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These French Girl Names Feel Like a Parisian Daydream

There's just something elegant and sophisticated about French girl names. Whether you're proud of your French heritage and want to pay homage to your ancestry, have sentimental ties to the country, or simply want to give your daughter a name that stands out in a sea of American names, you can't go wrong with one of the beauties on this list! If you're looking for a French girl name that's currently popular in the actual country of France, you won't find many with that quintessentially elegant vibe we find so appealing. A lot of today's popular French girl names are arguably non-French sounding: Jade, Emma, Rose, Alma, and Alice are all in their top 10, per Insee, France's bureau of statistics. And funnily enough, many of the French names we consider perfectly contemporary and timeless here in the States are off the radar in France; names that end in -ette, like Josette, are considered vintage 'old lady' names there (with the exception of Juliette, which is still on France's popularity charts). Although who's to say they won't make a comeback there, just as old-fashioned favorites like Ruby and Hazel have done here in the States? A couple of things to note before you decide on a French girl name: first, many of them contain accents over the letters (such as Anaïs and Zélie). These are called diacritical marks, and are not allowed on birth certificates in some states; you can check to see if yours is one here. Secondly, if you are dead set on using the French pronunciation but live in a predominantly English-speaking area, your daughter may find herself either constantly correcting people or silently accepting that almost everyone is going to say her name wrong. But if you're OK with, say, Théa (pronounced TAY-ah) being largely pronounced as the English-speaking THEE-uh, carry on! Most of the French girl names we've curated on this list are fairly straightforward to pronounce, though — whether you speak French or not! — and so pretty that even the mispronunciations are stunning. More from SheKnows A Top Baby Name Site's 'Playground Analysis' Just Revealed the 'Real' Most Popular Names of 2024 - & They Aren't What You Think Best of SheKnows All the Pregnant Celebrities Who Showed Off Their Baby Bumps on the Red Carpet These 'Old Money' Names Are a Quiet Signal of Wealth & Prestige At 19, I Broke Up With Social Media – & Chose Myself Solène Pronunciation: SAW-LEHN You might think a name beginning with 'Sol-' would indicate its meaning involves the sun — but no! Solène is actually a version of Solange, which is the French form of a name derived from the Latin word sollemnis, meaning 'religious.' Chloé Pronunciation: KLO-EH Chloé means 'green shoot' in Greek — as in a young plant sprout. A beautiful name any time of year, but especially fitting for a springtime baby! Théa Pronunciation: TAY-ah Théa is the French version of the name Thea, which is typically pronounced differently. It has no specific meaning, as Thea itself is a diminutive of names like Dorothea and Theresa. Caprice Pronunciation: kuh-PREES We can't help but love the meaning of this gem — it comes from the Italian capriccio, meaning 'whim' or 'impulse.' Oriane Pronunciation: AW-RIAN The name Oriane is perfect for your golden child … since it comes from the Latin word aurus, meaning 'gold.' Lilou Pronunciation: LEE-LOO Another name with no discernible meaning, Lilou is simply a nickname that has been used as a given name in recent years. In France, it comes from names that end in the sound -li or -lee, with the addition of -lou as a sign of affection. With names like Lila and Lily being so popular, Lilou is a distinctive-but-similar option. Mireille Pronunciation: ME-RAY This one will definitely be one of the harder names for English speakers to pronounce correctly on the first try, but it's so beautiful that doesn't even matter — right? (Plus, you could always call her Miri or Mira for short.) It comes from the Occitan word mirar, meaning 'to admire.' Adélie Pronunciation: AH-DEH-LEE This one comes from the name Adela, which itself was a short form of names beginning with the element adal (i.e., Adalheide), meaning 'noble.' Fleur Pronunciation: FLUUR or FLUR You can't get much more French than using an actual French word as a name! This one is the French word for 'flower' … and if you're a Harry Potter fan, may make you think of one of its characters, Fleur Delacour. Joséphine Pronunciation: ZHO-ZEH-FEEN The French feminine form of Joseph, which comes from the Hebrew name Yusef, meaning 'to increase.' Marjolaine Pronunciation: MAR-ZHAW-LEHN Foodies might be especially drawn to this name — it's the French word for the minty herb marjoram! Bijou Pronunciation: BEE-ZHOO This one is a sparkling choice — it literally means 'jewel' in French! Eulalie Pronunciation: UU-LA-LEE Eulalie is the French version of the name Eulalia (also a beauty!), which is derived from the Greek εὔλαλος, meaning 'sweetly speaking.' Eula could be a cute nickname choice with a vintage flair! Josiane Pronunciation: ZHO-ZYAN Surprisingly enough Josiane is a diminutive form of Joséphine, so it also means 'to increase.' Esmé Pronunciation: EHZ-may You're going to dote on your baby girl, so this French girl name is the perfect choice: it means 'esteemed' or 'loved.' Isaline Pronunciation: EYE-sah-leen This name is sometimes spelled Isoline, and is found pronounced several different ways — with a long E or an 'iz' sound at the front, or with 'line' at the end instead of 'leen.' But no matter how you pronounce it, it is said to come from the Italian isola, meaning 'island.' Anaïs Pronunciation: AH-NA-EES Sadly, the meaning of this beautiful name is unclear; it may be a form of Anne or Agnes, or derived from a longer name like Athénaïs. Coraline Pronunciation: KAW-RA-LEEN This name was invented by French composer Adolphe Adam for his 1849 opera Le Toréador. But he likely based it on the name Coralie, which means 'coral.' Eléa Pronunciation: Eh-LAY-ah Eléa is a diminutive form of the name Eleanor, derived from the name Alienòr — which literally means 'other Aenor,' and was used to distinguish 12th-century queen Eleanor of Aquitaine from her mother, named Aenor. Aveline Pronunciation: AV-eh-leen Though scholars know this name was derived from the Old German awi, they don't know what that element means. But it's the same root word that brings us other names like Ava and Eileen. Veronique Pronunciation: VEH-RAH-NEEK The French version of Veronica (and decidedly more chic), Veronique comes from the Greek name Pherenike, meaning 'bringer of victory.' Emmeline Pronunciation: EHM-ah-leen An Old French name, this beauty means 'unceasing' or 'brave.' Zélie Pronunciation: ZEH-lee Zélie is a short form of Azélie, which comes from the same root word as Adélie: amal, meaning 'noble.' Manon Pronunciation: MA-NAWN (the last N is more of a nasal sound than a hard N) Manon is actually a French diminutive of Marie, which itself comes from Mary. Meanings are debated; some sources say it means 'bitterness' or 'rebelliousness,' while other sources say it means 'wished-for child' or 'beloved.' Sandrine Pronunciation: SAHN-DREEN The French form of Sandra, which comes from Alessandra — ultimately from the male name Alexander — meaning 'defender of men.' Anouk Pronunciation: ah-NOOK They may not sound very similar, but Anouk is the French diminutive version of Anna — meaning 'favor' or 'grace.' Sabine Pronunciation: SAH-BEAN Sabine is the feminine version of Sabinus, which was a Roman surname meaning 'a Sabine' — referencing the Sabines, a people who lived in ancient Italy. Amélie Pronunciation: AH-MEH-LEE Amélie is the French version of Amelial, and it has something in common with Emmeline, mentioned earlier; they both come from the root amal, meaning 'brave' or 'unceasing.' Madeleine Pronunciation: MAD-LEHN This is another sweet name that is pronounced differently depending on where you're from. In French, it's more like MAD-LEHN. In English, MAD-uh-lin or MAD-uh-line. In Swedish, mahd-eh-LEHN. (Or you could just make it easy and call her Maddy!) It's the French form of the name Magdalene, which means 'of Magdala' — the home village of the biblical Mary Magdalene. Colette Pronunciation: KAW-LEHT Colette is a short form of Nicolette — a diminutive of Nicole, the French form of Nicholas (are you still following?), meaning 'victory of the people.' Maëlys Pronunciation: MA-EH-LEES Maëlys is the feminine form of the name Maël, a Breton name meaning 'prince' or 'lord.' Élodie Pronunciation: EH-LAW-DEE Élodie is the French form of the name Alodia, which is said to mean 'all wealth' or 'all riches.' Alizée Pronunciation: A-LEE-ZEH A beautiful name derived from the French word alizé, meaning 'tradewinds.' Noémie Pronunciation: NAW-EH-MEE This gorgeous pick is the French form of the Hebrew name Na'omi, meaning 'my pleasantness.' Ariane Pronunciation: AR-YAHN The French form of the Greek name Ariadne, which comes from ἀρι (most) and ἀδνός (holy) — thus meaning 'most holy.' Pin It! Solve the daily Crossword