The full guide to French girl names [with 500 names]

We'll start by looking at some common patterns in French girl names and discuss their origins. If you would like, you can skip directly to the list of 500 French female names at the end of this article.

Introduction to French female names

Most French female names end with the letter ‘e’. In fact, we have analyzed several hundred of the most commonly used French female names and found that approximately 84% of these names end with the vowel ‘e’.

Spanish female names, in contrast, end with the letter ‘a’ in most cases.

French English Spanish
Marie Mary María
Emilie Emily Emilia
Lucie Lucy Lucía
Sandrine Sandra Sandra
Brigitte Bridget Brígida
Jeanne Joan Juana
Véronique Veronica Verónica
Françoise Frances Francisca
Virginie Virginia Virginia
Marguerite Margaret Margarita
Cécile Cecilia Cecilia

In French, female names often end in ‘e’; in Spanish, they often end in ‘a’. These patterns in name endings reflect broader linguistic patterns across French and Spanish vocabulary words.

In French, a final ‘e’ can indicate the feminine form of a word; this distinguishes the word “ami” (male friend) from “amie” (female friend). In the same way, the masculine adjective “petit” (meaning “small”) is converted to its feminine form, “petite”, by adding an ‘e’ at the end.

Spanish, in contrast, uses the letter ‘a’ to indicate the feminine form. For example, to convert the masculine noun “amigo” (friend) to its feminine form, “amiga”, the final ‘o’ is replaced with an ‘a’.

The origins of French female names

From Latin

French is a language that evolved from Latin, so it is not surprising that many French names come from Latin.

We have estimated that 33% of French girl names originate from Latin (this does not count names that entered the French language from Ancient Greek or Hebrew via Latin).

From Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek and Latin are languages that were in very close contact over a long period of time. The Romans and Greeks often came into conflict, and by the middle of the second century BCE, Greece had been incorporated into the Roman Empire.

Many Ancient Greek words, including names, entered the Latin language; that is how many of them entered the French language.

We have estimated that 20% of French girl names come from Greek. Here are some examples:

From Hebrew

18% of French girl names come from Hebrew. Here are some examples:

From Germanic languages

An estimated 14% of French girl names originate from Germanic languages.

This might seem surprising given that French is a Romance language (and not a Germanic language). But during the early Middle Ages, Germanic tribes, such as the Franks, settled in regions that are now part of modern France.

The name Clotilde, for example, was in use during that time: there was a Queen of the Franks named Clotilde. Here are more examples of French female names that come from Germanic languages:

From Celtic languages

8% of French girl names originate from Celtic languages. Many of these come from Breton, a Celtic language that originates from Brittany (the westernmost region of France).

Compound names

Compound names are fairly common in French. These names consist of two separate names combined into one; in French, they are called “prénoms composés”.

In French, compound names are hyphenated, whereas in Spanish and Italian, they are generally not hyphenated; for example: “Ana María” in Spanish, “Anna Maria” in Italian, but “Anne-Marie” (with a hyphen) in French.

In French, many of the most common female compound names have Marie or Anne as one of their components (generally as the first component).

Here is a list of some compound female names that are common in French:

In almost all cases, French female compound names consist of a combination of two female names. The name Marie-Pierre, however, is an exception: the second component, Pierre, is a male name.

French girl names that correspond to French words

A few French female names correspond to the capitalized form of French vocabulary words.

Several of these are flower or plant names in addition to being girl names. These include: Marguerite (which means “daisy”), Capucine (another type of flower), Violette (violet, a purple flower), Fleur (the French word for “flower”) and Marjolaine (marjoram, an aromatic herb).

Name Translation
Marguerite Daisy
Violette Violet
Capucine Nasturtium
Aurore Dawn
Fleur Flower
Victoire Victory
Clémence Clemency
Constance Constancy
Marjolaine Marjoram

List of 500 French female names

  1. Marie
  2. Nathalie
  3. Sylvie
  4. Isabelle
  5. Stéphanie
  6. Martine
  7. Valérie
  8. Sandrine
  9. Catherine
  10. Brigitte
  11. Monique
  12. Jeanne
  13. Véronique
  14. Nicole
  15. Françoise
  16. Aurélie
  17. Céline
  18. Chantal
  19. Christelle
  20. Corinne
  21. Jacqueline
  22. Danielle
  23. Christiane
  24. Elodie
  25. Laurence
  26. Emilie
  27. Annie
  28. Sophie
  29. Jeannine
  30. Léa
  31. Virginie
  32. Michèle
  33. Madeleine
  34. Julie
  35. Suzanne
  36. Marguerite
  37. Yvonne
  38. Marcelle
  39. Pascale
  40. Denise
  41. Laetitia
  42. Germaine
  43. Manon
  44. Marine
  45. Paulette
  46. Yvette
  47. Odette
  48. Evelyne
  49. Delphine
  50. Renée
  51. Simone
  52. Severine
  53. Nadine
  54. Marion
  55. Andrée
  56. Fabienne
  57. Ginette
  58. Josiane
  59. Anne
  60. Josette
  61. Colette
  62. Anaïs
  63. Annick
  64. Claudine
  65. Jocelyne
  66. Lucienne
  67. Océane
  68. Carole
  69. Béatrice
  70. Pauline
  71. Joëlle
  72. Mélanie
  73. Micheline
  74. Georgette
  75. Raymonde
  76. Thérèse
  77. Justine
  78. Cécile
  79. Liliane
  80. Mathilde
  81. Bernadette
  82. Simonne
  83. Geneviève
  84. Mireille
  85. Amandine
  86. Marie-Christine
  87. Marthe
  88. Henriette
  89. Gisèle
  90. Lucie
  91. Carine
  92. Amélie
  93. Eliane
  94. Angelique
  95. Hélène
  96. Huguette
  97. Magali
  98. Anne-Marie
  99. Claire
  100. Ophélie
  101. Agnès
  102. Lilou
  103. Emmanuelle
  104. Maelys
  105. Sabine
  106. Marie-Thérèse
  107. Aurore
  108. Muriel
  109. Fanny
  110. Arlette
  111. Maeva
  112. Mélissa
  113. Adeline
  114. Romane
  115. Marie-Claude
  116. Fernande
  117. Berthe
  118. Ghislaine
  119. Eugénie
  120. Juliette
  121. Francine
  122. Estelle
  123. Marie-France
  124. Margaux
  125. Coralie
  126. Odile
  127. Pierrette
  128. Janine
  129. Frédérique
  130. Clémence
  131. Lucette
  132. Sylviane
  133. Laure
  134. Régine
  135. Gaelle
  136. Noemie
  137. Viviane
  138. Maryvonne
  139. Megane
  140. Murielle
  141. Nadege
  142. Gabrielle
  143. Aline
  144. Solange
  145. Charlène
  146. Irène
  147. Claudette
  148. Maëlys
  149. Geraldine
  150. Christel
  151. Gilberte
  152. Angèle
  153. Agathe
  154. Antoinette
  155. Margot
  156. Jeanine
  157. Louane
  158. Marie-José
  159. Augustine
  160. Elise
  161. Ludivine
  162. Laurine
  163. Yolande
  164. Marie-Hélène
  165. Victoire
  166. Mauricette
  167. Valentine
  168. Léonie
  169. Emilienne
  170. Marie-Laure
  171. Adèle
  172. Marie-Pierre
  173. Anne-Sophie
  174. Maelle
  175. Blanche
  176. Magalie
  177. Lydie
  178. Marie-Claire
  179. Solène
  180. Emeline
  181. Maud
  182. Flavie
  183. Rolande
  184. Paule
  185. Marjorie
  186. Marie-Françoise
  187. Alix
  188. Christèle
  189. Noémie
  190. Aude
  191. Marielle
  192. Léane
  193. Léana
  194. Marie-Line
  195. Marie-Louise
  196. Benedicte
  197. Mylène
  198. Adrienne
  199. Capucine
  200. Corine
  201. Lucile
  202. Annette
  203. Enora
  204. Alizée
  205. Séverine
  206. Anaelle
  207. Léontine
  208. France
  209. Salomé
  210. Anne-Laure
  211. Noëlle
  212. Marlène
  213. Faustine
  214. Floriane
  215. Charline
  216. Julienne
  217. Roselyne
  218. Marianne
  219. Dorothee
  220. Lise
  221. Loane
  222. Chrystelle
  223. Apolline
  224. Soline
  225. Cécilia
  226. Clarisse
  227. Angélique
  228. Marie-Paule
  229. Maëlle
  230. Melodie
  231. Marie-Noëlle
  232. Clémentine
  233. Reine
  234. Claudie
  235. Perrine
  236. Aimée
  237. Armelle
  238. Eloïse
  239. Roxane
  240. Gaëlle
  241. Céleste
  242. Gwenaelle
  243. Zélie
  244. Ninon
  245. Victorine
  246. Meline
  247. Léone
  248. Héloïse
  249. Tiphaine
  250. Marie-Jeanne
  251. Clemence
  252. Eveline
  253. Rosalie
  254. Sylvette
  255. Constance
  256. Laëtitia
  257. Roseline
  258. Méline
  259. Lylou
  260. Jeannette
  261. Marinette
  262. Augusta
  263. Nicolle
  264. Zélie
  265. Lou-Anne
  266. Lauryne
  267. Yveline
  268. Cyrielle
  269. Louisette
  270. Lou-Ann
  271. Anny
  272. Blandine
  273. Marie-Ange
  274. Chrystele
  275. Florine
  276. Enola
  277. Anaëlle
  278. Mailys
  279. Joséphine
  280. Lison
  281. Clotilde
  282. Maïssa
  283. Lauriane
  284. Marie-Odile
  285. Mallaury
  286. Priscillia
  287. Philomene
  288. Eleonore
  289. Marie-Madeleine
  290. Laly
  291. Cassandre
  292. Lysiane
  293. Doriane
  294. Maëva
  295. Marie-Josephe
  296. Marie-Chantal
  297. Laurene
  298. Marilyne
  299. Élise
  300. Bérénice
  301. Maeline
  302. Alexandrine
  303. Géraldine
  304. Nadège
  305. Violette
  306. Janique
  307. Rose-Marie
  308. Marie-Anne
  309. Maelie
  310. Lucille
  311. Naëlle
  312. Lalie
  313. Marie-Josee
  314. Hortense
  315. Eléonore
  316. Louanne
  317. Chrystel
  318. Célestine
  319. Giselle
  320. Guylaine
  321. Leane
  322. Marie-Rose
  323. Éléonore
  324. Florie
  325. Marie-Annick
  326. Maëlya
  327. Dorothée
  328. Marie-Agnès
  329. Christianne
  330. Émilie
  331. Francette
  332. Marjolaine
  333. Maylis
  334. Mégane
  335. Joffrette
  336. Danièle
  337. Pascaline
  338. Ségolène
  339. Armande
  340. Violaine
  341. Anne-Lise
  342. Maëly
  343. Berengere
  344. Sylvaine
  345. Marylou
  346. Raphaëlle
  347. Auriane
  348. Roberte
  349. Marie-Dominique
  350. Rejane
  351. Maëlyne
  352. Anne-Charlotte
  353. Salome
  354. Noélie
  355. Anne-Claire
  356. Marie-Bernadette
  357. Cendrine
  358. Muguette
  359. Daphné
  360. Aliénor
  361. Élodie
  362. Marie-Charlotte
  363. Annaelle
  364. Maëline
  365. Laureen
  366. Loetitia
  367. Déborah
  368. Raphaelle
  369. Noeline
  370. Josseline
  371. Flore
  372. Tiphanie
  373. Yvelise
  374. Naelle
  375. Laury
  376. Ariane
  377. Maelyne
  378. Heloise
  379. Bénédicte
  380. Aurélia
  381. Magdeleine
  382. Marie-Amélie
  383. Lorine
  384. Solenne
  385. Maëlie
  386. Anne-Cécile
  387. Isaure
  388. Éline
  389. Maïlys
  390. Berangere
  391. Etiennette
  392. Clementine
  393. Clélia
  394. Mélodie
  395. Octavie
  396. Éva
  397. Laurette
  398. Armandine
  399. Marie-Antoinette
  400. Marie-Andrée
  401. Sidonie
  402. Eliette
  403. Marie-Lise
  404. Harmonie
  405. Honorine
  406. Clothilde
  407. Éloïse
  408. Marie-Lou
  409. Sixtine
  410. Typhaine
  411. Noéline
  412. Éléa
  413. Anaë
  414. Prune
  415. Alexane
  416. Fantine
  417. Élina
  418. Ysée
  419. Bertille
  420. Edmonde
  421. Amelie
  422. Marie-Laurence
  423. Pénélope
  424. Émy
  425. Énora
  426. Léonore
  427. Maéva
  428. Maurane
  429. Marie-Pascale
  430. Solene
  431. Baptistine
  432. Abigaëlle
  433. Castille
  434. Maëlia
  435. Lorraine
  436. Marie-Joëlle
  437. Maïly
  438. Fleur
  439. Gaetane
  440. Marie-Cécile
  441. Marie-Luce
  442. Madeline
  443. Mélody
  444. Mahaut
  445. Sélène
  446. Élisa
  447. Marie-Catherine
  448. Florentine
  449. Naïs
  450. Annaëlle
  451. Leïna
  452. Élia
  453. Laurène
  454. Hélèna
  455. Téa
  456. Cerise
  457. Eulalie
  458. Athenais
  459. Adélaïde
  460. Eglantine
  461. Eléanore
  462. Marie-Eve
  463. Maélie
  464. Felicite
  465. Ombeline
  466. Gwenaëlle
  467. Antonine
  468. Marie-Martine
  469. Léanna
  470. Abigaelle
  471. Domitille
  472. Marie-Aude
  473. Anne-Gaelle
  474. Leonore
  475. Émie
  476. Alizee
  477. Jeanne-Marie
  478. Oceanne
  479. Yaël
  480. Anne-Catherine
  481. Colombe
  482. Bérengère
  483. Abigaël
  484. Marie-Reine
  485. Raphaele
  486. Josephe
  487. Laureline
  488. Adélie
  489. Carole-Anne
  490. Ameline
  491. Euphrasie
  492. Maélys
  493. Benoite
  494. Ève
  495. Philomène
  496. Maïwen
  497. Perle
  498. Aliette
  499. Chrystèle
  500. Lorette
  501. Lilianne