Whether you’re an expatriate, a soon-to-be expat, or just a Francophile looking for a baby name, you’ve come to the right place. Now more than ever parents are taking their baby name searches to international heights, and with France’s reputation for chic timelessness, it’s no wonder French names are so popular. Give your baby the gift of foreign flair by naming them in the style of the French.

 My beautiful picture

Traditionally, children in France were given names from the Roman Catholic calendar of saints, like Marie for “Mary” or Jean-Baptiste for “John the Baptist”. Names compounded with a hyphen like this are also common, with the two names functioning as one single entity.

 

Just like everything else, baby names are subject to the ebb and flow of fashion trends, with some names being popular for some years and others being deemed past their prime. Take the name Germaine for example, a once popular name that has been relegated to middle name status since the 1970s because it’s now associated with the idea of an elderly woman. Though, in recent decades it has become common to use first names of foreign origin, such as Enzo or Anthony for boys and Jessica or Sonia for little girls. So, the names from your country that may seem drab to you might be fashionable in France. Go figure!

 

Here is a list of some of the most popular names being used in France for bouncing baby boys and girls.

 

Names for Boysbaby names3

  • Lucas
  • Enzo
  • Nathan
  • Mathis
  • Louis
  • Raphaël
  • Gabriel
  • Yanis
  • Hugo
  • Thomas

 

baby names2

 

Names for Girls

  • Emma
  • Léa
  • Clara
  • Chloé
  • Inès
  • Jade
  • Manon
  • Sarah
  • Lola
  • Camille

 

Yes, the name you choose for your child will stay with them forever (in most cases), but it doesn’t define them. A child doesn’t behave better, or develop a more outgoing personality, or get better marks in school because of their name; those things come from how well you do as a parent. My personal opinion is: if you’re scouring the internet trying to find a name worthy of your little one, then you will likely carry that same proactive attitude into parenting. Keep up the good work!

 

If you plan on giving your child a French name, then why not teach them the French language as well?  Contact us for information on language courses near you.