In France, middle names are not as common as they are in some other countries.
However, when used, they often have specific characteristics:
- They are usually given at birth: Unlike some cultures where middle names can be added later in life, French middle names are typically given at birth.
- They are often chosen to honor family members: French middle names are often chosen to honor a family member, such as a grandparent or godparent.
- They are rarely used in everyday life: French middle names are not commonly used in everyday life, and are often only used on official documents.
- They are usually one or two names: While some cultures have long strings of middle names, French middle names are usually one or two names at most.
- They can be gender-specific: In some cases, French middle names can be gender-specific, with certain names being reserved for boys and others for girls.
- They can be hyphenated: French middle names can be hyphenated with the first or last name, and are often written with a space between the hyphenated names.
Overall, French middle names tend to be simple and traditional, often chosen to honor family members or to maintain a sense of cultural heritage.
French Middle Names for Boys
French Middle Names for Boys:
- Lucien – meaning “light”
- Olivier – meaning “olive tree”
- Rémi – meaning “oarsman”
- Baptiste – meaning “baptizer”
- Marcel – meaning “warlike”
- Étienne – meaning “crown” or “garland”
- Adrien – meaning “from the Adriatic sea”
- François – meaning “free man”
- Jules – meaning “youthful” or “downy-bearded”
- Maurice – meaning “dark-skinned”
75 Middle Names for Boys – NAMES & MEANINGS
French Middle Names for Girls
French Middle Names for Girls:
- Amélie – meaning “hard-working” or “industrious”
- Camille – meaning “young ceremonial attendant” or “virgin of unblemished character”
- Élodie – meaning “foreign riches” or “foreign wealth”
- Fleur – meaning “flower”
- Geneviève – meaning “woman of the family tribe” or “white wave”
- Madeleine – meaning “woman from Magdala”
- Margaux – meaning “pearl”
- Sabine – meaning “Sabine woman”
- Thérèse – meaning “to harvest” or “summer”
- Yvette – meaning “yew tree”
Common French Middle Names
Common French Middle Names:
- Anne – meaning “grace”
- Bernard – meaning “brave as a bear”
- Catherine – meaning “pure”
- Daniel – meaning “God is my judge”
- Elizabeth – meaning “God is my oath”
- Gabriel – meaning “God is my strength”
- Henri – meaning “ruler of the household”
- Isabelle – meaning “God is my oath”
- Joseph – meaning “God will increase”
- Marie – meaning “bitter” or “beloved” (depending on interpretation)
Cute French Middle Names
Cute French Middle Names:
- Amélie – meaning “hardworking” or “industrious”
- Éloïse – meaning “healthy” or “wide”
- Mathilde – meaning “mighty in battle”
- Léonie – meaning “lioness”
- Chloé – meaning “blooming” or “young green shoot”
- Adèle – meaning “noble” or “kind”
- Lucie – meaning “light” or “illumination”
- Camille – meaning “attendant” or “helper”
- Anaïs – meaning “grace”
- Colette – meaning “victorious people”
Pretty French Middle Names
Pretty French Middle Names:
- Esme – meaning “beloved” or “esteemed”
- Juliette – meaning “youthful” or “downy”
- Noelle – meaning “Christmas”
- Delphine – meaning “dolphin”
- Solene – meaning “dignified” or “solemn”
- Elodie – meaning “marsh flower”
- Genevieve – meaning “woman of the people”
- Margaux – meaning “pearl”
- Madeleine – meaning “of Magdala”
- Seraphine – meaning “fiery ones”
Unique French Middle Names
Unique French Middle Names:
- Amorette – meaning “little love”
- Bérénice – meaning “bringer of victory”
- Clemence – meaning “merciful” or “gentle”
- Émilienne – meaning “rival”
- Faustine – meaning “fortunate” or “lucky”
- Lysandra – meaning “liberator” or “defender”
- Manon – meaning “bitter” or “graceful”
- Ondine – meaning “little wave”
- Sidonie – meaning “from Sidon” (a city in Lebanon)
- Thérèse – meaning “harvester” or “reaper”
Beautiful French Middle Names
Beautiful French Middle Names:
- Aveline – meaning “hazelnut”
- Fleur – meaning “flower”
- Blanche – meaning “white”
- Céleste – meaning “heavenly”
- Émeraude – meaning “emerald”
- Odette – meaning “wealthy”
- Rêve – meaning “dream”
- Salomé – meaning “peaceful”
- Violette – meaning “violet flower”
- Yvonne – meaning “yew”
Old French Middle Names
Old French Middle Names:
- Adelais – meaning “noble kind”
- Bernadette – meaning “brave as a bear”
- Estelle – meaning “star”
- Giselle – meaning “pledge”
- Heloise – meaning “healthy” or “wide”
- Jehanne – meaning “God is gracious”
- Laurette – meaning “laurel”
- Perrine – meaning “rock”
- Thibault – meaning “courageous people”
- Yvette – meaning “yew”
Fancy & Elegant French Middle Names
Fancy & Elegant French Middle Names:
- Anastasie – meaning “resurrection”
- Apolline – meaning “of Apollo”
- Béatrice – meaning “she who brings happiness”
- Eleonore – meaning “God is my light”
- Elvire – meaning “elf army”
- Gabrielle – meaning “God is my strength”
- Hortense – meaning “gardener”
- Isadora – meaning “gift of Isis”
- Octavie – meaning “eighth”
- Roxane – meaning “dawn” or “bright”
French-Canadian Middle Names
French-Canadian Middle Names:
- Benoît – meaning “blessed”
- Clémence – meaning “merciful”
- Édouard – meaning “rich guard”
- Félix – meaning “happy” or “lucky”
- Gabrielle – meaning “God is my strength”
- Jacques – meaning “supplanter”
- Léa – meaning “lioness”
- Laurent – meaning “crowned with laurel”
- Mireille – meaning “to admire”
- Nicolas – meaning “victorious people”
- Odette – meaning “wealth”
- Pascal – meaning “relating to Easter”
- Roxanne – meaning “dawn”
- Simon – meaning “he who hears” or “listener”
- Yvon – meaning “yew tree”
French Middle Names List
French Middle Names List:
- Adèle – meaning “noble”
- Antoine – meaning “beyond praise”
- Béatrice – meaning “bringer of joy”
- Charles – meaning “free man”
- Cécile – meaning “blind”
- Denis – meaning “God of wine”
- Emmanuelle – meaning “God is with us”
- Gaspard – meaning “treasurer”
- Hélène – meaning “light”
- Jacques – meaning “supplanter”
- Léon – meaning “lion”
- Marguerite – meaning “pearl”
- Maximilien – meaning “greatest”
- Paul – meaning “small” or “humble”
- Sophie – meaning “wisdom”
FAQs – French Middle Names
Do French people have middle names?
Yes, French people do have middle names, but they are not as common as they are in some other countries.
Middle names are optional in France, and some people choose not to use them at all.
What are the most common French middle names?
The most common French middle names are often given to honor a family member, such as a grandparent or godparent.
Some of the most common French middle names include:
- Marie (for girls)
- Jean (for boys)
- Anne (for girls)
- Pierre (for boys)
- Claude (for either gender)
- Louise (for girls)
- Jacques (for boys)
- Françoise (for girls)
- Henri (for boys)
- Catherine (for girls)
What are some royal French middle names?
In French history, royalty often had multiple names, including middle names.
Some common French royal middle names include:
- Louis – used by many French kings, including Louis XIV
- Charles – used by several French kings, including Charles X
- Henri – used by many French kings, including Henri IV
- Philippe – used by several French kings, including Philippe VI
- Marie – used by several French queens, including Marie Antoinette
- Anne – used by several French queens, including Anne of Austria
- Élisabeth – used by several French queens, including Élisabeth of France
- Marguerite – used by several French queens, including Marguerite of Valois
- Catherine – used by several French queens, including Catherine de’ Medici
- Antoine – used by several French kings and princes, including Antoine of Navarre.
Conclusion – French Middle Names
French middle names often have religious or historical significance and are commonly derived from French saints, biblical figures, or historical figures.
They may also reflect the country’s cultural heritage, with many names inspired by nature, flora, and fauna.
Many French middle names have a strong meaning or symbolism associated with them. For example, the name Adèle means “noble,” Élodie means “foreign riches,” and Laurent means “crowned with laurel.”
The meanings of French middle names often reflect qualities that parents hope their children will possess, such as strength, wisdom, or happiness.
French middle names are often gender-specific, with certain names being more commonly used for boys or girls.
For example, Lucien, Olivier, and Jules are more commonly used as middle names for boys, while Amélie, Fleur, and Yvette are more commonly used for girls.
French middle names are also commonly used in combination with a child’s first name and last name, creating a unique and meaningful full name.
It is not uncommon for French parents to choose multiple middle names for their children, with each name adding its own unique significance to the child’s identity.
