Complete Guide 2026
Baby Name Laws in France
Since 1993, France has been one of the most permissive countries in Europe for baby naming. But the etat civil registrar still has the power to flag a name to a prosecutor if it could harm the child — and judges have rejected names as recent as the 2020s.
Check if your name is accepted in France
We have thousands of names from the French civil registry.
How the French naming system works
Until 1993, France maintained a strict list of approved first names based on saints' names from the Catholic calendar (the so-called "calendrier des saints") and a few classical names. The law of January 8, 1993 abolished this list. Today, parents have wide freedom to choose any name they want.
When you register your baby's birth at the local etat civil (registry office), the registrar (officier d'etat civil) checks whether the name complies with the law. If they have doubts about whether the name could harm the child, they don't reject it themselves. Instead, they forward the case to the local procureur de la Republique (public prosecutor), who can refer the matter to a family court judge (juge aux affaires familiales).
The judge then decides whether the name is acceptable. If not, the parents are given the chance to choose another. If they refuse, the judge picks one for them.
The rules: what France allows and doesn't
The name must not harm the child's interests
This is the only real restriction. Names that are clearly ridiculous, offensive, or could lead to teasing or social disadvantage can be referred to a judge.
The name must not violate someone else's right to a name
Famous trademarks or surnames of well-known families can be rejected if their use would create confusion or harm.
Foreign names are fully accepted
Any name from any culture is allowed: Arabic, Chinese, African, Slavic, etc. The 1993 reform was specifically designed to recognize France's multicultural reality.
Multiple first names are allowed
French law has no upper limit on the number of first names. Two or three is common, but more is permitted.
Diacritics from French alphabet are accepted
Accents (e, e, a, i, etc.), cedilla (c), and the tilde (n) are accepted. A 2014 court case approved a Breton name with a tilde, expanding accepted characters.
Famous rejected names in France
Even with permissive laws, French judges have rejected several names in recent years:
Nutella
Rejected 2015 — brand name, would cause teasing
Fraise (Strawberry)
Rejected 2015 — "rame avec ta fraise" expression
MJ
Rejected — just initials, not a name
Mini-Cooper
Rejected — brand name
Daemon
Approved despite registrar concerns
Megane (Renault)
Approved — common French name
The Nutella case (2015)
In September 2015, a couple in Valenciennes named their daughter Nutella. The registrar flagged the name to the prosecutor, who referred it to the family court. The judge ruled that the name "is the trade name of a spread, and giving it to a child can only lead to teasing or denigrating thoughts." The court renamed the child Ella.
This case is often cited as the modern benchmark for what France will and won't accept. The bar is high — the name has to be objectively likely to cause harm.
Most popular baby names in France
According to INSEE (French national statistics), the most popular names recently include:
Boys
Gabriel, Leo, Raphael, Maël, Louis, Arthur, Jules, Adam, Lucas, Noah, Liam, Hugo, Ethan, Nathan, Theo
Girls
Jade, Louise, Emma, Ambre, Alice, Alba, Romy, Mia, Anna, Iris, Lina, Lou, Capucine, Olivia, Rose
Naming a baby in France as a foreigner
If you're a foreign resident in France, the same rules apply. Some additional considerations:
- Foreign characters — Names with characters outside the French alphabet (Arabic, Cyrillic, Chinese) must be transliterated. The 2014 Breton tilde case slightly expanded what is accepted, but other diacritics may still be questioned.
- Birth abroad — If your child is born abroad and you want to register them in France later, foreign names are generally accepted as long as they are recognized as first names in the country of birth.
- Surnames — Since 2005, parents can choose to give their child the father's surname, the mother's, or both joined with a hyphen. This is separate from first name rules.
What to do if your name is rejected
- Contest the prosecutor's referral — You can argue your case before the family court judge who reviews the file.
- Provide cultural evidence — Bring documents proving the name exists as a legitimate first name in another country or culture.
- Appeal the judge's decision — If the family court judge rules against you, you can appeal to the Cour d'appel (Court of Appeal).
- Choose an alternative — In practice, most parents simply choose a slightly different name to avoid years of legal battles.
Legal basis
French naming law is governed by Article 57 of the Code Civil, modified by the law of January 8, 1993, which abolished the requirement to choose names from a fixed calendar of saints. The current standard is whether the name is "contraire a l'interet de l'enfant" (contrary to the child's interest). The procedure for prosecutor referral and judicial review is set out in the Decret du 6 mai 2017 on civil registration procedures.
Related Guides
Check your baby name now
Search thousands of names registered in France — plus 24 more European countries.
Check a Name →Last updated: April 2026. This article is for informational purposes only. Always consult your local etat civil for definitive answers.