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French Girl Names That Mean Beauty

If you're searching for French girl names that mean beauty, one small syllable — belle — turns out to do most of the work on this list.

Names56
OriginFrench
MeaningBeauty
GenderGirl

French didn't invent the idea of naming a daughter for her beauty, but it gave English a very portable word for it: belle. That single adjective, meaning simply 'beautiful,' shows up on its own as Belle and again as a suffix bolted onto other names, which is why this list has so many compounds.

You'll also find beauty expressed a second way here — through French adjectives used whole, like Jolie and Jolee, both meaning 'pretty.' Between the suffix names and the adjective names, you get two very different sounds for the same idea.

Why belle keeps reappearing in French girl names that mean beauty

Once you notice -belle, you see it everywhere on this page: Mirabelle (wonderful beauty), Maribelle (Mary plus beautiful), Clarabelle (bright plus beautiful), and Maybelle, which layers May onto Mabel and belle for a triple dose of vintage sweetness. French adjectives attach easily to other name roots, which is exactly how a plain word for 'beautiful' became a naming suffix parents still reach for.

The newer, American-made cousins

Not everything here is old-world. Aubriella and Aubrielle both graft the Italian/French -ella or -elle ending onto Aubrey, and Bellami reworks the surname Bellamy — French for 'fine friend' — into something Bella-shaped. Annabelle, with Scottish literary roots, shows how far the 'gracious and beautiful' idea has traveled beyond France itself.

Names List

Annabelle#343 in the U.S.Combination of Anna (from Hebrew Hannah, meaning grace or favor) and Belle (from Latin/French bella, meanPronounced AN-ah-bel▶Jolie#902 in the U.S.Pretty, cheerful; from French jolie (pretty, nice)Pronounced JOH-lee▶Belle#1005 in the U.S.Beautiful; from French belle (beautiful, lovely), from Latin bella (beautiful), feminine of bellusPronounced BEL▶Aubriella#1019 in the U.S.Elf ruler; blend of Aubrey (Germanic: alb+ric) with the -ella suffix (Italian/Latin: she, beautiful)Pronounced aw-bree-EL-uh▶Aubrielle#1084 in the U.S.Elf ruler; feminine blend of Aubrey (alb: elf + ric: ruler) with the French -elle suffix (beautiful)Pronounced aw-bree-EL▶Mirabelle#2371 in the U.S.wonderful beautyPronounced MIR-uh-bel▶Jolee#2412 in the U.S.pretty, pleasant, joyfulPronounced JOH-lee▶Idabell#2726 in the U.S.Idabell joins Ida, a Germanic name usually traced to a root meaning 'work,' 'labor' or 'industrious,' witPronounced EYE-duh-bel▶Justine#3527 in the U.S.Just, fair, righteous; French feminine of Justin, from Latin JustusPronounced jus-TEEN▶Bellami#3644 in the U.S.From the surname Bellamy, French bel ami, 'beautiful friend' or 'fine friend' — with the feminine -i spelPronounced BEL-ə-mee▶Maribelle#3785 in the U.S.Compound of Mari (Mary) and belle, 'beautiful' (French) — 'beautiful Mary'Pronounced MAIR-ih-bel▶Anniebell#4064 in the U.S.Anniebell joins Annie, the affectionate short form of Anne, from Hebrew Hannah meaning 'grace' or 'favor,Pronounced AN-ee-bel▶Clarabelle#4201 in the U.S.Blend of Clara — Latin 'bright, clear' — with French belle, 'beautiful'Pronounced KLAIR-ə-bel▶Maybelle#4423 in the U.S.Blend of Mabel ('lovable', Latin amabilis) and May/belle ('beautiful'); routes layeredPronounced MAY-bel▶Bellamie#4562 in the U.S.-ie spelling of Bellamy — from Old French bel ami, 'beautiful/good friend'Pronounced BEL-ə-mee▶Joleigh#4695 in the U.S.Modern coinage joining Jo (from Josephine, 'God will add') or Jolie ('pretty', French) to the -leigh endiPronounced JOH-lee▶Lunabelle#5363 in the U.S.Compound of Luna ('the moon', Latin) and Belle ('beautiful', French) — 'the beautiful moon'Pronounced LOO-nah-bel▶Rosabelle#5396 in the U.S.Compound of Rosa ('a rose', Latin) and Belle ('beautiful', French) — 'beautiful rose'Pronounced ROH-zə-bel▶Aubrei#5797 in the U.S.-ei spelling of Aubrey — from Germanic Alberich, 'the ruler of the elves; the fair ruler' (alf, 'elf', plPronounced AW-bree▶Joleen#7373 in the U.S.A form of Jolene — variously from French joli, 'pretty; jolly', plus a -ene ending, and read as a femininPronounced joh-LEEN▶Miabelle#7449 in the U.S.A blend of Mia — variously 'mine' (Italian) and a short form of Maria — and Belle, 'beautiful' (French); Pronounced MEE-uh-bel▶Jolina#7740 in the U.S.An elaboration of Jolie/Jolene — from French joli, 'pretty; lovely; cheerful'; also a feminine diminutivePronounced joh-LEE-nah▶Maebelle#7796 in the U.S.A blend of Mae (a form of Mary/May) and Belle ('beautiful', French); also a spelling of Mabel ('lovable',Pronounced MAY-bel▶Beaux#8501 in the U.S.From the French beaux, 'beautiful; handsome' (the plural of beau); a word-name; used for both sexes; herePronounced BOH▶Mabelle#8720 in the U.S.From the French ma belle, 'my beautiful one'; also a form of Mabel, from the Latin amabilis, 'lovable/deaPronounced mah-BEL▶Jolette#9186 in the U.S.A modern name, joining a Jo- element (echoing Jolie, 'pretty', French) with a -lette diminutive; no singlPronounced joh-LET▶Corabelle#9663 in the U.S.A compound name — Cora ('a maiden', Greek) joined with Belle ('beautiful', French); we note the compoundPronounced KOR-uh-bel▶Adaleine#10253 in the U.S.A spelling of Adaline/Adeline, from the Germanic adal, 'noble'; a graceful vintage-revival namePronounced AD-ah-line▶Angelle#10309 in the U.S.A French elaboration of Angela/Angel, from the Greek angelos, 'messenger; angel'; a graceful name, commonPronounced ahn-ZHEL▶Aribelle#10322 in the U.S.A modern given name blending an Ari- element with the French belle, 'beautiful'; also in the Arabelle famPronounced AIR-ih-bel▶Larose#10688 in the U.S.From the French la rose ('the rose'), joining the article to the flower name; a floral, romantic pick, alPronounced luh-ROHZ▶Loreal#10711 in the U.S.A modern name read as an echo of the French beauty brand L'Oréal, or as a spin on Lauren/Loralei/Aureal (Pronounced lor-ee-AL▶Raphaelle#11038 in the U.S.The French feminine form of Raphael, from the Hebrew for 'God heals' (or 'God has healed') — the name of Pronounced rah-fah-EL▶Blanche#11242 in the U.S.Blanche is a French name meaning 'white; fair,' originally a nickname for someone pale or fair-haired. A Pronounced BLANCH▶Bonnibel#11245 in the U.S.Bonnibel blends bonny ('good; pretty; cheerful,' from French bon) with belle ('beautiful'), giving 'good Pronounced BON-ih-bel▶Gwenevieve#11567 in the U.S.A blended form of Guinevere (Welsh Gwenhwyfar, 'white; fair; smooth') and Genevieve (French, 'tribe womanPronounced GWEN-uh-veev▶Leonore#11671 in the U.S.A French/German form of Eleanor (via Leonora/Leonore), commonly read as 'light; shining torch.' A gracefuPronounced LEH-oh-nor▶Annebelle#12267 in the U.S.Annebelle is a spelling variant of Annabelle, generally read as a blend of Anna, from the Hebrew Hannah 'Pronounced AN-uh-bel▶Bonnibelle#12344 in the U.S.A charming blend of the Scots-English bonny ('pretty; fair; cheerful') and the French belle ('beautiful')Pronounced BON-ee-bel▶Bellemy#12441 in the U.S.Bellemy reads as a respelling of the surname-name Bellamy, from Old French 'bel ami', 'fine friend' or 'gPronounced BEL-uh-mee▶Ellabelle#12497 in the U.S.A modern combination name joining Ella (from Germanic 'all' or a short form of Eleanor-type names) with BPronounced EL-uh-bel▶Christabelle#13791 in the U.S.A -belle spelling of Christabel, joining 'Christian' (a follower of Christ) with the Latin bella/French bPronounced KRIS-tuh-bel▶Charisse#13833 in the U.S.Charisse entered given-name use largely through the glamorous dancer Cyd Charisse, whose stage surname suPronounced shah-REESS▶Bellamee#13853 in the U.S.A -mee spelling of Bellamy, from the Old French bel ami, 'fine friend; beautiful friend.' A surname-stylePronounced BEL-uh-mee▶Jadis#14130 in the U.S.Jadis is the French adverb jadis, 'formerly, long ago, of old'. C. S. Lewis gave the name to the White WiPronounced JAY-dis▶Joley#14217 in the U.S.Joley is a modern spelling of Jolie, the French word for 'pretty', used as a given name. It also reads asPronounced JOH-lee▶Lumiere#14498 in the U.S.From the French word lumiere, 'light'. It is an ordinary French noun rather than a traditional given namePronounced loo-mee-AIR▶Marybelle#14586 in the U.S.A compound name joining Mary to French belle, 'beautiful' — a pattern common in the nineteenth and early Pronounced MAIR-ee-bel▶Maybell#14602 in the U.S.A spelling of Maybelle, joining May — the month and a pet form of Mary — to French belle, 'beautiful'. ItPronounced MAY-bel▶Orabelle#14854 in the U.S.Orabelle joins Ora, a name linked to the Latin 'aurum' (gold) or 'orare' (to pray), with the French 'bellPronounced OR-uh-bell▶Anabell#15402 in the U.S.Anabell is a streamlined spelling of Annabelle, usually read as Anna, Hebrew for 'grace,' joined to FrencPronounced AN-uh-bell▶Emmabelle#15968 in the U.S.A joined double name pairing Emma ('whole; universal') with Belle ('beautiful'), written as one. A sweet,Pronounced EM-uh-bel▶Suzane#16209 in the U.S.Suzane is a single-n variant of Suzanne, the French form of Susanna. The name goes back to the Hebrew ShoPronounced soo-ZAN▶Lilybelle#16623 in the U.S.Lilybelle is a compound name joining Lily — the flower, from Latin lilium, long a symbol of purity — withPronounced LIL-ee-bel▶Maella#16703 in the U.S.A modern coinage blending Mae (a form of Mary/May) with the diminutive -ella, echoing Mabella and the FrePronounced may-ELL-uh▶Turquoise#19394 in the U.S.Turquoise is a word-name from the blue-green gemstone and color. The word comes through Old French pierrePronounced TUR-koyz▶

More French Meaning Guides

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Frequently Asked

What is the most classic French name meaning beauty?

Belle is the most direct — it's simply the French word for 'beautiful,' used as a given name in English-speaking countries for centuries and boosted more recently by Disney.

Is Jolie or Jolee the more traditional spelling?

Jolie is the standard French adjective spelling meaning 'pretty' or 'cheerful.' Jolee is a phonetic English variant of the same word.

Are Aubriella and Aubrielle French names?

They're modern blends rather than historic French names: both attach a French -elle style ending to Aubrey, a Germanic name meaning 'elf ruler,' so the beauty meaning comes from the suffix alone.