French is an official language in 29 countries. As such, I have hand-picked 250 pretty and unique French girl names and their meanings are also included.
List Of Unique and Pretty French Girl Names With Meanings:
Véronique
Véronique comes from Veronica which is rooted in the Greek Phereníkē (”she who brings victory”).
Albane
From Latin albus, white.
Valérie
From Latin valere, to be strong.
Gertrude
”Spear strength.”
Églantine
”Wild rose,” as well as a moniker of a poet who named France’s revolutionary months.
Nathalie
Nathalie comes from Latin natale domini, Christmas Day.
Immaculée
”Spotless.”
Amélie
It is from the Germanic Amalia (”vigorous” or ”active”). Paralympic athlete Marie-Amélie Le Fur competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing. If you loved the comedy Amélie, this one’s for you.
Ségolène
”Soft victory,” as well as the first woman to reach a French presidential runoff.
Philomène
”Beloved” or ”lover of strength.”
Alphonsine
Alphonsine (”noble and ready”) Plessis inspired Dumas’s Lady of the Camellias.
Jade
Jade stone.
Sibylle
”Prophetess.”
Clemence
Clemence has its origins in the French language and is rooted in clemens, ”merciful.”
Iris
”Rainbow,” and a Greek messenger goddess.
Joëlle
”Yahweh is God.”
Anémone
”Windflower” or ”daughter of the wind.”
Géraldine
Spear rule.
Blandine
Blandine (”charming”) is a martyr of Lyon.
Colette
Colette is from the Greek Nikolaos, ”victory of the people.” It is the kind of name that feels cool at every age.
Domitille
From Latin domitare, ”to tame.”
Cassandre
”Shining upon man,” and a girl in Ronsard’s love sonnets.
Maxine
”Greatest.”
Andrée
Brave.
Laëtitia
From Latin laetitia, joy.
Séraphine
”Burning ones.” It comes from the Hebrew seraphim, a heavenly being who uses fire to deter intruders.
Daphné
From Greek daphne, ”laurel.”
Bathilde
Bathilde (”battle”) was a slave who became queen of the Franks.
Murielle
”Sea bright.”
Constance
Steadfast.
Raymonde
It combines ragin and mund, counsel and protection.
Fleur
“Flower”. Politician Fleur Pellerin served as a French government minister from 2012 to 2016. In Harry Potter, Fleur Delacour is a Triwizard Tournament champion in Goblet of Fire.
Geneviève
”Woman of the family.” Saint Geneviève is the patroness of Paris and her feast day is January 3.
Ernestine
Ernestine comes from Germanic ernust, earnest.
Irène
Peace.
Amarante
From Greek amarantos, ”unfading.”
Madeleine
”Woman of Magdala,” and a shell-shaped French cake.
Gisèle
”Pledge.” She is a girl who dances in Adolphe Adam’s ballet Giselle.
Ninon
A pet form of Anne, it is meaning “grace” or “favor.” In 1632 writer Ninon de l’Enclos was exiled from France after a duel.
Ermengarde
It combines ermen and gard, whole and enclosure.
Justine
”Just.”
Nadège
Nadège is from Russian Nadezhda, ”hope.”
Quitterie
”Calm,” and a saint revered in Gascony.
Brune
Brown-haired.
Sylvie
It comes from Latin silva, “forest” or “woodland.” Singer Sylvie Vartan released a duet with John Denver: “Love Again”.
Isabeau
”My God is an oath” and is the French variant of Isabel.
Lucienne
Lucienne is rooted in lux and has a meaning that I love, ”light.”
Margaux
”Pearl.”
Estelle
Estelle (”star”) comes via the Old French estoile and the Latin stella. Princess Estelle of Sweden is second in line to the throne.
Micheline
”Who is like God?”
Xavière
It comes from Basque etxeberri, new house.
Euphrasie
”Good cheer”.
Zélie
”Zeal.”
Aimée
Beloved.
Gwenaëlle
It is made of Breton gwenn and hael, blessed and generous.
Olympe
Olympe (”from Olympus”) de Gouges wrote a declaration of women’s rights.
Noëlle
”Christmas.”
Germaine
”Sister” or ”from Germany.”
Évangéline
”Good news,” as well as an Acadian girl in Longfellow’s poem.
Perrine
Perrine is the feminine of Pierre and is linked with the Greek petros that is meaning “stone” or “rock.” Perrine Laffont won Olympic gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
Firmine
”Firm.”
Thérèse
”Harvester,” and a Lisieux nun called Little Flower.
Fernande
”Bold voyager.”
Suzanne
From Hebrew shoshana, lily.
Gaëtane
”From Gaeta.”
Céleste
”Heavenly.” Céleste goes well with a devout Christian family.
Alizée
Alizée is common in French-speaking countries. Alizée means ”steady wind.” French singer Alizée Lyonnet released her first album Gourmandises in 2000.
Guenièvre
”White phantom” or ”fair and smooth.”
Léonie
Lion.
Ambroisine
From Greek ambrosios, ”immortal.”
Athénaïs
”Of Athena,” and Madame de Montespan chose it for herself.
Rolande
”Famous land”.
Iseult
”Ice ruler,” ”fair,” ”beautiful” or ”gazed upon.”
Edmée
Wealthy guardian.
Mélanie
It comes from Greek melas, ”dark.”
Sixtine
”Polished,” and Chapelle Sixtine is French for Sistine Chapel.
Liliane
”Lily”.
Vivienne
From the Late Latin Vivianus, Vivienne means ”alive.” The masculine form is Vivien.
Roxane
”Dawn” or ”little star.”
Anastasie
Resurrection.
Calypso
”She who conceals,” and Cousteau’s research ship.
Pélagie
It comes from Greek pelagos, ”open sea.”
Christelle
”Follower of Christ.”
Capucine
“Nasturtium,” a genus of roughly 80 species of flowering plants.
Adrienne
”From Hadria,” and actress Adrienne Lecouvreur, subject of an opera.
Amandine
From Latin amanda, worthy of love.
Esclarmonde
Esclarmonde (”light of the world”) of Foix was a Cathar noblewoman.
Ève
”Living.”
Louna
Moon.
Elodie
Elodie has roots in the Gothic Alodia, ”foreign riches.”
Virginie
”Maiden,” and a girl in Bernardin de Saint-Pierre’s novel Paul et Virginie.
Claire
”Clear,” or ”bright.”
Joséphine
“God will add” is the meaning of Joséphine, the feminine of Joseph from the Hebrew Yosef. Jo and Fifine are nicknames that I like.
Séverine
Séverine is from the Latin severus, “stern” or “serious.” In 1971 singer Séverine from Monaco won the Eurovision.
Bérengère
Bérengère is the feminine form of Bérenger which symbolizes “bear spear.” Berenguer is the Catalan form and Berengario is the Italian one.
Morgane
”Sea-born,” ”sea circle,” ”bright sea” or ”dweller by the sea.”
Sophie
”Wisdom,” and Sophie Germain, a self-taught mathematician.
Violette
”Violet.”
Hortense
From Latin hortus, ”garden.”
Douce
Sweet.
Anaïs
Anaïs is linked to Anna, Hebrew for “grace” or “favor.” It has been popular in France in the last 50 years.
Tiphaine
From the Greek word ‘theophania,’ Tiphaine literally translates as ”appearance of God.”
Cunégonde
”Clan war,” and a baron’s daughter in Voltaire’s Candide.
Éliane
”Sun,” or ”of Aelius.”
Simone
Simone (”she has heard”) de Beauvoir wrote The Second Sex.
Romane
”Roman”.
Ambre
Amber.
Rosalie
”Rose garden.” Diminutives include Rosie and Rosa.
Mathilde
Mathilde comes from the old Germanic Mahthildis (”strength in battle”).
Yvonne
Yvonne is the feminine form of Yves and has origins in the old word for the yew tree, iv. Singer and actress Yvonne Printemps appeared on Broadway in New York.
Laure
”Laurel,” and Petrarch’s muse, in French.
Georgette
It comes from Greek georgos, ”farmer.”
Béatrice
”She who brings happiness,” and Dante’s guide through paradise.
Armande
”Soldier”.
Renée
Reborn.
Gaëlle
Gaëlle is the feminine of Gaël (“stranger”). It is pronounced as gah-EL.
Corinne
Corinne is from the ancient Greek Corina that means girl. It is also spelled Korinne and Corine.
Edwige
It combines hadu and wig, two words for battle.
Guillemette
”Resolute protector.”
Brigitte
It comes from Irish Brighid, ”exalted one.”
Lorraine
”From Lorraine,” a region after King Lothair.
Pénélope
”Weaver,” and Odysseus’s faithful wife.
Odette
”Fortune.” French wine critic Odette Kahn was a member of the International Academy of Wine. In Tchaikovsky’s 1877 ballet Swan Lake, Odette is the White Swan.
Prudence
Good judgement.
Ariane
”Most holy.” Ariane is Europe’s rocket for launching satellites.
Félicité
”Happiness.”
Octavie
From Latin octavus, ”eighth.”
Flavie
Flavie comes from Latin flavus, blond.
Delphine
Delphine comes from Delphina and has an interesting meaning, “woman from Delphi.” Delphi was a sacred precinct in central Greece.
Frédérique
Peaceful ruler.
Radegonde
”Counsel and war.” Radegonde was a queen who founded an abbey in Poitiers.
Lucrèce
”Profit.”
Dorothée
From Greek doron and theos, gift of God.
Angèle
From Greek angelos, messenger.
Pascaline
Pascaline is derived from the French word Pâques, ”Easter.”
Noémie
Noémie is the Latin version of Noemi (pleasant).
Aurore
Aurore comes from the Latin word aurora (dawn).
Marion
Marion was initially the pet form of Marie. In 2008 Marion Cotillard was the recipient of Best Actress for La Vie en Rose.
Armelle
Armelle is Breton, a girl’s form of Armel, and is made of the elements arzh (“bear”) and mael (“chief”).
Maëlle
”Princess.”
Océane
“From the ocean.” French professional footballer Océane Hurtré played as a midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain.
Héloïse
Héloïse is a variant of the Germanic Helewidis which is interpreted as “hale and wide.”
Mirabelle
Rooted in the Latin word mirabilis, the French Mirabelle is meaning “wonderful” or “marvelous.”
Ophélie
Ophélie is the French variation of Ophelia (”aid” or ”help”).
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Françoise
“Ffrom France” or “the Franks,” Françoise has its origins in Franciscus.
Aliénor
“The other Aenor.” Aliénor of Aquitaine was the mother of both Richard the Lionheart and King John of England.
Manon
Manon comes from Marie and is pronounced as ma-NOHN.
Salomé
Salomé has roots in the Hebrew shalom, “peace.” It has the same spelling in Spanish and Portuguese.
Colombe
Colombe (”dove”) is from the Latin columba.
Mélisande
“Strong in work.”
Cécilia
Cécilia is the French variant of Cecilia which is derived from caecus, ”unseeing.”
Augustine
”Venerable.”
Gervaise
”Spear servant,” and Zola’s Paris laundress.
Sarah
Princess.
Aurélie
From Latin aureus, golden.
Philippine
From Greek philippos, lover of horses.
Honorine
Honorine comes from the Latin ”honor” (honour).
Sidonie
Sidonie is from the Roman Sidonius, “of Sidon,” that was a Phoenician port on the coast of what is now Lebanon. In 1944 writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette released the novella Gigi.
Solène
“Solemn” or “dignified” and is from solemnis.
Adèle
”Noble”. Adèle has origins in the Germanic adal, and is connected to Adelaide and Adeline. In 2013, Adèle Exarchopoulos starred in Blue Is the Warmest Colour.
Sabine
Sabine is connected to the Sabines. Actress Sabine Azéma has worked often with director Alain Resnais.
Bernadette
Bernadette is the feminine variation of Bernard and is made from the Germanic bern (“bear”z) and hard (“brave”). Saint Bernadette Soubirous reported 18 visions of a “radiant lady” at Lourdes in 1858.
Coralie
Coralie comes from the Latin corallium and has the diminutives of Cora or Coco. In 2024 Coralie Fargeat wrote and directed The Substance in 2024.
Émeline
Émeline has origins in the Germanic amal that is symbolizing “work” or “effort”. It reached France via Norman settlers.
Bénédicte
Bénédicte is the feminine form of Benedict from benedictus (”blessed”).
Emmanuelle
From Hebrew Immanuel, God is with us.
Zénaïde
”Of Zeus.”
Marceline
It comes from Marcellus, of Mars.
Maëva
”Welcome,” and a Tahitian greeting for visitors.
Rosemonde
”Horse protection,” with no rose anywhere in its roots.
Fantine
Victor Hugo used it in Les Misérables (1862). Fantine is the French word for child.
Ludivine
Ludivine most likely comes from the old Germanic Leutwin, “friend of the people.”
Reine
Reine is the French word for ”queen” with roots in the Latin regina. It is also a short form os Reinette.
Sandrine
A diminutive of Alexandrine, Sandrine comes from the Greek for “defender of mankind.” In 1986 Sandrine Bonnaire received the César Award for Best Actress for her performance in Vagabond.
Jeanne
Jeanne is the French feminine variation of Jean which is from the Hebrew for “God is gracious.” Jeanne d’Arc is a patron saint of France and was burned at the stake on 30 May 1431. She was canonized as a saint in 1920, about five centuries later.
Hélène
”Torch,” and French for Helen of Troy.
Mélissa
From Greek melissa, honeybee.
Mireille
Mireille (”to admire”) is a Provençal girl in an epic poem by Frédéric Mistral.
Axelle
”Father of peace.”
Denise
”Of Dionysus”.
Chloé
From Greek khlóē, ”green shoot.”
Antoinette
Antoinette (“invaluable” or “priceless”) is from the Roman Antonius.
Cosette
Cosette is another Hugo name from Les Misérables. It means “little thing”.
Apolline
Apolline is the French form of Apollonia and is linked with the god Apollo. Saint Apollonia is celebrated every year on February 9. Apo and Line are good diminutives.
Clotilde
Clotilde combines hrod (“fame”) and hild (“battle”) so is symbolizing “famous in war.” Saint Clotilde convinced Clovis to convert to Christianity in the early 500s.
Garance
Garance (”madder plant”) is Arletty’s character in Les Enfants du Paradis.
Danielle
God is my judge.
Bertille
”Bright,” and a saint who was Chelles Abbey’s first abbess.
Léa
”Delicate” or ”weary.”
Pauline
”Small.”
Catherine
Catherine is from the Greek Aikaterinē, pure or clear. Catherine of Alexandria was an early 4th-century saint and one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
Cateline
Cateline is a variant of Catherine.
Inès
Inès has French and Spanish origins as well as origins in Latin Agnes, ”chaste” or ”pure.”
Camille
”Young attendant at a rite,” and sculptor Camille Claudel.
Aglaé
”Splendor,” and one of three Graces in Greek myth.
Jacqueline
”Supplanter.”
Eugénie
Well born.
Cyprienne
From Cyprus.
Agnès
Agnès is derived from the Greek Hagnḗ and is symbolizing ”holy” or ”pure.”
Blanche
Blanche is rooted in Latin blancus, ”white” or ”pure.” It originated as a nickname.
Elvire
”True,” ”white,” ”fair” or ”all-guarding.”
Priscille
”Ancient”.
Corentine
From Breton korventenn, hurricane.
Gabrielle
”God is my strength,” and Coco Chanel’s real first name.
Zéphyrine
It comes from Greek zephyros, west wind.
Mabille
”Lovable”.
Cerise
Cherry.
Stéphanie
”Crown.”
Arlette
”Eagle,” and mother of William the Conqueror.
Nolwenn
It comes from Breton gwenn, white or blessed.
Léopoldine
It combines liut and bald, people and bold.
Mallaury
From Old French maloret, ”unlucky.”
Chantal
”Stone,” or ”song.”
Eulalie
”Sweetly speaking,” and a martyr who is patroness of Barcelona.
Marthe
Lady.
Lydie
”From Lydia,” a kingdom where coins first appeared.
Diane
Divine.
Désirée
Désirée (”desired”) Clary was engaged to Napoleon, then became queen of Sweden.
Victoire
”Victory”.
Jocelyne
”Joyous,” or ”of the Goths.”
Monique
”Advisor” or ”alone.”
Pervenche
”Periwinkle”.
Cyrielle
It comes from Greek kyrios, ”lord.”
Clélie
Clélie (”glorious”) is a Roman girl who swam the Tiber to escape her captors.
Dominique
”Of the Lord,” and a Belgian nun’s song that topped US charts.
Zoé
From Greek zōē, life.
Esmée
Esteemed.
Henriette
Henriette (”home ruler”) Marie of France is the queen Maryland is named after.
Ondine
Ondine (”little wave”) is a water spirit in a play by Jean Giraudoux.
Faustine
”Lucky.”
Marine
”Of the sea.”
Albertine
It combines adal and berht, noble and bright.
Agathe
”Good,” and patroness of Catania in Sicily.
Myrtille
Blueberry.
Huguette
”Mind”.
Édith
Édith (”rich in war”) Piaf began by singing on Paris streets.
Marjolaine
Marjolaine has a meaning that I find sweet: ”marjoram.”
Raphaëlle
”God has healed.”
Oriane
”Golden,” or ”sunrise.”
Charlotte
Free.
Jacinthe
Jacinthe comes from Greek hyakinthos, hyacinth.
Fabienne
From Latin faba, bean.
Valentine
”Strong and healthy.”
Hermine
”Ermine,” and ermine spots cover Brittany’s flag.
Prune
Plum.
Yaëlle
From Hebrew ya’el, mountain goat.
Mélodie
Melody.
Claude
”Lame,” and a French queen remembered in reine-claude plums.
Juliette
”Youthful,” and Shakespeare’s girl from Verona.
Aure
From Latin aura, breeze.
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