17th Century French Girl Names: Authentic Choices
17th century French girl names have a distinctive historical charm. Used during the reigns of French kings such as Louis XIII and Louis XIV, these names reflect the religious traditions, aristocratic families. Check out the full list below.
17th Century French Girl Names
| Name | Meaning |
| Anne | Grace |
| Françoise | Free woman |
| Jeanne | God is gracious |
| Marie | Beloved or wished-for child |
| Marguerite | Pearl |
| Catherine | Pure |
| Madeleine | Woman from Magdala |
| Louise | Famous warrior |
| Élisabeth | God is my oath |
| Gabrielle | God is my strength |
| Henriette | Home ruler |
| Charlotte | Free woman |
| Suzanne | Lily |
| Renée | Reborn |
| Geneviève | Woman of the people |
| Angélique | Angelic |
| Antoinette | Priceless or highly praiseworthy |
| Jacqueline | Supplanter |
| Madeleine | Woman from Magdala |
| Claire | Bright or clear |
| Hélène | Bright or shining |
| Julienne | Youthful |
| Perrine | Rock or stone |
| Marthe | Lady or mistress |
| Barbe | Foreign or stranger |
| Bénédicte | Blessed |
| Éléonore | Light or shining one |
| Françoise | Free woman |
| Justine | Just or fair |
| Renée | Reborn |
| Thérèse | Harvester |
| Agnès | Pure |
| Émilie | Rival or industrious |
| Gabrielle | God is my strength |
1. Anne
Meaning: Grace
Anne was one of the most established feminine names in France and remained highly recognizable throughout the 17th century. Its biblical associations and connection with Saint Anne gave it strong religious importance. The name is simple, timeless, and strongly associated with French history.
2. Françoise
Meaning: Free woman
Françoise is the traditional French feminine form of François. It was well established in early modern France and has a distinctly French sound. The name combines historical character with a meaning connected to freedom.
3. Jeanne
Meaning: God is gracious
Jeanne was an important French feminine name with deep historical and religious associations. Its connection with Joan of Arc had already given it a powerful place in French cultural history long before the 17th century.
4. Marie
Meaning: Beloved or wished-for child
Marie was one of the most important feminine names in 17th century France. Its connection with the Virgin Mary made it especially significant in a deeply Catholic society. The name could also appear as part of compound names.
5. Marguerite
Meaning: Pearl
Marguerite is the French form of Margaret and was widely established in France. Its association with the pearl gives it a delicate meaning, while its long history makes it feel unmistakably traditional.
6. Catherine
Meaning: Pure
Catherine was a well-established name across Europe and France during the 17th century. Its association with Saint Catherine helped maintain its popularity among Catholic families. The name has a refined and enduring character.
7. Madeleine
Meaning: Woman from Magdala
Madeleine is the French form of Magdalene. It was a traditional Christian name and has a particularly recognizable French sound. Its religious history makes it a fitting choice for a historically inspired character or name.
8. Louise
Meaning: Famous warrior
Louise is the feminine form of Louis, one of the most important royal names in French history. Its connection with the French monarchy gives it a naturally aristocratic quality.
9. Élisabeth
Meaning: God is my oath
Élisabeth is the French form of Elizabeth and has biblical origins. It was a well-established name in France and among European royal and noble families. The accented spelling gives the name its characteristic French appearance.
10. Gabrielle
Meaning: God is my strength
Gabrielle is the feminine form of Gabriel. Its biblical roots and religious meaning made it suitable for the Christian naming traditions of 17th century France. The name also has an elegant and distinctly French rhythm.
11. Henriette
Meaning: Home ruler
Henriette is the feminine form of Henri. Its royal associations and traditional French pronunciation give it a strong 17th century character. The name feels particularly appropriate for a historical or aristocratic setting.
12. Charlotte
Meaning: Free woman
Charlotte is the feminine form of Charles and was already established among European royal and aristocratic families. Its polished sound makes it feel both historical and elegant.
13. Suzanne
Meaning: Lily
Suzanne comes from the biblical name Susanna and was used in France for centuries. Its floral meaning gives the name a gentle quality, while its historical usage makes it a natural choice for a 17th century French setting.
14. Renée
Meaning: Reborn
Renée is the feminine form of René. Its meaning comes from the Latin name Renatus, referring to being born again or reborn. The name has a distinctly French appearance because of its accent and traditional spelling.
15. Geneviève
Meaning: Woman of the people
Geneviève is one of the most recognizable historical French names. Its connection with Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, gives it particular significance in French history. The name has an unmistakable old-world French character.
16. Angélique
Meaning: Angelic
Angélique is related to the word “angelic” and has a delicate, romantic quality. Its French spelling and pronunciation make it especially suitable for historical French naming.
17. Antoinette
Meaning: Priceless or highly praiseworthy
Antoinette is the feminine form of Antoine. It was used among French families and later became strongly associated with the aristocratic world through figures such as Marie Antoinette. The name has an unmistakably historical French quality.
18. Jacqueline
Meaning: Supplanter
Jacqueline is the feminine form of Jacques. It developed as a traditional French feminine name and has a distinctly French character. Its longer structure gives it an elegant, formal sound.
19. Claire
Meaning: Bright or clear
Claire comes from the Latin name Clara and means bright or clear. It was used in religious and French naming traditions and has a simple elegance that works particularly well for historical settings.
20. Hélène
Meaning: Bright or shining one
Hélène is the French form of Helen. Its ancient Greek roots and long European history made it a recognizable feminine name in France. The accented spelling gives it a classic French appearance.
21. Julienne
Meaning: Youthful
Julienne is a feminine form related to Julien and Julius. Its traditional ending gives it a distinctly historical sound. It is a less common alternative to Julie while retaining familiar classical roots.
22. Perrine
Meaning: Rock or stone
Perrine is a traditional French feminine form related to Pierre. Its connection with the meaning “rock” gives it a strong symbolic quality. The name has a distinctly old-fashioned French character.
23. Marthe
Meaning: Lady or mistress
Marthe is the French form of Martha. Its biblical roots made it familiar in Christian communities, while the French spelling gives it a distinctly historical appearance.
24. Barbe
Meaning: Foreign or stranger
Barbe is the traditional French form of Barbara. It was used in France during earlier centuries and has a strikingly old-fashioned quality today. Its unusual modern sound makes it especially suitable for historical fiction.
25. Bénédicte
Meaning: Blessed
Bénédicte is the French feminine form related to Benedict. Its religious meaning and Latin roots make it appropriate for the Catholic culture of 17th century France. The accented spelling adds to its traditional French appearance.
26. Éléonore
Meaning: Light or shining one
Éléonore is a French form related to Eleanor. The name was associated with European royal and noble families and carries an elegant aristocratic quality. Its long pronunciation makes it particularly graceful.
27. Justine
Meaning: Just or fair
Justine is the feminine form of Justin and comes from a Latin root associated with justice and fairness. Its classical foundation and French pronunciation make it suitable for a historical French setting.
28. Thérèse
Meaning: Harvester
Thérèse is the French form of Teresa. It became particularly significant within Catholic naming traditions. The name has a gentle but distinctly traditional French sound.
29. Agnès
Meaning: Pure
Agnès is the French form of Agnes. Its roots are associated with the Greek word for purity, and the name was well established within Christian Europe. The accented spelling gives it a recognizable French appearance.
30. Émilie
Meaning: Rival or industrious
Émilie is the French feminine form of Emil and ultimately comes from the Roman family name Aemilius. Its association with ambition and industriousness gives it a strong meaning, while its French pronunciation feels graceful.
31. Louise-Marie
Meaning: Famous warrior and beloved
Louise-Marie combines two historically established French feminine names. Compound names involving Marie were particularly suitable to the religious and naming traditions of France. The combination has an aristocratic and traditional character.
32. Marie-Anne
Meaning: Beloved and gracious
Marie-Anne combines Marie with Anne, two highly established Christian names. Double names were an important part of French naming traditions, particularly among Catholic families. Marie-Anne has a distinctly historical French character.
33. Marie-Louise
Meaning: Beloved and famous warrior
Marie-Louise combines two classic feminine names with strong religious and royal associations. The combination has a formal, elegant sound and works especially well for a historical French character.
34. Marie-Élisabeth
Meaning: Beloved and pledged to God
Marie-Élisabeth combines two traditional Christian names. Its longer form gives it a formal and aristocratic quality, making it particularly suitable for historical settings.
35. Anne-Marie
Meaning: Grace and beloved
Anne-Marie combines Anne and Marie, two deeply established names in French Catholic tradition. The combination has a warm, traditional sound and remains strongly recognizable as a French double name.
How to Choose a 17th Century French Girl Name
- Consider the historical setting: If you are naming a character, think about whether she is from a noble family, merchant household, rural community, or religious family.
- Look at religious influence: Biblical and saint names such as Marie, Anne, Jeanne, Catherine, and Agnès fit naturally into the Catholic culture of 17th century France.
- Choose a traditional spelling: Historical French names often have spellings and accents that differ from modern English versions.
- Consider social status: Names such as Louise, Henriette, Éléonore, and Marie-Élisabeth can create a more aristocratic impression.
- Explore double names: Combinations such as Marie-Anne and Marie-Louise provide an especially traditional French feel.
- Match the character: A historical name should suit the character’s age, family background, personality, and setting rather than simply sounding old-fashioned.
If you’re exploring names from a later period, you can also browse eighteenth-century French girl names for more historical French naming inspiration.
FAQs
What were common French girl names in the 17th century?
Marie, Anne, Jeanne, Catherine, Marguerite, Madeleine, Louise, and Françoise were established feminine names in France during this period.
What is a rare 17th century French girl name?
Names such as Barbe, Perrine, Julienne, Bénédicte, and Henriette have a more unusual historical feel to modern readers.
What French girl names were associated with royalty?
Names such as Louise, Charlotte, Élisabeth, Henriette, and Marie had strong associations with European royal and aristocratic families.
What were popular religious names in 17th century France?
Marie, Anne, Jeanne, Catherine, Madeleine, Élisabeth, Gabrielle, and Agnès were closely connected with Christian naming traditions.
What are some 17th century French double names?
Marie-Anne, Marie-Louise, Anne-Marie, Louise-Marie, and Marie-Élisabeth have a traditional French double-name structure.
What is a good 17th century French name for a historical character?
The best choice depends on the character’s background. Marie, Anne, Jeanne, and Catherine suit many settings, while Henriette, Éléonore, Louise-Marie, and Marie-Élisabeth can create a more aristocratic impression.
Final Thoughts
17th century French girl names offer a fascinating combination of religious tradition, royal influence, classical roots, and old-world elegance. Names such as Marie, Anne, Jeanne, Marguerite, Louise, and Catherine feel authentically historical, while less familiar choices such as Barbe, Perrine, Julienne, and Bénédicte can give a character a more distinctive identity. If you are choosing a name for a historical character, period-inspired project, or simply love the sound of old French names, consider the name’s meaning, historical associations, spelling, and social context. A well-chosen 17th century French girl name can instantly give a character or story a stronger sense of time and place.
