Our French name database contains 41.459 French surnames and 52.657 French first names categorized by gender and frequency. After payment you can download the French name database in CSV, SQL or JSON format. In France we received a name and gender database from the French government and merged it with publicly available data sets. To create the French name database we used 605.371 validated French social media profiles. We have a detailed explanation of our methodology and illustrate our approach with several examples.

Popular French surnames

This table show popular French surnames. In France, the surname is passed down from the father to the children. Children typically take on their father's surname, but in some cases, they may also take on their mother's surname. In certain situations, such as when the parents are not married, a child may have a different surname than their parents. French surnames also often have a specific origin or meaning, such as indicating a person's profession or place of origin.

Surname Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Martin 1.521 0.3% American Spanish British
Thomas 1.013 0.2% American British Canadian
Dubois 880 0.1% American Belgian Canadian
Bernard 848 0.1% American British Canadian
Garcia 828 0.1% Spanish Mexican American
Laurent 808 0.1% American Belgian British
David 756 0.1% American Nigerian British
Michel 752 0.1% American German Mexican
Durand 733 0.1% American Belgian Peruvian
Nicolas 709 0.1% Spanish American Argentinean
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 605.371 French social media profiles.
  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this surname also is used. They are sorted on popularity.

French first names

In France, parents typically pick a first name for their child by considering family traditions and cultural norms. They may also choose a name that has personal significance, such as a name that honors a family member or a name that is popular in their community. Some parents also consider the child's surname and the way the first and surnames sound together when making their decision. Ultimately, the choice of a first name is a personal and often emotional decision for French parents.

Popular French male names

First name Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Nicolas 6.501 1.7% Argentinean Colombian American
Julien 5.549 1.5% Belgian American Canadian
Thomas 5.229 1.4% American German British
Pierre 4.333 1.2% Belgian Canadian American
Guillaume 4.185 1.1% Belgian Canadian American
Olivier 4.170 1.1% Belgian Canadian American
David 4.087 1.1% American British Spanish
Philippe 3.867 1.0% Belgian Canadian American
Alexandre 3.820 1.0% Brazilian Belgian Canadian
Laurent 3.699 1.0% Belgian American Canadian
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 605.371 French social media profiles from which 374.230 (62%) is male.
  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.

Popular French female names

First name Frequency*1 Percentage*1 Alternative countries*2
Marie 3.712 1.6% American British Belgian
Camille 2.635 1.1% American Belgian Filipino
Julie 2.546 1.1% American British Canadian
Sophie 2.416 1.0% British American Canadian
Laura 2.065 0.9% British American Spanish
Sarah 1.972 0.9% British American Canadian
Marion 1.940 0.8% American German British
Caroline 1.908 0.8% British American Brazilian
Nathalie 1.903 0.8% Belgian Dutch Canadian
Isabelle 1.898 0.8% American Canadian British
  • *1 The Frequency and Percentage are based on 605.371 French social media profiles from which 231.141 (38%) is female.
  • *2 Alternative countries are countries where this first name also is used. They are sorted on popularity.