This list brings together 17 French boy names, running alphabetically from “Henri” to “Herménégilde.” Most carry Germanic, Latin, or Breton roots, and many trace back to kings, saints, or literary figures. Parents use these names to give a son a distinctly French identity while tapping into centuries of history and tradition.

French boy names are given names used for males in France, often reflecting the country’s Catholic heritage, royal lineage, or regional Breton and Norman roots. Many, like “Hugues” and “Henri,” were carried by monarchs who shaped French history, while others, like “Hervé,” honor local saints still celebrated today. Some remain popular choices, while others survive mainly as historical curiosities or family surnames.

Below you’ll find the table with each name, its pronunciation, meaning, and description.

Name: the French given name itself, shown in its standard spelling so you can see exactly how it’s written.

Pronunciation: a simple phonetic guide showing how to say each name out loud, using stressed syllables in capital letters.

Meaning: the original sense of the name, usually traced back to its Germanic, Latin, Greek, or Celtic root word.

Description: background on where the name comes from, who made it notable, and how common or rare it is in France today.

French boy names

NamePronunciationMeaning
Henriahn-REE“home ruler”
Hugooo-GOH“mind, intellect”
HuguesOOG“mind, intellect”
Hervéehr-VAY“battle-worthy”
Honoréoh-noh-RAY“honored”
Hippolyteee-poh-LEET“freer of horses”
Horaceoh-RAHSS“timekeeper”
Hubertew-BEHR“bright mind”
Hyacintheyah-SANT“hyacinth flower”
Hectorek-TOR“holding fast”
Hilaireee-LEHR“cheerful”
Hoëloh-EL“eminent, generous”
Hilarionee-lah-ryohn“cheerful”
Herluinehr-lwan“army, friend”
Hardouinar-DWAN“brave friend”
Hormidasor-mee-DAHSS“of Persian origin”
Herménégildeehr-may-nay-ZHEELD“whole offering”

Descriptions

Henri
The French form of Henry, borne by numerous French kings from Henri I to Henri IV. It remains one of France’s most enduring and popular boys’ names.
Hugo
A short, strong French name from the Germanic element “hug,” meaning heart or mind. It consistently ranks near the top of France’s baby name charts today.
Hugues
The traditional French form of Hugh, historically carried by Hugues Capet, founder of the Capetian royal dynasty that ruled France for centuries.
Hervé
A Breton-French name combining Old Breton roots for “battle” and “worthy.” It was popularized by the sixth-century Breton hermit Saint Hervé.
Honoré
Derived from the Latin word for honor, this elegant French name is most famously associated with novelist Honoré de Balzac.
Hippolyte
The French form of the Greek Hippolytos, rooted in mythology. It was fashionable among French nobility in past centuries and still appears occasionally today.
Horace
The French form of the Roman name Horatius, familiar from the poet Horace and immortalized in Corneille’s classic tragedy of the same name.
Hubert
A Germanic-French name meaning bright heart or mind, tied to Saint Hubert, the patron saint of hunters, whose feast is still celebrated in France.
Hyacinthe
The French form of Hyacinth, a name from Greek myth linked to a flower said to have sprung from a slain youth’s blood. Historically used for French boys.
Hector
Drawn from the noble Trojan hero of Homer’s Iliad, Hector has long been used in France and retains a heroic, literary charm.
Hilaire
The French form of Hilary, from the Latin for cheerful, borne by Saint Hilaire of Poitiers, an influential early Church theologian.
Hoël
A Breton name of Celtic origin meaning eminent or generous, historically carried by medieval dukes of Brittany.
Hilarion
A variant of Hilaire linked to Saint Hilarion, an early Christian monk regarded as a founder of monasticism in Palestine. Rare but authentically French.
Herluin
An old Norman-French name borne by Herluin, the eleventh-century knight-turned-monk who founded the influential Bec Abbey in Normandy.
Hardouin
A medieval French given name of Germanic origin, once used by minor nobility; it survives today mainly as a French surname.
Hormidas
A distinctively French-Canadian name derived from Pope Hormisdas, once common among Quebec families in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
Herménégilde
The French form of Hermenegild, a Visigothic prince and saint’s name once used in French-Canadian communities, now largely historical.
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