Hard to believe, but 2026 is approaching fast! With it comes a new wave of births and, of course, names—whether classic or more creative. The 2026 edition of L’Officiel des prénoms, set to be released by Éditions First on September 11, 2025, gives us a sneak peek at the names that will be in vogue next year. It seems that traditional names are trendier than ever!
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The Official Guide to First Names, 2026, Stéphanie Rapoport, Editions First, available in bookstores on September 11, 2025
Louise and Gabriel Top the List of Most Popular Names
Whether they're male or female, the top 10 most given names appears to be particularly stable. According to predictions by Stéphanie Rapoport, the author of the book who relies on data from Insee, the preferred names for girls are short and vintage: Louise still reigns supreme, followed by Jade, Alma, Ambre, Alba, Emma, Romy, Rose, Adèle, and Alice.
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For boy names, we always see Gabriel, Raphäel, Noah, Louis, Léo, Adam, Arthur, Jules, Léon and Maël topping the charts!
Play with spelling or sounds to find originality?
Sure, but if these names are once again among the most popular, how can you stand out without choosing a name that might be hard for your child to carry? If spelling is one of the options, Stéphanie Rapoport warns against going down that road, as it could be a burden for the child. “The more a name is common and widely given, the more it's complicated for a child to carry that name with a different spelling,” the author emphasizes.
BFMTV.com.According to her, looking for originality in sounds would make more sense. While the sounds ending in "i" seem to be out of style, those ending in "o" are more popular for female names, and "a" for male names.