beaumont Raoul
- Beaumont Leon
- Beaumont Marceau
- Beaumont Nolan
- Beaumont Simon
- Beaumont Timéo
Blaise
Name meaning: Stutter.
Popularity: Blaise is currently just barely in the top 1000 boy’s names in the U.S., coming in at #939.
French pronunciation: blez
Middle name ideas:
- Blaise Alexandre
- Blaise Axel
- Blaise Gabriel
- Blaise Gaspard
- Blaise Laurent
- Blaise Lazare
- Blaise Marcel
- Blaise Pascal
- Blaise Quentin
- Blaise Thiago
Cédric
Name meaning: Bounty.
Popularity: Cedric (without the accent on the e) is currently the 969th most popular boy’s name in the United States.
French pronunciation: say-dreek
Middle name ideas:
- Cédric Alexandre
- Cédric Axel
- Cédric Gabriel
- Cédric Gaspard
- Cédric Laurent
- Cédric Lazare
- Cédric Marcel
- Cédric Pascal
- Cédric Quentin
- Cédric Tiago
- Cédric Blaise
- Cédric Luc
Christophe
Name meaning: Bearer of Christ.
Popularity: This French male name is not currently popular in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: kree-st-off
Middle name ideas:
- Cristophe Alexandre
- Cristophe Gabriel
- Cristophe Laurent
- Cristophe Marius
- Cristophe Nolan
- Cristophe Pierre
- Cristophe Renard
- Cristophe Ruben
- Cristophe Valentin
Damien
Name meaning: To tame.
Popularity: This D name is currently the 277th baby boy’s name in the United States.
French pronunciation: dahm-yahn(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Damien Axel
- Damien Beau
- Damien Blaise
- Damien Brice
- Damien Eliott
- Damien Enzo
- Damien Jacques
- Damien Luc
Frédéric
Name meaning: Peaceful ruler.
Popularity: The aforementioned French spelling does not rank in the United States, but the spelling Frederick is #485 for baby boy’s names in the U.S.
French pronunciation: fred-day-reek
Middle name ideas:
- Frédéric Aaron
- Frédéric Alexandre
- Frédéric Axel
- Frédéric Benoît
- Frédéric Blaise
- Frédéric Brice
- Frédéric Charles
- Frédéric Gabriel
- Frédéric Ruben
- Frédéric Théo
Gustave
Name meaning: One strength.
Popularity: This French boy name is not currently popular in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: goo-stahv
Middle name ideas:
- Gustave Aaron
- Gustave Axel
- Gustave Ayden
- Gustave Clément
- Gustave Laurent
- Gustave Lazare
- Gustave Pascal
- Gustave Raphaël
- Gustave Renard
- Gustave Simon
- Gustave Valentin
Jérôme
Name meaning: Sacred name.
Popularity: This French male name is not currently popular in the United States or France. The last time Jerome ranked in the U.S. was 2019.
French pronunciation: gz-ay-rohm
Middle name ideas:
- Jérôme Augustin
- Jérôme Baptiste
- Jérôme Benoît
- Jérôme Cédric
- Jérôme Fabien
- Jérôme Gabriel
- Jérôme Gaston
- Jérôme Laurent
- Jérôme Marcel
- Jérôme Maxence
- Jérôme Nolan
- Jérôme Philippe
- Jérôme Sacha
- Jérôme Théo
Lazare
Name meaning: God is my helper.
Popularity: The French boy name Lazare is not currently popular in the U.S. or France.
French pronunciation: lah-zar
Middle name ideas:
- Lazare Augustin
- Lazare Baptiste
- Lazare Bastien
- Lazare Étienne
- Lazare Gilbert
- Lazare Lucas
- Lazare Philippe
- Lazare Simon
Marcel
Name meaning: Little warrior.
Popularity: Marcel is the 689th most popular baby boy’s name in the United States. The similar name Marcelo is #640 and Marcellus is #741.
French pronunciation: mar-sell
Middle name ideas:
- Marcel Antoine
- Marcel Baptiste
- Marcel Benoît
- Marcel Damien
- Marcel Gaspard
- Marcel Guillaume
- Marcel Laurent
- Marcel Lucien
- Marcel Nolan
- Marcel Quentin
- Marcel Simon
Noel
Name meaning: Christmas.
Popularity: Noel is the 415th most popular name for baby boys in the United States. The similar name Noe is #677.
French pronunciation: no-elle
Middle name ideas:
- Noel Adrien
- Noel Alexandre
- Noel Ayden
- Noel Baptiste
- Noel Clément
- Noel Ethan
- Noel Lazare
- Noel Maxence
- Noel Régis
- Noel Ruben
- Noel Victor
Pascal
Name meaning: Relating to Easter.
Popularity: Pascal is not currently a popular baby boy’s name in the U.S. or France.
French pronunciation: pask-al
Middle name ideas:
- Pascal Alexandre
- Pascal Baptiste
- Pascal Beaumont
- Pascal Gabriel
- Pascal Laurent
- Pascal Lucien
- Pascal Philippe
- Pascal Renard
Raoul
Name meaning: French version of Ralph, meaning wolf counsel.
Popularity: Raoul is not currently a popular baby boy’s name in the U.S. or France.
French pronunciation: rah-ool
Middle names for Raoul:
- Raoul Noah
- Raoul Chase
- Raoul Slade
- Raoul Maverick
- Raoul Jagger
- Raoul Alexandre
- Raoul Baptiste
- Raoul Gabriel
- Raoul Gaspard
- Raoul Laurent
- Raoul Marcel
- Raoul Quentin
Rémy / Remi
Name meaning: Oarsman.
Popularity: Remy/Remi is a relatively popular unisex baby name in the United States. Remy comes in #356 for boys and #497 for girls. Remi ranks #765 for boys and #125 for girls.
French pronunciation: ray-mee
Middle names for a boy named Remy:
- Rémy Alexandre
- Rémy Baptiste
- Rémy Gabriel
- Rémy Gaspard
- Rémy Laurent
- Rémy Marcel
- Rémy Quentin
- Rémy James
- Remy Noah
- Remy Silas
- Remy Dane
- Remy Oliver
- Remy Walker
- Remi Knight
- Remi Pierce
Ruben
Name meaning: Behold, a son.
Popularity: Ruben is currently the 465th most popular baby boy’s name in the United States. The alternate spelling Reuben is #919.
French pronunciation: ru-behn
Middle name ideas:
- Ruben Blaise
- Ruben Christophe
- Ruben Lazare
- Ruben Marius
- Ruben Nolan
- Ruben Olivier
- Ruben Simon
- Ruben James
Serge
Name meaning: Servant.
Popularity: Serge is not currently popular for baby boys in the United States or France. However, the variation Sergio is #379 in the U.S.
French pronunciation: sehr-j
Middle name ideas:
- Serge Alexandre
- Serge Baptiste
- Serge Gabriel
- Serge Gaspard
- Serge Laurent
- Serge Marcel
- Serge Quentin
- Serge James
Sylvestre
Name meaning: Woods.
Popularity: Sylvestre is not currently a popular boy’s name in the U.S. or France. However, the anglicized spelling, Sylvester, ranks #824 in the United States.
French pronunciation: seel-veste
Middle name ideas:
- Sylvestre Baptiste
- Sylvestre Blaise
- Sylvestre Gaspard
- Sylvestre Lazare
- Sylvestre Luc
- Sylvestre Noel
- Sylvestre Valentin
Timéo
Name meaning: Honoring God.
Popularity: As you might have guessed, Timéo is not a top boy’s name in the United States. However, it’s quite popular in France, coming in at #30.
French pronunciation: tee-may-oh
Middle name ideas:
- Timéo Axel
- Timéo Baptiste
- Timéo Blaise
- Timéo Clément
- Timéo Gaspard
- Timéo Lazare
- Timéo Luc
- Timéo Noel
- Timéo Valentin
Victor
Name meaning: Conquerer.
Popularity: There’s a wide gap in popularity for the name Victor in the United States and France. The baby name is #200 for American boys and #29 for French boys.
French pronunciation: veek-torr
Middle name ideas:
Baby names that are popular in the U.S. and France
In my quest for French male names, I was surprised to discover how many names that I think of as “American” are actually extremely popular in France.
The names on the list below originate from all different parts of the world but are popular in both France and the U.S.
As you’re reading these boys’ names and don’t think they have a strong enough French vibe, keep in mind that with the right pronunciation, and oftentimes the proper accent mark(s), all of these monikers can indeed sound very French.
If you’d rather see more names that look French, skip to the next section.
Aaron
Name meaning: Strong or exalted.
Popularity: Aaron is currently the 63rd most popular name for baby boys in the United States. Interestingly, it comes in #20 in France!
French pronunciation: ah-rone
Middle name ideas:
- Aaron Reese
- Aaron Baptiste
- Aaron Damien
- Aaron Pierre
- Aaron Tiago
- Aaron Grant
- Aaron Banks
Adam
Name meaning: Son of the red earth.
Popularity: Adam is currently the 96th most popular boy’s name in the United States. It’s much more popular in France, coming in at #7 for French baby boys.
French pronunciation: ad-om
Middle name ideas:
- Adam Grayson
- Adam Lance
- Adam Pierce
- Adam Kent
- Adam Cruz
- Adam Gabriel
- Adam Lazare
- Adam Pascal
Axel
Name meaning: Father of peace.
Popularity: Axel is the 72nd most popular American baby boy name and the 33rd most popular French baby boy name.
French pronunciation: ack-sel
Middle name ideas:
- Axel Cruz
- Axel Blaze
- Axel Slate
- Axel Reid
- Axel Nolan
- Axel Lazare
- Axel Gabriel
- Axel Octave
- Axel Gustave
Charles
Name meaning: Free man.
Popularity: Charles is currently the 46th most popular name for baby boys in the U.S. It’s slightly less popular in France, coming in at #90.
French pronunciation: sharle
Middle name ideas:
- Charles Avery
- Charles Marceau
- Charles Devereaux
- Charles Ayden
- Charles Prescott
- Charles Whittaker
- Charles Edison
- Charles Marius
- Charles Eliott
- Charles Gabriel
Ethan
Name meaning: Strong.
Popularity: Interestingly, the boy’s name Ethan is almost equally popular in the United States and France. In the U.S. it ranks at #13 and in France, it’s #14.
French pronunciation: ay-ton
Middle name ideas:
- Ethan Alexander
- Ethan Porter
- Ethan Bridge
- Ethan Jameson
- Ethan Barrett
- Ethan Claude
- Ethan Marceau
- Ethan Tiago
- Ethan Raphael
Eliott or Elliott
Name meaning: Jehovah is God.
Popularity: Elliot (with one t) is currently ranking #164 in the United States and Elliott (with two t’s) is #158. In France, Eliott (one l, two t’s) is ranking #44.
French pronunciation:
Middle name ideas:
- Eliott Alexandra
- Eliott Gérard
- Eliott Marceau
- Eliott Gaston
- Eliott Philippe
- Elliot Blake
- Elliot Cole
- Elliot Drake
- Elliot Cade
- Elliot Knox
Gabriel
Name meaning: God is my strength.
Popularity: This French boy’s name is HOT right now! It’s currently #38 in the U.S. and the #1 most popular baby boy’s name in France!
French pronunciation: gah-bree-elle
Middle name ideas:
- Gabriel James
- Gabriel Ayden
- Gabriel Frederic
- Gabriel Jacques
- Gabriel Sacha
- Gabriel Philippe
- Gabriel Marius
- Gabriel Kylian
- Gabriel Felix
Léo or Leo
Name meaning: Lion.
Popularity: This French boy’s name is on fire right now! In the United States, Leo (without the accent on the e) is the 36th most popular baby boy’s name. In France, Léo comes in at #2!
French pronunciation: lay-oh
Middle name ideas:
- Leo Asher
- Leo James
- Leo Deacon
- Leo Ryder
- Leo Reign
- Léo Jules
- Léo Christophe
- Léo Alexandre
- Léo Michel
- Léo Gaston
- Léo Lazare
Léon or Leon
Name meaning: Lion man.
Popularity: Leon is much more popular in France than it is in the United States. It’s currently #196 for American boys and #25 for French boys.
French pronunciation: lay-augh or lee-augh
Middle name ideas:
- Leon Brooks
- Leon Drake
- Leon Gabriel
- Leon Deacon
- Leon Blaise
- Léon Jacques
- Léon Maël
- Léon Pierre
- Léon Jules
- Léon Damien
- Léon Gérard
Liam
Name meaning: Protector
Popularity: The boy’s name Liam is universally trendy right now. It’s the #1 most popular name in the U.S. and the 11th most popular name in France.
French pronunciation: lee-yum
Middle name ideas:
- Liam Banks
- Liam Brooks
- Liam Chase
- Liam Graham
- Liam James
- Liam Pierce
- Liam Reese
- Liam Whittaker
- Liam Mathis
- Liam Maxence
- Liam Valentin
- Liam Marceau
- Liam Benoît
See more middle names for Liam.
Lucas
Name meaning: Man from Lucania, a historical region of Southern Italy.
Popularity: This boy’s name is super popular across the globe. It’s currently the 8th most popular name in the U.S. and the 6th most popular name in France.
French pronunciation: loo-cah
Middle name ideas:
- Lucas Carter
- Lucas Bastien
- Lucas Ayden
- Lucas Raphaël
- Lucas Jackson
- Lucas Bennett
- Lucas Drake
- Lucas Flynn
- Lucas Bryson
- Lucas Maverick
- Lucas Charles
- Lucas Gilbert
- Lucas Jérôme
Related: Names for Rainbow Babies
Nathan
Name meaning: Given.
Popularity: Nathan is a lot more popular in both countries than I thought it would be! It’s currently ranking #55 for baby boys in the U.S. and #18 for baby boys in France.
French pronunciation: nat-tahn
Middle name ideas:
- Nathan Maverick
- Nathan Émile
- Nathan Louis
- Nathan Thomas
- Nathan Shay
- Nathan Duke
- Nathan Zane
- Nathan Marceau
- Nathan Olivier
- Nathan Victor
Noah
Name meaning: Rest.
Popularity: This baby boy’s name is universally trendy right now. It’s the 2nd most popular name in the U.S. and the 12th most popular name in France.
French pronunciation: no-uh (pretty similar to American pronunciation!)
Middle name ideas:
- Noah Blake
- Noah Frederic
- Noah Ayden
- Noah Christophe
- Noah Philippe
- Noah Pierre
- Noah Ledger
- Noah Blaise
- Noah Ace
- Noah Lucien
- Noah Gaston
Nolan
Name meaning: Champion.
Popularity: Nolan is the 61st most popular baby name for boys in the United States and the 28th most popular in France.
French pronunciation: no-lahn
Middle name ideas:
- Nolan Silas
- Nolan Marius
- Nolan Beaumont
- Nolan Bastien
- Nolan Reese
- Nolan Tripp
- Nolan Garrett
- Nolan Grant
- Nolan Reeves
- Nolan Blaise
- Nolan Hervé
- Nolan Jules
Samuel
Name meaning: Told by God.
Popularity: Samuel is in the top 50 baby names for boys in both the United States and France. It’s #25 for American boys and #45 for French boys.
French pronunciation: sam-oo-elle
Middle name ideas:
- Samuel Aden
- Samuel Stone
- Samuel Tripp
- Samuel Chase
- Samuel Luc
- Samuel Noah
- Samuel Nolan
- Samuel Jacques
- Samuel Marius
- Samuel Louis
Simon
Name meaning: Listener.
Popularity: Interestingly, the name Simon is much more popular in France than in the United States. It ranks #251 for American baby boys and #58 for French baby boys.
French pronunciation: see-moh
Middle name ideas:
- Simon Thiago
- Simon Deveraux
- Simon Baptiste
- Simon Adrien
- Simon Porter
- Simon Fielder
- Simon Curtis
- Simon Spencer
Théo or Theo
Name meaning: Divine gift.
Popularity: Theo is currently ranking #172 for most popular baby boy’s names in the United States. (It’s ‘full length’ version, Theodore is #23 here). In France, Théo is the 23rd most popular baby name for a boy.
French pronunciation: tay-oh
Middle name ideas:
- Theo Banks
- Theo Gage
- Theo Gray
- Theo Bennett
- Theo Walker
- Theo Noah
- Théo Henri
- Théo Jules
- Théo Michel
- Théo Pierre
- Théo Blaise
Related: 100 Middle Names for Theo
More French Names for Boys
This last batch of French male names has a mix of ideas that range from classic to modern.
You may not have the best luck with Americans pronouncing these correctly, but that’s what a good nickname is for, right?
(Alternatively, these French boy names make great middle names).
Alexandre
Name meaning: Defender.
Popularity: Spelled Alexander, this name is the 10th most popular baby boy’s name in the United States. Alex is #182.
While the French spelling does not rank in the U.S., it’s the 60th most popular baby name in France right now.
French pronunciation: ah-lex-ahn-dr
Middle name ideas:
- Alexandre Emmanuel
- Alexandre Kylian
- Alexandre Ames
- Alexandre Romain
- Alexandre Adam
- Alexandre Baptiste
- Alexandre Guy
- Alexandre Luc
- Alexandre Maël
- Alexandre Octave
- Alexandre Pierre
- Alexandre Serge
Augustin
Name meaning: Magnificent.
Popularity: This French boy’s name is not popular in the United States but ranks #41 in France.
French pronunciation: oh-goose-tehn(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Augustin Baptiste
- Augustin Beau
- Augustin Blaise
- Augustin Gérard
- Augustin Guy
- Augustin Jules
- Augustin Octave
- Augustin Thiago
Brice
Name meaning: Freckled.
Popularity: Brice has not been a top 1000 name in the United States since 2015; however Bryce (with a y) is currently ranking #234.
French pronunciation: breece
Middle name ideas:
- Brice Aaron
- Brice Adam
- Brice Bastien
- Brice Ethan
- Brice Gabriel
- Brice Lazare
- Brice Marceau
- Brice Nolan
- Brice Tiago
Clément
Name meaning: Merciful.
Popularity: Unsurprisingly, Clément is not a popular name in the United States. It’s popular in France, though, coming in at #43.
French pronunciation: clay-mahn(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Clément Baptiste
- Clément Damien
- Clément François
- Clément Gustave
- Clément Lazare
- Clément Marcel
- Clément Noel
- Clément Simon
- Clément Philippe
Corentin
Name meaning: Hurricane.
Popularity: This French boys name is not currently popular in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: kaw-rahng-tan(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Corentin Alexandre
- Corentin Beau
- Corentin Blaise
- Corentin Charles
- Corentin Gabriel
- Corentin Guy
- Corentin Jacques
- Corentin Jules
- Corentin Lazare
- Corentin Luc
- Corentin Pascal
- Corentin Pierre
- Corentin Serge
Édouard
Name meaning: French version of Edward, meaning wealthy guardian.
Popularity: When spelled Edward, this name is the 195th most popular baby boy’s name in the United States. Edouard, unsurprisingly, is not ranking.
French pronunciation: ay-doo-wahr
Middle name ideas:
- Édouard Alexandre
- Édouard Beau
- Édouard Damien
- Édouard Gilbert
- Édouard Gustave
- Édouard Louis
- Édouard Marcel
- Édouard Noah
Fabien
Name meaning: Bean grower.
Popularity: When spelled with an a, Fabian is the 420th most popular name for baby boys in the United States.
French pronunciation: fah-byahn(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Fabien Alexandre
- Fabien Beau
- Fabien Gilbert
- Fabien Gustave
- Fabien Louis
- Fabien Marcel
- Fabien Noah
Gérard
Name meaning: Spear strength.
Popularity: Gérard is not currently a popular name for baby boys in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: gzay-rahr
Middle name ideas:
- Gérard Baptiste
- Gérard Damien
- Gérard François
- Gérard Lazare
- Gérard Marcel
- Gérard Noel
- Gérard Simon
- Gérard Philippe
Gilbert
Name meaning: Shining promise.
Popularity: The French boy’s name Gilbert is not a top name in either the United States or France.
French pronunciation: sheel-bair
Middle name ideas:
- Gilbert Baptiste
- Gilbert Bastien
- Gilbert Benoît
- Gilbert Clément
- Gilbert François
- Gilbert Gaspard
- Gilbert Jérôme
- Gilbert Laurent
- Gilbert Lazare
- Gilbert Louis
- Gilbert Marceau
- Gilbert Noel
- Gilbert Pascal
- Gilbert Philippe
- Gilbert Raoul
Guy
Name meaning: Leader.
Popularity: This classically French name is not currently popular for baby boys in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: ghee
Middle name ideas:
- Guy Benoît
- Guy Laurent
- Guy Lazare
- Guy Marceau
- Guy Pascal
- Guy Victor
Hector
Name meaning: Holding fast.
Popularity: This H name is currently the 364th most popular baby boy’s name in the United States.
French pronunciation: ake-tawe
Middle name ideas:
- Hector Aaron
- Hector Adrien
- Hector Damien
- Hector Enzo
- Hector Gaspard
- Hector Jérôme
- Hector Lucas
- Hector Philippe
- Hector Raoul
- Hector Théo
Hervé
Name meaning: Battle-worthy.
Popularity: The French boy name Hervé is not a top name in either the United States or France.
French pronunciation: air-vay
Middle name ideas:
- Hervé Alexandre
- Hervé Baptiste
- Hervé Beaumont
- Hervé Christophe
- Hervé Gérard
- Hervé Jérôme
- Hervé Lazare
- Hervé Louis
- Hervé Philippe
You’re not alone if this name makes you think of designer Hervé Léger.
Laurent
Name meaning: French version of Lawrence, meaning Laurentium, an ancient city in Italy.
Popularity: This traditional French name is not currently popular for baby boys in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: lo-RAW(n)
Middle name ideas:
- Laurent Baptiste
- Laurent Étienne
- Laurent Gaspard
- Laurent Guillaume
- Laurent Marcel
- Laurent Pascal
- Laurent Philippe
Lucien
Name meaning: Light.
Popularity: This very French-sounding name is not currently ranking for baby boys in the United States or France.
French pronunciation: loo-sah(n)
Middle name ideas:
- Lucien Simon
- Lucien Enzo
- Lucien Gaspard
- Lucien Jérôme
- Lucien Mathieu
- Lucien Philippe
- Lucien Raoul
- Lucien Théo
Martin
Name meaning: Warlike.
Popularity: Martin is currently the 392nd most popular baby boy’s name in the United States. It ranks #26 in France.
French pronunciation: mahr-tahn(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Martin Chevalier
- Martin Armand
- Martin Enzo
- Martin Gaspard
- Martin Jérôme
- Martin Lazare
- Martin Raoul
- Martin Renard
- Martin Simon
Mathis
Name meaning: Gift of God.
Popularity: Mathis is not a popular name in the United States but currently ranks #27 for baby boys in France.
French pronunciation: mah-tees
Middle name ideas:
- Mathis Beau
- Mathis Blaise
- Mathis Enzo
- Mathis Gérard
- Mathis Laurent
- Mathis Marcel
- Mathis Théo
Maxence
Name meaning: Greatest.
Popularity: This very French-looking name is not popular in the U.S. but is the 49th most popular baby boy’s name in France.
French pronunciation: mahk-sahn(g)-s
Middle name ideas:
- Maxence Blaise
- Maxence Pierre
- Maxence Simon
- Maxence Philippe
- Maxence Noel
- Maxence Octave
- Maxence Pascal
Octave
Name meaning: Eighth.
Popularity: Unsurprisingly, Octave is not a popular name in the United States and does not rank in the top 1000.
French pronunciation: oak-tahv
Middle name ideas:
- Octave Gérard
- Octave Laurent
- Octave Lazare
- Octave Mathis
- Octave Simon
- Octave Marceau
- Octave Philippe
- Octave Thiago
If you like musical names, check out this list of hippie names.
Quentin
Name meaning: Fifth.
Popularity: Quentin is currently the 540th most popular baby boy’s name in the United States. Quinton (with an o) ranks #682.
French pronunciation: con-ton(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Quentin Olivier
- Quentin Beau
- Quentin Samuel
- Quentin Léo
- Quentin Gustave
- Quentin Pierre
- Quentin Marcel
- Quentin Noah
- Quentin Raphaël
Régis
Name meaning: Kingly.
Popularity: This regal French name is not currently popular for baby boys in the United States and France.
French pronunciation: reh-jees
Middle name ideas:
- Régis Alexandre
- Régis Beau
- Régis Samuel
- Régis Léo
- Régis Gustave
- Régis Pierre
- Régis Marcel
Renard
Name meaning: Fox.
Popularity: Renard is not currently a popular name for baby boys in the United States and France.
French pronunciation: reh-nahr
Middle name ideas:
- Renard Beaumont
- Renard François
- Renard Gaston
- Renard Léon
- Renard Mathis
- Renard Philippe
- Renard Raoul
- Renard Théo
Sébastien
Name meaning: Venerable.
Popularity: Spelled the aforementioned French way, this name is not ranking in the United States.
Spelled Sebastian, however, it’s the 19th most popular name in the United States.
French pronunciation: se-bas-tiahn(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Sébastien Baptiste
- Sébastien Guy
- Sébastien Jules
- Sébastien Léo
- Sébastien Luc
- Sébastien Maël
- Sébastien Marcel
- Sébastien Pierre
- Sébastien Simon
Valentin
Name meaning: Strength and health.
Popularity: You may be surprised to know that Valentin is actually fairly popular in the United States! It’s the 769th most popular baby boy’s name. In France, Valentin ranks #39.
French pronunciation: vah-lahng-tan(g)
Middle name ideas:
- Valentin Adrien
- Valentin Baptiste
- Valentin Beau
- Valentin Gabriel
- Valentin Jacques
- Valentin Jules
- Valentin Lazare
- Valentin Noel
- Valentin Pierre
- Valentin Simon
To use the accent mark or not…
When choosing a French name for your baby boy, you’re going to have to decide whether or not to keep or drop the accent mark(s).
For example, Leo vs Léo and Jerome vs Jérôme.
If you live in the United States, let’s talk about the pros and cons:
Pro #1: Authenticity.
Accents restore the original French pronunciation and character of a name.
Pro #2: Reducing pronunciation errors.
Let’s say you name your child Leo without the accent mark…
In the United States, it’s fair to guess that 100% of people will pronounce the name Lee-oh. That’s just what’s common here.
However, if you decide to spell the name with the accent mark, Léo, you’re giving the hint that it’s pronounced differently.
(And I say hint because most Americans don’t know what an accent aigu is).
Okay, now for the cons…
Con #1: Computer systems are uncooperative.
A major con of maintaining the accent mark is that many web developers in the U.S. have not programmed their systems to handle special characters.
Here’s an example:
I typed in Léo and here’s how the United States Social Security Administration website read my entry:
The SSA read Léo as “Lc3a9o”.
If you’re considering a name with an accent mark, be prepared for this to happen all the time.
Sometimes, it will cause serious confusion because you won’t know how the name is recorded from one database to the next.
Think credit cards, bank accounts, voter registration, DMV, etc.
Con #2: We suck at accents here.
Americans are generally pretty bad at dealing with accent marks, altogether.
We aren’t great at remembering to add them (we don’t even know how to type them) and we’re even worse at knowing how to pronounce them.
All of this said, if you’re looking at French boy names for your child, choose whatever spelling (accent or not) that floats your boat!
More questions to ask yourself while deciding on a French boy name
-
- Is there potential for the name to invite teasing? Some names, unfortunately, are ripe for ridicule. Try to put yourself in the mindset of an immature kid as you choose your son’s name. You might want to stay away from French names that sound feminine to Americans such as Robin and Camille. You don’t want your son to feel self-conscious about his name when he’s in elementary and middle school.
- Does the name have a less-than-ideal meaning? You can definitely choose to ignore the name’s meaning if you love the way it sounds—but don’t skip the step of at least reading about the history of the name. For example, Marius means God of War and Claude means limping. (Both of these could be worse, but just some food for thought!)
- Will you be able to tolerate the constant mispronunciations? If you name your son Mathis, Americans are going to automatically say “math-iss”. Pretty much no one will know this name is correctly pronounced “mah-tees”. It’s important to be realistic (and even a little cynical) about the fact that Americans are never going to say certain French boy names correctly. Think about whether this will frustrate you—and how your son will feel about it as he gets older.
- Will a young child be able to pronounce the name? We just talked about adults mispronouncing French names—but don’t forget about kids! No matter the nationality of the name, keep in mind that lots of little ones have trouble saying “R”, “S”, “L”, “Th”, and “Z”. Names like Regis and Lazare might be really hard for your kiddo (and his friends) to say for a while.
- Is the name guaranteed to be misspelled? Let’s face it: if you give your child the French name Luc, 10 out of 10 Americans are going to think it’s spelled Luke. If you go with the name Christophe, you can bet that a bunch of people will tack on an r (Christopher) just out of habit. And if you go with Olivier, lots of people won’t notice the “extra” i they aren’t used to seeing in Oliver. As with all of these questions, this may not matter to you even slightly, but it’s good to know what you’re getting yourself into!
- Do his initials represent anything undesirable? You’ll need to be especially careful if your son’s middle initial starts with a vowel. If his initials look safe, give them a quick Google search to make sure there aren’t any unexpected associations.
- Is the name too similar to another living family member’s? It might get confusing if your son is Jules and his cousin is Julian. If you really love a name that’s already ‘taken’, consider using it as your son’s middle name.
As you go through these questions, you may decide that one or some of these issues don’t matter to you at all—and that’s totally fine.
Ultimately, you and your partner should choose whatever name makes you the happiest. It’s a very personal decision that only you can make!
Final thoughts on French boy names
Whether you’re a Francophile, from a French family, or just want a unique, beautiful name for your baby boy, hopefully, this list of French boy names hit the spot!
If you haven’t decided on the perfect moniker, or if you’re not 100% sure you want a French name at all, here are some other lists to check out:
- 250 Hippie Names for your Boho Baby
- 83 Space Names for Babies that are Actually Cool
- 135 Short Boy Names for Modern Babies
Félicitations et bonne chance!
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