France has created quite a few dog breeds that are popular today, such as the Poodle and French Bulldog. If you’ve recently adopted one of these canines, you might want to consider giving them a French dog name as a nod to their country of origin.
Of course, even if your dog doesn’t belong to a French breed, there are plenty of other reasons to give your dog a French name. Perhaps you just like the country? Or maybe you just love the way French sounds.
Whatever the reason, this ultimate list of French dog names is sure to help you choose the perfect option for your pooch.
French Female Dog Names
If you’re set on selecting a French name for your new female pooch, you have hundreds of options to choose from. We gathered together some of our favorite options, allowing you to spend more time enjoying your new furry friend and less time scrolling through a sea of names.
- Abelle: “bee”
- Angele: “angel”
- Angelique: “angelic”
- Ann: “grace”
- Antionette: “invaluable”
- Aurelie: “golden”
- Aurore: “dawn”
- Bathylle: “bold battle”
- Batilde: “fight”
- Beatrice: “voyager”
- Benedicte: “blessed”
- Berdine: “bold as a bear”
- Berenise: “bold as a bear”
- Bernetta: “bringer of victory”
- Berthe: “bright”
- Biance: “white”
- Bibi: a term of endearment.
- Blanchefleur: “white flower”
- Candice: “chief”
- Celine: “heaven”
- Cerise: “cherry”
- Chantel: “stony place”
- Chloe: “green shoot”
- Clarice: “fame”
- Colombe: “dove”
- Corine: “maiden”
- Elaine: “torch” and “sun”
- Emma: “whole”
- Irene: “peace”
- Iseult: “ice battle”
- Jolene: “pretty”
- Leone: “lion”
- Liane: “sun”
- Liliane: “lily”
- Louise: “woman”
- Lucie: “little light”
- Magali: “pearl”
- Mahaut: “mighty in battle”
- Manon: “their rebellion”
- Marceline: “defense”
- Marguerite: “pearl”
- Marine: “of the sea”
- Marthe: “lady”
- Medee: “cunning”
- Melanie: “black”
- Melissa: “honey-sap”
- Meraud: “emerald”
- Morgaine: “sea circle”
- Nadine: “hope”
- Noemie: “my delight”
- Oceane: “ocean”
- Oriane: “golden”
- Paule: “small”
- Penelope: “weaver of cunning”
- Seraphine: “burning one”
- Sibylle: “prophetess”
- Sophie: “wisdom”
- Suzanne: “lily”
- Sylvaine: “from the forest”
- Violette: “violet flower”
- Yasmina: “jasmine flower”
- Yvetet: “yew tree”
- Zoe: “life”
Learn More: Top 300+ Spanish Dog Names
French Male Dog Names
Just like with female dog names, there are many different options for a male dog as well. We scoured through long lists of french male dog names to bring you only the very best ones.
- Abelard: “noble strength”
- Absolon: “father of peace”
- Alard: “noble strength”
- Albain: “white”
- Albert: “bright nobility”
- Allard: “noble strength”
- Aloys: “famous warrior”
- Alvere: “elf counsel”
- Alvin: “elf counsel”
- Amable: “loveable”
- Amadieu: “to love”
- Amauger: “work-spear”
- Amauri: “work-power”
- Ambroise: “immortal”
- Aristide: “best physique”
- Arluin: “noble warrior”
- Arman: “hardy”
- Armel: “bear chief”
- Campion: “champion”
- Ferrant: “ardent for peace”
- Gauvin: “white hawk”
- Georges: “farmer”
- Gosse: “good”
- Gratien: “pleasing”
- Gingolet: “white-hardy”
- Grosvenor: “chief”
- Guarin: “shelter”
- Horace: “has good eyesight”
- Hrodger: “famous spear”
- Hubert: “bright heart”
- Hugon: “heart”
- Ignace: “unknowing”
- Leger: “people spear”
- Lemoine: “monk”
- Leon: “lion”
- Leonide: “lion son”
- Leopold: “people bold”
- Marin: “of the sea”
- Martin: “like Mars”
- Maurice: “dark”
- Maxime: “the greatest”
- Milun: “little soldier”
- Modeste: “moderate”
- Papillion: “butterfly”
- Perrin: “stone”
- Philbert: “very bright”
- Pierre: “rock”
- Pons: “of the sea”
- Raimond: “wise warrior”
- Raulf: “wise wold”
- Remi: “oarsman”
- Renard: “wise and strong”
- Stuart: “house guard”
- Sylvain: “from the forest”
- Telesphore: “bearing fruit”
- Theo: “gift of God”
- Thibauld: “people-bold”
- Thierri: “king of nations”
- Tristan: “riot”. This was also the name of one of the knights of the round table in Arthurian legend.
- Urbain: “of the city”
- Valentin: “healthy” and “strong”
- Velery: “foreign power”
- Vincens: “conquering”
- Veillentif: “little vigilant one”
- Vivien: “animated”, “lively”, and “alive”
- Willelm: “will-helmet”
- Yves: “yew tree”
Learn More: Top 400+ Hunting Dog Names
Cajun French Dog Names
Cajun French is slightly different from your run-of-the-mill French. This particular vernacular is from New Orleans and the surrounding area, where French trappers intermingled with a variety of other peoples. Here are some of our favorite Cajun French dog names:
- Aglae: “beauty”
- Agnes: “holy”
- Agrippine: “wild horse”
- Aimee: “much loved.”
- Alaina: “little rock”
- Ame: “beloved”
- Anastase: “resurrection”
- Anatole: “east” and “sunrise”
- Ancel: “divine helmet”
- Andre: “warrior”
- Ange: “angel”
- Antoine: “invaluable”
- Aousten: “venerable”
- Arnaud: “eagle power”
- Astor: “goshawk”
- Athanase: “immortal”
- Auberon: “elf ruler”
- Aubert: “bright nobility”
- Aubin: “white”
- Audric: “old ruler”
- Aurele: “golden”
- Avery: “elf counsel”
- Aymeric: “home-ruler”
- Basile: “king”
- Baudouin: “brave friend”
- Bayard: “reddish-brown”
- Beaumont: “beautiful mountain”
- Beneoit: “blessed”
- Berenger: “bear-spear”
- Bernard: “bold as a bear”
- Bertrand: “bright raven”
- Boldoin: “brave friend”
- Brice: “pied” and “spotted”
- Bruce: “woods”
- Enide: “soul”
- Estee: “star”
- Flo: “flower”
- Florence: “blossoming”
- for “jewel.”
- Geneva: “race of women”
- Ginette: “maiden”, “farmer”, and “queen”
- Guarinot: “shelter”
- Guillaume: “will-helmet”
- Guinevere: “white and smooth”
- Gustave: “meditation staff”
- Gwenael: “white”
- Gysbert: “pledge-bright”
- Hamblin: “tiny little home”
- Hamnet: “little home”
- Helene: “torch”
- Herluin: “joyful”
- Herve: “battle worthy”
- Honore: “honor”
- Hortense: “garden”
- Ilbert: “battle-bright”
- Ives: “yew tree”
- James: “supplanter”
- Jourdain: “flowing down”
- Lammet: “land-bright”
- Lance: “land”
- Lancelot: “little land”
- Launce: “land”
- Leandre: “lion-man”
- Moise: “drawn out”
- Narcisse: “sleep”
- Nel: “champion”
- Nel: “champion”
- Nicolas: “victory of the people”
- Noe: “rest”
- Norbert: “famous Northman”
- Oda: “wealthy”
- Oliver: “elf army”
- Onesime: “useful”
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Cute French Dog Names
French is often called the language of romance, so it isn’t surprising that there are plenty of cute French names for your furry friend. Take a look at some of these extra-cute names:
- Aceline: “little noble one”
- Adelaide: “noble sort”
- Adelphe: “born from the same womb” aka “sister”
- Agace: “good”
- Agate: the French word
- Alison: “noble sort”
- Alphonsine: “noble and ready”
- Alvery: “elf council”
- Amaline: “work”
- Amorette: “little love”
- Anais: “grace”
- Anastaise: “resurrection”
- Andree: “warrior”
- Anette: “grace”
- Cerf: “hart”
- Cesar: “severed”
- Chandler: “candle merchant”
- Charles: “man”
- Clement: “gentle” and “merciful”
- Clotaire: “loud warrior”
- Clovis: “famous warrior”
- Colombian: “dove”
- Come: “order”
- Corbin: “raven”
- Cosme: “beauty”
- Cupidon: “desire”
- Eustacia: “fruitful”
- Evette: “yew tree”
- Fantine: “child”
- Flavie: “yellow hair”
- Fleur: “flower”
- Fleurette: “little flower”
- Perrine: “rock”
- Richaud: “powerful ruler”
- Riche: “power”
- Riva: “coast”
- Robert: “bright fame”
- Rodolphe: “famous wolf”
- Rogier: “famous spear”
- Rosalie: “rose”
- Roul: “wise wolf”
- Rousel: “little red one”
- Roxane: “dawn”
- Sacha: “defender of mankind”
- Salome: “peaceful”
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Popular French Dog Names
Some French names are more common than others, especially in the United States. There is nothing wrong with naming your dog something on the more popular side, especially considering that some French names are challenging for non-native speakers to pronounce. If you want something French but still recognizable, try some of these names:
- Albertine: “bright nobility”
- Alexandrie: “defender of mankind”
- Alienor: “foreigner”
- Apolline: “of Apollo”
- Arabelle: “answered prayers”
- Ariane: “utterly pure”
- Arlette: “tiny little eagle”
- Armelle: “stone princess”
- Arnaude “eagle power”
- Edgard: “rich spear”
- Edmond: “protector of prosperity”
- Eneas: “praise”
- Erec: “even ruler”
- Esme: “well-loved”
- Fiacre: “raven”
- Filibert: “very bright”
- Firmin: “firm”
- Florence: “blossoming”
- Fraser: “strawberry”
- Gerald: “spear ruler”
- Gilbert: “pledge-bright”
- Gilles: “shield of goatskin”
- Godard: “god strong”
- Gorlois: “higher than the sky”
- Paul: “small”
- Pepin: “seed of a fruit”
- Perceval: “pierced valley”
- Rene: “reborn”
- Salomon: “peaceable”
- Seraphin: “burning one” or “serpent”
- Serge: “sergeant”
- Stephane: “crown”
Learn More: Top 300+ Spanish Dog Names
Creole Dog Names
Louisiana is home to the Creole culture and vernacular. This region was heavily influenced by French traders and settlers who came to the area hundreds of years ago. Because of this unique influence, there are quite a few distinctive dog names from this area.
- Ace: “noble at birth”
- Acelin: “little noble one”
- Adalard: “noble strength”
- Adnart: “earth” or “red”
- Adolphe: “noble wolf”
- Aime: “much loved”
- Aimeri: “home-ruler”
- Alain: “little rock”
- Alaire: “joyful”
- Amite: a town in Louisiana.
- Bayou: a marshy area.
- Boudreaux
- Bourbon: as in the famous Bourbon Street in New Orleans
- Bress: the current quarterback on the New Orleans Saints.
- Cajun
- Cane: like “cane sugar.”
- Cy: a type of tree native to the area.
- Damien: “to tame”
- Degare: “stray”
- Didier: “longing”
- Etienne: “crown”
- Eudes: “child”
- Eugene: “well-born”
- Everard: “strong as a boar”
- Fabrice: “craftsman”
- Felix: “happy”
- Frederic: “peaceful ruler”
- Frery: “peaceful ruler”
- Fulbert: “very bright”
- Gael: “holy”
- Gahariet: “old”
- Gaspard: “treasure bearer”
- Gator
- Gauthier: “ruler of the army”
- Gumbeaux: a popular dish.
- Jazz: a type of music associated with the area.
- Leroy: “the king”
- Lionel: “little lion”
- Lothair: “loud warrior”
- Loup: “wolf”
- Louvel: “little wolf”
- Lucien: “light”
- Macaire: “blessed”
- Mainfred: “strong peace”
- Malgier: “work spear”
- Marc: “of the sea”
- Mardi: as in “Mardi Gras.”
- Mudbug: a nickname for the crawfish.
- Nola: the acronym for New Orleans Louisiana.
- Roux: a type of gravy.
- Saint: like the New Orleans Saints football team.
- Shrimp
- Tabasco: the name of a spicy hot sauce originally crafted in this area.
- Zydeco: a specific type of music.
Learn More: Top 400+ Female Dog Names
Now Pick Out Your Favorite French Dog Name!
Now for the best – and hardest – part. After taking a look through our ultimate name list, you need to sit down and actually choose a name. If there are multiple people in your household, this should preferably be a family affair. That way, you can choose a name everyone likes.
Be sure you and everyone else in your household can pronounce the name confidentially. You should avoid names that sound like commands as well as those that resemble the names of other pets. Otherwise, your new canine can quickly become confused. The last thing you need is for your pets to get their names mixed up.
Similarly, you should avoid names that you can’t confidently say in public. You are going to have to call your dog eventually, after all.
