When we are naming our baby, sometimes we choose names that reflect our culture and other times we are looking for that beautiful classic name with an exotic twist. We have the top 100 old French girl names. Based on French Statistics from 1900 to 1910, these were the most popular old fashioned French girl names for their time. Some you may already know, while others will surprise you!
Table of Contents
Top Old French Girl Name: Marie
The Most Popular French Girl Name from 1900 all the way to 1910 was Marie. Meaning Mary in English, it was a common French tradition amongst French Catholic families to name their female child Marie after Jesus’ Mother, Mary. As a matter of fact, with over 5.3 million French girls given the name Marie as a first name alone, it is no secret that Marie was a name of respect, a name that was passed on and a name of honor. Now it may still hold those meanings for some, for others it is a beautiful old French name that still has survived these modern times. Choose Marie for your baby’s name.
2. Jeanne
Jeanne was popular from 1900 to 1910. With other 1.6 million girls named Jeanne over the course of ten years, this name was actually popular since the 13th century! Jeanne is the female version of the name John, so it has a lot of history and biblical connotations. At any rate, Jeanne is French for Joan, so the heroine we know as Joan of Arc was actually Jeanne d’Arcy in France.
If you are looking to give your child a strong girl name, look no further than to name her one of the strongest names in French history, Jeanne.
Marguerite
Marguerite is elegant and poignant and with almost a million little girls given this name over the course of 1900 to 1910, it’s no secret it is a well-loved name. Meaning pearl or daisy, Marguerite is a classic name. It also means Margaret in English.
Germaine
The feminine version of Germain, Germaine is a beautiful name and is also used as a gender neutral name in the United States. Nice, timeless but has a modern flair, Germaine is the perfect name for your little girl. We see Germaine had its popularity from 1900 to 1909 and had almost 87000 people name their child Germaine across France.
Louise
This strong girls name was popular in the early 1900s! From 1900 to 1904, Louise was the fifth most popular name for baby girls in France. This French girl name means “famous warrior” and is the feminine form of Louis. Louise was a very popular name, given to many former kings of France. Louise is a perfect old French name that deserves some light again! With over 73000 people in France naming their child Louise from 1900 to 1904, we can tell why this was such a popular old French girl name.
Yvonne
This beautiful French girl name hit its popularity between 1905 to 1907. Meaning yew or tree, this is the feminine name to Yvon. It is said that yew wood was used for bows, so Yvonne may mean archer. Yvonne is a classic French girl name that everyone will love. With over 73000 people naming their child Yvonne, this name peaked between 1905 until 1907.
Madeleine
Madeleine is a popular old French girl name. Even the famous Madeleine series in France that was shared all over the world’s main character shared this name. Madeleine means “magnificent.” This name became very popular in 1910 with over 73000 French girls having that name. What a beautiful classic French girl name!
Suzanne
Suzanne is a beautiful flower name for a girl. Meaning “lily”, this name gained popularity from 1906 to 1910 with over 69000 girls being named Suzanne. We see Suzanne transition over the Atlantic Ocean to become popular in the 1950s and 1960s in the USA.
Marcelle
Marcelle is one of those old French names that are perfect for your strong little girl. The meaning of Marcelle is hammer. Marcelle was popular between 1901 to 1910 with over 57000 people naming their baby Marcelle. This is a beautiful old fashioned French girl name!
Marthe
Meaning “the lady”, Marthe had peak popularity in 1900 with over 4600 French baby girls with the name. This French baby girl name is also popular in many other languages and would translate well between cultures.
Anne
Meaning “eagle”, Anne reached its peak popularity from 1900 to 1904. In France, Anne is a name that was given to over 40,000 little girls. Anne means “full of grace”. It is said that the Virgin Mary’s Mother was named Anne and so it is possible that many people gave this name to their child out of respect. The name Anne has been a classic French girl name since the middle Ages.
Maria
This name was derived originally from Latin as a variant for Mary. From 1900 to 1905, this was one of the most popular old fashioned French girl names. With almost 40,000 girls named Maria in France at that time, religion played a huge part in everyday family life. This name is timeless and it is also a name that is passed down from generation to generation.
Lucienne
This beautiful old French name is the feminine form of Lucien. Meaning “light”, the nickname for Lucienne is Lucy, just like in English. With almost 40,000 girls named Lucienne in 1909, it is no secret why this beautiful name should carry on.
Renee
As the female form of Rene, the extra “e” is added because it makes the name feminine according to French grammar rules. Renee was actually used in the New Testament in the Bible. With almost 40,000 baby girls named Renee until 1910, we see popular old French girl names often coming from Biblical influences.
Henriette
Until 1905, Henriette was the fifteenth most popular French baby girl name in France. With just over 39000 babies given the name, Henriette was a strong girl’s name. Henriette meant “ruler of the home”. As a female version of Henry, many French families named their children Henriette as a nod to a male in their household or because of its meaning.
Helene
Though Helene is popular in many languages, we found that it was very popular in 1904 in France and is considered an old French girl name. With just over 38000 little girls named Helene, it was known as both a family name and first name. We can assume that it was a name that was passed down by families and was loved by many cultures.
Alice
This name may be viewed as an English name, which is correct, but Alice was popular in both Britain and France since the 12th century. Even though these countries have such different culture and language, their close proximity means that a lot of things will be shared. Alice is from the Old French Aalis, which means “noble.” Alice peaked in the 1880s but we saw brief rises in popularity in 1903, 1905 and 1908-1909. The book Alice in Wonderland was published in 1865. This whimsical tale enchanted many and may be one of the reasons why we see a surge in the name from the following years. Over 37,000 parents in France named their child “Alice” from 1903-1910. Since then, France has seen a dramatic decline in this name’s popularity. Will we see Alice have a resurgence?
Georgette
With over 34000 babies named Georgette from 1907 to 1910, it is no surprise that this old French girl name was a favorite across France. Meaning tiller of the soil or farmer, Georgette is the female version of George. Notable people with the name Georgette include Deorgette de la Plante who was a French dressmaker.
Josephine
The feminine name of Joseph packs a religious history. Meaning “God shall grow”, Josephine is religious as it is elegant. Over 33000 babies were named Josephine by the end of 1900. One notable person with the name Josephine is the beautiful and talented Josephine baker. Born in 1906, Josephine Baker was an American born entertainer and a civil rights activist. She was loved in France and had a successful career. Josephine is an old French baby girl name that is very memorable.
Berthe
As the feminine version of Bert, Berthe was a popular name in France for little girls in 1900. With over 33000 French baby girls being named Berthe, this name was loved by many families in France. The English version of this name is Bertha.
Lucie
Lucie means light and is the French version of Lucy. This name is the female version of Lucien, which is a popular boy name. Just over 30,000 little girls were given the name Lucie between 1900 to 1901 making this a perfect old French girls name for your daughter.
Eugenie
This name was so popular in France since the 1800s. Until her death in 1920, Eugenie de Montijo was the last empress of the French as the wife of Emperor “Napoleon the third. Her name hit is peak of popularity in 1900 with just over 30,000 baby girls named Eugenie.
This female version of Eugene means “noble” which is a perfect old French baby girl name.
Andree
This feminine version of Andrew was a favorite amongst French families in 1910. With a strong girl name, almost 30,000 French girls were named Andree. Meaning brave, this would be a powerful name to give your daughter.
Juliette
Meaning “young” Juliette is a favorite for French families. Over 28,000 baby girls were named Juliette from 1900 to 1910 making this old French girl name a popular one over a hundred years ago. Would you and your family bring it back?
Fernande
This name means adventuresome and is the female version of Ferdinand. Fernande is a beautiful name that hit its peak in 1906 with over 25,000 people naming their child Fernande.
Raymonde
As a feminine name to Raymond, Raymonde was a popular name in the early 1900s. With over 24,000 people naming their child Raymonde, this old French girl name was popular all across France. Raymonde means to guard wisely, so this is a great strong girls name.
Gabrielle
This name is the feminine form of Gabriel which between 1900 to 1902 was very popular across France. With over 23,000 people naming their child Gabrielle, this name means woman of God. Gabrielle carried Biblical weight and would have been popular in Catholic families. You can easily revive this beautiful French girl name!
Denise
As the feminine form of Denise, over 23,000 French families named their daughter Denise. We see this name being at its peak popularity in 1909. Denise has an interesting origin. It is actually Greek and derives from Dionysus, the Greek God of wine. Meaning “in devotion to Bacchus (or Dionysus), we see how this name transferred from Greece to France with its popularity. It is elegant girl’s name.
Anna
This name derives from Anne and we see it hit its peak popularity in the 1880s. It declined quickly after 1901, with over 22,000 people naming their child Anna. Meaning “gracious”, this name had class, elegance and a timeless feel. For these reasons, you can name your child Anna and continue the legacy of elegance and timelessness.
Simonne
This is a strong French girl name! Meaning “to be heard”, this female version of Simon packs a punch. It reached its peak popularity in 1910 where over 21,000 girls were named Simonne. If you are looking for a strong French name, consider Simonne.
Angele
This biblical name means exactly how it sounds. The French version of “Angel”, this religious name had over 21,000 admirers in 1901. We see it steadily decline since but it is a beautiful, feminine French name.
Odette
As the female version of Otto, Odette sees its peak popularity with French families in 1910. Meaning rich, Odette had just over 20,000 little girls with that name. Choose this rare French girl name for your little girl.
Therese
This name means “harvester”. Therese had just under 20,000 little girls have this name with its peak popularity in 1902. This name originally has a Greek origin, but we see it rise in popularity in the early 1900s. Choose Therese for your unique French baby name.
Rose
This beautiful name hit its peak popularity in 1901 with almost 19,000 little girls baring the name. Rose is after the delicate flower with the same name. This old French girl name is a classic and we are seeing a resurgence of it as a middle name in North America.
Augustine
Meaning “great” or “magnificent”, Augustine hit its peak popularity in 1900. With just under 19,000 girls with the name Augustine, French families loved this name. Originating from Latin, we see Augustine popular throughout the Latin languages.
Antoinette
This beautiful name was also the name of the former French Dauphine, Marie Antoinette. Her life was cut short due to a revolution of the French people but that did not stop them using the name for their daughters. Antoinette reached its peak popularity in 2901 with over 18,000 people naming their child.
This name means the “priceless one”, it has elegance and class. This is the feminine name to Anthony. Over the years, the pronunciation has changed. Nicknames include Netta or even Ann.
Simone
This is a strong girl’s name. With over 18,000 girls named Simone in 1910; its peak of popularity, Simone meant “to be heard.” At any rate, we see that this name is very rare today and would make a perfect unique girls name to any family.
Elise
Meaning “my God is abundance”, Elise is often the short form of Elizabeth. This name gained massive popularity in 1901 and 1908 with just under 17,000 families naming their daughter Elise. Pretty, religious and elegant, Elise is still an old French girl name but a perfect rare girl name that parents who are looking for something different can use.
Catherine
This name is one of those names that translates from different cultures and languages. Meaning “pure” or “clear”, this was a popular girls name with over 16,000 girls in France baring the name since 1900. Catherine is a name that translates well, is not popular but well known and is easy to pronounce.
Blanche
Meaning “white”, Blanche has over 16,000 girls with the name in 1900. This beautiful name is synonymous with purity and is still very rare to this day. This old French girl name is perfect for any little one!
Leonie
With over 15000 little girls named Leonie in 1900, Leonie is a strong girl’s name. Meaning “lioness”, this name packs a punch for any family raising a strong, independent little girl. This is the feminine version of Leon.
Francoise
This name is not only an old French name, but also a strong girl’s name! Francoise was popular. French actress Anne Francoise Elizabeth Lange shared this name as did French adventuress Claudine Francoise Midnot. Meaning “French woman”, this name is the feminine version of Francois or Frank. If you are looking for a name that is beautiful but also packs a punch, Choose Francoise! Over 15,000 families did between 1900-1901.
Cecile
Just over 14,000 little girls were name Cecile in 1900. Meaning “blind”, we see Cecile a popular French Saint’s name, so it is no surprise that it would be popular amongst families to name their child in honor of French Saints. This beautiful French girl name can become popular again if you choose to use it.
Genevieve
This name means “woman of the race.” This beautiful name actually has a Germanic origin. With just over 14,000 people naming their daughter Genevieve, it reached its peak popularity in 1910. Will you choose Genevieve for your daughter?
Charlotte
This beautiful name hit its peak popularity in France in 1902 with just under 14,000 people naming their daughter Charlotte. This name quickly spread to North America and had its own popularity there. However, Charlotte is an old French girl’s name. It is the female version of the name Charles and means “free woman.” This strong girls name will be perfect for your little girl.
Emilianne
This feminine variation of Emil gained its peak popularity in France in 1910. Many actresses of this time period had this name and so we believe it gained popularity with many popular Emiliennes in the spot light. Currently, this name has increased in popularity in Rwanda and Cameroon. But at one time, it was one of the most popular names in France.
Marie-Louise
This hyphenated name reached its peak popularity in 1901. With just under 13,000 families naming their child Marie-Louise, this was a turn of the century top French baby girl name.
Adrienne
The French version of Adrien, this name means “from the city of Hadria.” Adrienne was at its peak popularity in France in 1903 and just over 12,000 babies were named Adrienne at that time. This name is also synonymous with “dark.” With this being said, this name brings beauty and grace to any child who inherits this name.
Pauline
Pauline is a variation of Paulina which is the feminine version of Paul. This name means “the younger one” or “small”. It is a beautiful and delicate name that hit its peak popularity in 1900. With just over 12,000 children getting the name Pauline at the turn of the century, this old French girls name would be perfect for your daughter.
Mathilde
If you are looking for an old French name that is a strong girl’s name, look no further than Mathilde. Meaning Matilda in English, Mathilde means “battle.” It still has popularity in Scandinavian countries but in France, this powerful French name reached its peak popularity in 1900 with just over 12,000 people naming their daughter Mathilde.
Leontine
We are making sure your old French girl names have a bunch of strong names! Leontine means “lion like” and also was popular in France in 1900. With just under 12,000 little girls with this name, there were some powerful girl names in France back in the 1900s.
Emilie
Meaning Emily, Emilie is a name still used in France today. However, it was extremely popular in 1900-1901 with over 11,000 families naming their child Emilie. This beautiful name is loved across Western Europe and is an old French name that will bring so much joy to your family.
Lea
With so many different spellings of Lea, this version was at its most popular in 1901-1902 in France. With over 11,000 girls named Lea, this name was loved in many French homes. Meaning to “strive” or “to excel” this name is a strong French girl name that your whole family will love.
Albertine
As the feminine form of Albert, Albertine is another strong French girl name. Meaning “Nobel” or “bright”, your child will be honored by this name. Albertine reached its peak popularity in 1908 with just over 11,000 little French girls being named Albertine.
Claire
This old French girl name means “bright” and “clear”. Claire had just under 11,000 people naming their daughters this name. It reached its peak popularity in 1900. The English version of Claire is Clara. This old French name is still popular. This timeless name would be perfect for your daughter.
Elisabeth
This Biblical name was popular with baby girls in France in 1900 with just under 11,000 children having this name. This name is popular with aristocracy and is loved all over the world. Consider Elisabeth for your child’s name.
Julie
Julie is a fun and vibrant name and has a meaning to match. This old French girl name means “youthful”. At the beginning of the 20th century, Julie was wildly popular with its peak popularity in 1901 with over 10,000 families choosing this name for their daughter. Its popularity continued until the 1940s where it went into a massive decline. Perhaps it is time for a revival! Consider Julie for your daughter’s name.
Julienne
Similar to Julie, this name also means “youthful.” This French name also reached its peak popularity in 1909 with just over 10,000 babies with this name. Perhaps it is time for this name to make a comeback in the twenty first century.
Paulette
Like Pauline, Paulette means “small or “humble”. This beautiful name hit its peak popularity in 1910 with just under 10,000 babies with this name.
Irene
Though Irene originates from ancient Greek, its name meaning is after a goddess of peace. We see early Christian saints baring this name. Meaning “peace”, Irene had just under 10,000 babies that had this name and reached its popularity in 1910.
Emma
This name means “whole.” Emma had peak points throughout 1,900 to 1910, climbing its way on the charts. With just over 9000 baby girls given this name. Emma is a name that holds significant weight in many cultures and religions. It has beautiful meanings such as Thai where it means nine blessings or in Hebrew, Emma means “God has answered.” With so much power, this name is perfect for your daughter.
Amelie
This old French girls name is a strong French name. Amelie means hardworking. With just over 9000 girls being named Amelie in the 1900s, Amelie reached its popularity in 1902. Alternatively,the French movie Amelie brought introduced the name to many North Americans and it is a beloved name by all.
Paule
This name is the female form of Paul. Paule is also a religious name. Fourteenth century St. Paula could be an inspiration for many families. With just under 9000 people naming their daughter Paule, we see its peak popularity in 1910, Paule may see a revival!
Julia
Like Julie listed earlier, Julia means youthful. This name is timeless! With over 8000 people naming their child Julia, we see its peak popularity in 1900.
Aline
This beautiful name means “graceful and noble.” Aline reached its peak popularity in 1903 with just over 8000 families giving their daughter this name. For an old French name, this is one of our favorites.
Camille
If you are looking for the perfect French girl name, look no further than Camille. This name means “perfect.” Camille can be for a girl or a boy and derives from the Latin name Camillus. It reached its peak popularity in 1900 with just over 8000 French girls with the name.
Gilberte
This name is the feminine form of Gilbert. Gilberte means “bright promise.” As a matter of fact, with just under 8000 little girls with the name Gilberte in 1909 to 1910, we may see a surge in this name in the future!
Aimee
Meaning “beloved,” Aimee is the English version of Amy. This French girls name is a gesture of love to your child! Just over 7500 little girls across France were named Aimee in 1909-1910.
Victorine
This name is surely a winner! Meaning Victory, Victorine reached its peak popularity in 1900 with over 7500 little French girls being named Victorine. At any rate, it deserves to be revived!
Ernestine
As the feminine version of Ernest, Ernestine reached its peak popularity in 1900 with just over 7500 little girls baring the name.
Reine
Meaning “Queen”, this beautiful French name was on the top lists in 1902 and 1904 with just over 7000 little girls with the name. If you are looking for a strong French girl’s name, this is the one!
Rosalie
Meaning “rose”, this flower girls name went from popular in 1900 with just over 7000 girls with the name and continued to build popularity until the 1930s. Choose Rosalie as it is a perfect old French girl’s name.
Valentine
Another strong girl name to add to the list! Valentine is an old French girl name that means “strength” or “health.” With 7100 girls with the name in 1901, this was a beautiful popular name for its time. The male variation is Valentin.
Olga
This Scandinavian name was a popular name in France! Being a metropolitan city for its time, Paris had many nationalities from across Europe. Olga is a religious name that means “holy.” It reached its peak popularity in 1902, beating out many French originated names with just under 7000 girls with the name.
Francine
Meaning “From France”, Francine is a French girl’s name. With just under 6900 girls with the name in 1910, Francine is known as a saintly name that could be your modern little girl’s name.
Clemence
Meaning “Mercy”, Clemence is had just over 6700 little girls across France with the name. Reaching its early popularity in 1901, Clemence is seeing a resurgence in the French province in Quebec in Canada. Choose Clemence before it hits the top 100 names again!
Adele
This name is popular today with the famous singer of the same name bringing Adele back to life. However, this is actually an old French girl’s name. Adele had 6600 little girls with the same name in 1900. Adele means “good humor”. Choose this light hearted name for your daughter!
Solange
With the famous singer Solange bringing this name back into the spotlight, it surprises some people when they realize this is an old French girl’s name. Meaning “dignified”, just over 6600 families chose Solange for their little girls across France. It’s peak popularity in 1910, we can see Solange having a reassurgance.
Augusta
Meaning great or magnificent, Augusta was a popular name in France in 1908 with just over 6400 little girls with the name. This strong girls name is definitely for the little leader in your life.
Alphonsine
This strong girls name means “ready for battle”. Alphonsine is the male version of Alphonse. With over 6200 little girls with this name, it reached a peak popularity in 1900. Consider Alphonsine for your beautiful old French baby name.
Andrea
This strong girl name is an old fashioned French girl name that is loved by many! Andrea means “brave”. In 1910, just over 6100 little girls were given the name Andrea. This name has always been well known to families all over the world and would make a perfect name for your little girl.
Melanie
Meaning “dark”, this popular French girl name today was actually a hit in the early 1900s also. Melanie is a name of a Roman saint that gave all her money and inheritance to charities. She was selfless and was sainted for her generosity. Melanie had just over 6000 girls with that name in 1900 and continues to be a popular choice for French families to this day.
Isabelle
This name means “pledged to God.” This name goes all the way back to the Middle Ages. Isabelle derived from the name Elizabeth. We saw some Queens of France bare the name and eventually we see the name Isabelle or Isabella spread to English speaking countries. Just over 5700 little girls had the name Isabelle in France in 1901.
Celine
This name means “heavenly”. After Celine Dion exposed the English world to this name, it was already incredibly popular in France. In 1900 there was 5500 little girls named Celine and the name translates from Latin so it is popular in each of the love languages.
Clementine
Meaning “merciful”, Clementine had just over 5400 French girls with that name in 1900. Currently, Clementine is a less popular name than it was in 1900, but if you are looking for a unique French girl name that means “calm”, this is a perfect one to choose!
Clotilde
This strong girls name was a popular one in 1902! With over 5400 little girls name Clotilde, people loved that the name meant “renowned battle”. This name is not popular today, but maybe with your family, this old French name can get some new life.
Agnes
Meaning “holy”, Agnes is popular in Eastern Europe but isn’t as popular as it once was in France. However, in 1909, it was in the top 100 names for girls in France! With just over 5300 girls with the name Agnes, it was a name that was loved across France. Consider revitalizing Agnes and give an old French name to your brand new baby!
Laure
This French version of Laura, this name is the same as a type of butterfly. Laure was very popular in 1902, with just over 5200 girls with the name.
Philomene
This beautiful French name is also a strong girl’s name! Philomene means “lover of strength,” it was popular in 1901 with just over 5100 little girls with the name.
Rachel
This Biblical name means “ewe”. Rachel has a popular history as she was the mother of Joseph. Rachel had 4800 babies with the name from 1904 to 1906! This beautiful name can be your daughter’s name!
Irma
Meaning “whole”, Irma was originally a German name and Emma was the French form of the same name. In 1901-1907, over 4700 little girls had the name Irma. This name is a beautiful French girl’s name.
Celestine
This beautiful girls name means “heavenly”. Celestine is both beautiful and strong. In 1901, 4600 French girls had this name, this exotic girl name is both soft and strong. We love this name and it is a perfect unique French name for your daughter!
Felicie
Meaning “happy” or “good fortune”, this lucky name is perfect for any little girl. Just over 4600 little girls in 1902 had this name in France. It is so beautiful and not popular presently, so this rare French name is perfect for any little girl.
Rosa
With just over 4500 girls named Rosa in 1901, Rosa is another variation for Rose. Representing the popular flower, this delicate girls name is perfect for any daughter.
Caroline
This strong girl name means “free woman”. It has been in the top 100 for girl’s names in the USA for decades. However, in France it was popular in 1900 with just over 4400 French girls with that name. This name represents elegance and class to this day. Consider Caroline for your daughter’s name.
Elisa
This French girls name was very popular in 1900 with just over 4300 little girls with the name Elisa. This is one of the unique pretty French girl names that many families would love!
Alexandrine
Another feminine version of Alexandra, Alexandrine was popular in 1900 and 1901 with over 4200 little girls with this name. This vintage French girl name is one of the favorites in France.
Virginie
As a variation of Virginia, Virginie had just over 3900 French girls with this name in 1900. At the time, Virginie Amelie Avegno Gautreau was a very popular socialite in France. This name would inspire many families to name their child Virgine.
Bernadette
This old French baby girl name is a strong girl’s name. Meaning “As brave as a bear”. The name Bernadette has power! It is the female version of Bernard and is also the name of St. Bernadette who had visions of the Virgin Mary. This beautiful name is not only religious as can be seen but can be revived with you choosing this name for your daughter.
Ida
This name was our 100th most popular old French name. According to statistics, just over 3800 French girls had this name in 1908, making it a popular name in France. Now, it does not make the list but is a beautiful name for any little girl. This pretty French girls name would make the perfect tribute to a baby.
As shown above, here are one hundred wonderful old french names to inspire you. Above all, you will connect with a beautiful old french girl name that you will love.
