French names for girls. French surnames

Male French names are one of the most beautiful and harmonious sounding. Alain Delon, Bertrand Blier, Mathilde Seigner... Their pronunciation reflects all the charm of France, its sophistication and attractiveness. In this article, we will look at how French male names were formed, and what preceded this.

From the history

The formation of names in France was greatly influenced by constant wars and invasions by foreign conquerors. In the era of the ancient Gauls, Greek, Jewish and Celtic Abraham, Isaac and so on were popular). After the invasion of the Romans and Germans on French lands, the Roman ones (Arthur, Julius) and (Karl, Wilhelm) became widespread. In the 18th century, a law was passed that names must be assigned from the Catholic calendar of saints. But it did not last long, and until now the French are free to name children at their discretion. Based on this, it is safe to conclude that male French names are a reflection of the rich history of France.

How does naming happen?

According to French traditions, the name consists of three parts, and the main person is free to choose himself. Male French names are assigned according to the following scheme: the first part is the name of the grandfather on the father's side, the second part is the name of the grandfather on the mother's side, the third part is the name of the saint who patronizes the born. If another boy appears in the family, then he is already given the names of his great-grandfathers on the paternal and maternal lines. French male names, the list of which is presented below, are now actively used by people of all nationalities.

Beautiful French male names are popular all over the world. Often, even in our country, you can find a person with a French name.

In each language, names and surnames have their own etymology, their origin. And French is no exception. In French, names and surnames developed historically, originated from some locality or from some kind.

Today we will talk about French names and surnames. We, like you, dear lovers of the French language, are interested in the origin of the names and surnames of France. Let's start our journey into the world of French names and surnames as soon as possible!

Dictionary of French names and surnames, Larousse publishing house

Friends, before telling you beautiful French male and female names, before compiling a list or generator of French male and female names, pay attention to some details:

• France is very fond of double names (prénom), such as Jean- Marc, Jean-Pierre, Paul-Henry, Anne- Marie, Marie-Louise . Usually these are two names of the same kind, which are written with a hyphen. But there are times when one name is female and the other is male. For a boy, the male name comes first, then the female - Jean Marie , for a girl - vice versa - Anne Vincent . Do you remember the name of the philosopher Voltaire? — Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire . It is worth considering that if a person has a double name, then this is exactly what it should be called: Jean-Pierre - this is Jean-Pierre, and not just Jean or Pierre.
• Many female names are formed by adding a suffix to the male name. -e ,—ette , or -ine . For example: jean- Jeanne; Henri- Henriette ; Maurice- Mauricine; Honore - honorine. Sometimes these suffixes affect the pronunciation Armand (Arman) - Armande (Armand) and sometimes not Daniel (Daniel)- Danielle (Daniel).
• Diminutive male names are formed by adding the suffix - et, -ot , and female -ette, -otte .

These were the distinctive features of French names, and now:

A brief history of how surnames appeared in France

In the 16th century, the king ordered all families to acquire surnames ( le nom de famille - family name). The surname could be the name of the head of the family: Martin, Bernard, Thomas, Robert, Richard, Michel, Henri, etc. Or some of its distinctive feature or characteristic: Legrand - large, Lepetit - small, Leroux - red; or place of residence: Dubois - from the forest or one who lives near the forest, Dupont - one who lives near the bridge or in the town of Le Pont; the main occupation of a person or tool: Fournier - a stove-maker, Mercier - a seller, Beaudelaires - a carpenter's cleaver, Hachette - a carpenter's adze or a bricklayer's pick, Bonnet - a hat, cap, cap. Plant names were also used: Castan - from chataîgne - chestnut, Lavigne - vigne - grapes.

The surnames of the nobles came from their possessions plus the prefix de : le comte d'Artois - Count d'Artois, le duc d'Orléans - Duke of Orleans.

French Names and Surnames Generator

We can say that such a generator is a Russian transcription of French names and surnames. For example, Diane - Diana, Angélique - Angelica, Poline - Polina, Jean - Jean (Ivan), Godefroi - Godefroy, Duroy - Duroy.

Although, for example, it is permissible to say both Daniel and Danielle - Danielle. You can say both Celine and Celine - Céline.

French names and surnames

Now let's take a closer look at female and male French names and surnames and their Russian pronunciation.

Male names:

• Jean - Jean (Ivan)
• Michel - Michel (Mikhail)
• Philippe - Philippe
• Alain — Alain
• Patrick - Patrick
• Pierre - Pierre (Peter)
• Nicolas - Nikola (Nicholas)
• Christophe Christophe
• Christian - Christian
• Daniel - Daniel (Daniel)
• Bernard - Bernard
• Eric — Eric
• Frederic - Frederic
• Laurent Laurent
• Olivier - Olivier

Women's names:

• Marie - Marie (Mary)
• Nathalie - Natalie (Natalia)
• Isabelle Isabelle
• Françoise - Françoise
• Christine Christina
• Monique — Monica
• Nicole Nicole
• Sophie - Sophie (Sofia)
• Anne - An (Anna)
• Celine - Celine
• Brigitte - Brigitte
• Catherine - Catherine (Catherine)

The most common French surnames.

European fashion makes even Russian girls call unusual names. Sometimes, for a successful combination, even the surname is changed.

But more often European trends are actively promoted in social networks. Read what beautiful French surnames are for girls.

Beautiful and harmonious surnames were born in France in the 16th century. By decree of the king, each family had to have distinctive features and names. Only personal nicknames were no longer enough.

Important! The official date for the transfer of the hereditary name to the next generation was 1539.

People of noble origin had privileges over the simple peasant people.

Their surname was separated by a special particle "de". The family name was passed on to the next generation through the father.

Maternal inheritance was possible only if the male parent was unknown.

Important! The surname in the French manner will always be read with an emphasis on the last syllable.

In France, you can also find double surnames. In any case, according to the rules of etiquette, when meeting with a young lady, it is necessary to address her in accordance with the social status that the girl has.

Familiarize yourself with competent inserts and appeals in the table:

To feel like a graceful and sophisticated lady, one has only to try on a French surname. But not only names, but also surnames have their own meaning.

Check out the list of popular French options for women:

• Babbles. They called the little people.
• Fournier. It translates as a baker.
• Leroux. Suitable for owners of red hair.
• Dubois. Name for villagers.
• Mercier. A typical surname for merchants.
• Beaudelaires. Suitable for men who are engaged in carpentry.
• Dupont. For residents near a river or pavement.
• Legrand. Suitable for a tall girl.
• Bonnet. For funny and funny girls.
• Lavigne. Winemakers and wine lovers alike.
• Castan. Surname for lovers of roasted chestnuts.
• Hatchette. For working women, masons and sculptors.

Important! French surnames are formed from personal nicknames. You can often find versions like Gerard, Bernard, Andre or Robert.

Beautiful French names and their meanings

I really want to call the little princess, who appeared in the family, an unusual and beautiful name.

French personal nicknames can endow a small charm with innate charm and charisma. Many parents go for such a trick and call Russian girls European names.

Important! In France, a girl can have two or even three names, among which one can often find a male version.

Such nicknames are not just invented by parents, they are a family inheritance from grandmothers and parents.

When naming a double name in everyday life, two options are used at once, the version is written with a hyphen.

In personal conversation and close relationships, abbreviated diminutive options are acceptable.

Advice! But you should not call the girl Michelle or Nicole if her last name is the Old Slavonic Ivanova, and her father's name is Peter. Ivanova Michel Petrovna sounds ridiculous and ridiculous.

Traditionally, when composing complex names, a little girl at baptism received a family inheritance through both parents: from her grandmothers.

In rare cases, the names of grandfathers were also given. In modern France, this tradition is outdated.

Now it is important to choose a beautiful and euphonious name that will go well with the father's surname. You can add an aristocratic sign "de" between a personal nickname and a surname.

The meanings of the names and the most beautiful options are presented in the list:

• Dominic. Divine creation belonging to the Almighty.
• Zoe. The literal translation is life.
• Monique. The literal translation is the only one.
• Chloe. Young sprout or grain.
• Celine. A girl of heavenly purity.
• Nicole. Queen of nations and conqueror of races.
• Sophie. Little sage.
• Michelle. One that is equal to the Almighty.
• Julie. Pretty woman with curly hair.
• Veronica. Conquering heights, bringing victory.
• Patricia. A woman of noble birth.
• Bridget. A strong woman who is not afraid of trouble.
• Laurence. She gets all the laurels and victories.
• Aurélie. Girl of gold.
• Lea. Accumulates fatigue, thinks a lot.
• Sandrine. A girl who protects the offended and the weak.

When choosing a female name, parents should seriously think about it. The girl's fate and character depend on the meaning of her personal nickname. Blue-eyed children can be called Celine, curly-haired owners - Julie.

Important! You should not name a girl named grandmother if she had a difficult and tragic fate.

Together with a personal nickname, a small child can also inherit negative energy.

List of rare surnames for girls

A person with the surname André or Bernard can be found quite often in France. But Alain or Anen are infrequent generic affiliations.

In the list of rare French names for girls you can find:

• Foucault.
• Attal.
• Omon.
• Dubois.
• Prezhan.
• Niva.
• Grosso.
• Valois.
• Bugeaud.
• Marceau.
• Ledoux.
• Julien.
• Gauthier.
• Curie.
• Rouge.
• Necessary.
• Not at all.
• Millau.
• Tom.
• Baio.
• Weber.
• Savar.
• Camber.
• Shero.
• Jamet.
• Arias.
• Amalchik.
• Benoit.
• Arno.
• Etek.

Girard, Fournier or Richard are more common than the above versions. Such surnames are worn by celebrities or people of aristocratic origin.

Also in France there are names with sexual energy or attracting money. Decide what kind of future you want to build for your daughter and choose an appropriate personal nickname.

Useful video

Beautiful French names are original and have an interesting origin story. The first names and surnames in France appeared dozens of centuries ago. Since then, they have often changed both under the influence of historical events and due to the trend of new fashion trends. Women's names are endowed with a special charm and charm, which is why they are common not only in France, but also in other countries.

French traditions

Unlike Russian people, the French often have not one, but two or three names and only one surname. This custom appeared through the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. It is believed that if you name a child with two names, then throughout the life of a person not one, but two saints will protect.

If parents called their child a triple name, this does not mean that the people around them will pronounce it in full in order to address the person. Among the three names, the child has one official, which is used as the main one. When the baby grows up, he leaves himself only one name that he likes the most. In this case, he will not need to re-register documents.

The French names currently in use first appeared several hundred years ago BC. In Gaul often borrowed Greek and Celtic names, during the time of the invasion of the ancient Romans - Roman, in the Middle Ages - German. At the end of the 18th century, under a new law, the French named their children after Catholic saints.

French female names of the ancient Gallic era:

In ancient times, Greek names were common:

• Anne (Anne) - graceful, God's grace
• Eve (Ev) - full of life

Male names of Greek origin:

The most popular French female names of the late 20th century:

Frankish variants

Most Frankish names have 2 roots in their composition: the first root is named after the father, and the second is named after the mother.

Rare male names of Frankish origin:

Female names of Frankish origin:

• Arogasta - mistress of eagles
• Gibetruda - a friend of the gift
• Albofleda - having the beauty of fairies
• Chrodechild - a glorious warrior
• Avdovera is a happy warrior
• Avrovetha - arrow woman, swift
• Bertheflaed - shining with beauty

What are women and men called now

Below is a list of the most used and beautiful French female names in this century:

In France, there are many completely unique cultural traditions, which may well include the formation of names and the order of naming children in the family. This is especially true for male names, which will be discussed in this article. Modern parents, of course, are deviating from family orders that have been mandatory for several centuries in a row. Many male French names are increasingly being replaced with biblical or English-derived names that don't sound French at all.

However, French names for boys are often used in other countries. But not every parent knows what they mean and whether they are really so popular in France itself. To understand how used the male name that you suddenly wanted to give your baby is, it is worth learning more about this.

What are they?

Like female, male French names have a unique melody and softness of sound. Perhaps, in no country in the world you will hear such a charming pronunciation of the sound “r”. It is he who carries that very special French charm. Despite the fact that the French are considered incredibly passionate, their names often sound soothing: Henri, Louis, Charles. Names in French are pronounced softly, especially if sounds such as "r", "t", "k" and others are at the end of a word or follow one after another. For example, the traditional for France "Godfried" most often sounds like "Godefrey". And there are many such examples.

Another feature of the use of the name for the French of past centuries is its universality. This means that both boys and girls were often called the same. The names of Corentin, Michel and some others can serve as an example of this.

Origin of French names

For the most part, male French names are derived from biblical ones. Most often, they were modified in accordance with the ideas of the inhabitants about the beauty of sound. An example of this is the names Pierre (Peter), Benjamin (Benjamin) and Michel (Michael). As can be seen from the above examples, the sounds in them are always softer than in the original version. Often, French names in Russian, for example, acquire a harsher and rougher sound, losing their unique charm.

Also in France, borrowing proper names from neighboring cultures has been practiced since ancient times. During the wars of conquest with the participation of this state, new unusual names were “brought” into the country, which were called newborn boys.

What were the sons called in France: family traditions

The French traditions in naming children are very interesting, while they differ little from the rules adopted by other peoples. As a rule, male French names, the list and meaning of which will be given below, were given according to the following principle:

• the first-born was given the name of the grandfather from the father's side, the names of the grandfather from the mother's side and the saint under whose patronage the boy was born were added to it;
• the second son in the family was given the name of the paternal great-grandfather, the name of the mother's grandmother and the name of the saint were added to it.

These traditions were enforced until 1966, when parents were legally allowed to choose the last name (saint) for their child. And only in 1993 in France was it officially allowed to choose the first name for the child from among those that parents like.

Perhaps the reader will have a question about how several names could form a single whole. It's simple - in France, almost all male names were compound. What did they represent, which one was used in everyday life and what did the spelling of such names look like? Let's figure this out right now.

Compound names in France

The tradition of giving boys double or triple names developed in France with the advent of Catholicism. Initially, this was done so that several patron saints guarded the child at once. Double names were most widespread in past centuries, however, even now parents often give their babies traditional male French names, consisting of several. Examples of this are Jean-Paul, Jean-Claude and Pierre-Marie.

By the way, many modern celebrities (film actors, musicians and artists) have double and triple names. Among them are Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jean-Paul Gaultier and many others.

Spelling and pronunciation of compound names

Double names, which are written with a hyphen, are pronounced in full in everyday life, that is, as written in documents. It is quite another matter when the boy is called Antoine Michel Louis or Leons Maurice Noel. In this case, in everyday life they use one of the names and call the children simply - Antoine (Titi) or Maurice, for example.

Often double or triple names, which are written without a hyphen, allow their owners to change them without paperwork in the registration authorities. For example, a man named Jean Battisto Robert, who was known as Jean from childhood, may tomorrow ask to be called Robert and will henceforth be presented only that way.

Meaning of French names

The lion's share of male names in France have Latin or Greek roots and came to the country through the adoption of Christianity. In fact, there are very few native French names. These include only Lawrence and Laurentin (arrived / originally from Laurentum), Lope (like a wolf) and Remy (sitting on the oars, rower).

Many modern French names, as mentioned at the very beginning of this article, are formed from foreign ones. At the same time, the similarity of their sound is quite clearly traced. Other than that, they have the same meaning. To make sure readers can see this, here are a few values:

• Constantin (fr.) - Constantin (rom.) - constant, constancy, stable.
• Christophe (fr.) - Cristiano (port.) - Christian (English) - presented by Christ.
• Leon (fr.) - Leonardo (it.) - Lion (Russian) - similar to a lion.
• Markel (fr.) - Marcus (it.) - Martin (German) - warlike.
• Nicolas (fr.) - Nikolaus (German) - Nicholas (Russian) - the victory of mankind.

This list can be continued indefinitely. However, we will not do this, but we will try to decide which male names the French themselves consider today the most beautiful.

The most beautiful French names

According to research, the French call Thierry (Thierry), Christophe (Christophe), Pierre (Pierre) and Jean (Jean) among the most beautiful male names. In their opinion, such beautiful French names for boys as Michel (Michel), Alain (Alain) and Philippe (Philippe) have no less charm.

In other countries, the following names with French roots are considered beautiful: Sebastian, Jacques, Claude, Vincent, Francois and Dominique. As a rule, film actors or other famous personalities provide high popularity of names. It is this indicator that is the main point in their ranking among the most beautiful or simply harmonious names.

What male names are popular in France

Currently, the process of formation of new proper names in France is not completed. In recent years, it has become fashionable to name children by abbreviation and some modification of foreign names. They are also used unchanged. Which ones are the most popular? French names that have been in the top 10 in the last 5 years are most often of British (Kevin, Axel, Jed and Tom), Italian (Enzo and Theo) origin. Very often, young parents call their sons Lucas, Arthur and Hugo. But the most popular name for 4-5 years now is Nathan.

The researchers also note that modern French people rarely give their babies double and triple names, and also practically do not follow traditions in terms of the order in which babies are named in the family. Moreover, some men in France legally change the name chosen for them by their parents to a more euphonious and modern one.

Be that as it may, but many parents in France still prefer traditional names to modern ones and continue to name their sons in honor of grandfathers, grandmothers and other relatives.