Nom is the most common way to say “name” in French. But, like many words, there are several other options and nuances that can make your French sound more natural.

Whether you're introducing yourself, asking someone else's name, or talking about famous figures, knowing how to refer to 'name' in various contexts is incredibly useful.

Let's dive into some common and less common ways to say 'name' in French, helping you expand your vocabulary and speak with greater precision!

The standard 'name' – le nom

The standard 'name' – le nom

Le nom is the most basic and common word for 'name' in French.

This word is masculine. You'll encounter it as le nom (singular) and les noms (plural).

You can use le nom in both formal and informal contexts when asking for or referring to someone's name, or the name of a thing.

Crucially, le nom also serves as the French word for 'noun' in grammar.

To differentiate between 'name' and 'noun', rely on the context. If discussing people or specific entities, it means 'name'. If you're talking about parts of speech, it means 'noun'.

When referring to a person's name, you'll often hear it in phrases like Quel est votre nom ? (What is your name?) or Mon nom est... (My name is...). Remember that prénom refers to the first name and nom de famille to the surname.

In a grammatical context, you'd use le nom for 'noun', as in un nom commun (a common noun) or un nom propre (a proper noun).

While having two meanings might seem confusing, French speakers effortlessly distinguish between 'name' and 'noun' based on the surrounding conversation. You'll quickly get the hang of it!

It's polite in French to ask for someone's prénom (first name) in informal settings, and nom de famille (surname) or nom complet (full name) in more formal situations. Votre nom often implies the full name.

💡 * Quel est votre nom ? (What is your name?)

Mon nom est Jean. (My name is Jean.)

J'ai oublié le nom de cette rue. (I forgot the name of this street.)

"Maison" est un nom commun. ("House" is a common noun.)

Quel est le nom de cette fleur ? (What is the name of this flower?)

The first name or given name – le prénom

In French, the term for first name or given name is le prénom.

This is the personal name chosen by parents, used for informal address among friends, family, and sometimes colleagues. It's the name that identifies you personally before your family name.

It's important to differentiate le prénom from le nom, which means surname or last name. When filling out forms, you'll often see separate fields for 'Prénom' and 'Nom'.

To ask someone their first name, you would use phrases like 'Quel est ton prénom ?' (informal) or 'Quel est votre prénom ?' (formal). This is a fundamental part of introductions in French.

💡 * Mon prénom est Jean. (My first name is Jean.)

Quel est ton prénom ? (What is your first name? - informal)

Excusez-moi, quel est votre prénom ? (Excuse me, what is your first name? - formal)

Veuillez écrire votre prénom et votre nom ici. (Please write your first name and last name here.)

The last name or family name – le nom de famille

In French, when you want to refer to someone's last name or family name, the term you'll most commonly use is le nom de famille.

Literally translating to 'the name of family,' this phrase clearly indicates its purpose: identifying the family to which a person belongs.

As a masculine noun, nom de famille is always preceded by the masculine definite article le (or un if unspecified). It's a fundamental part of personal identification.

It's crucial to distinguish le nom de famille from le prénom, which is the French term for a first name or given name. Both are essential for full identification.

You'll frequently encounter le nom de famille on official documents, administrative forms, and in any situation requiring formal identification, like at the bank or when registering for something.

A common way to ask someone for their last name is: Quel est votre nom de famille ? (What is your last name? - formal) or Quel est ton nom de famille ? (What is your last name? - informal).

💡 * Mon nom de famille est Dubois. (My last name is Dubois.)

Veuillez indiquer votre nom de famille sur ce formulaire. (Please indicate your family name on this form.)

Quel est le nom de famille de votre mère ? (What is your mother's last name?)

Nous avons le même nom de famille. (We have the same last name.)

The nickname – le surnom

The French word for “nickname” is le surnom. It refers to an informal, often affectionate name given to a person instead of their official first name.

Much like in English, nicknames in French are commonly used among friends, family, or close acquaintances. They often signify familiarity and closeness, reflecting a personal trait, a shortened version of a given name, or an inside joke.

Grammatically, le surnom is a masculine noun. Therefore, you will use masculine articles and adjectives when referring to it, such as un surnom (a nickname) or mon surnom (my nickname).

💡 * Quel est ton surnom ? (What's your nickname?)

Mon surnom est Lolo. (My nickname is Lolo.)

C'est un joli surnom. (It's a pretty nickname.)

Il déteste son surnom d'enfance. (He hates his childhood nickname.)

The maiden name – le nom de jeune fille

The maiden name – le nom de jeune fille

Le nom de jeune fille translates directly to “the name of young girl” and refers to a woman's surname before marriage, often called her maiden name in English.

This term is primarily used in administrative, legal, and official contexts in France, such as on identity documents, marriage certificates, or when discussing a woman's original family name.

As the word fille (girl/daughter) suggests, le nom de jeune fille is always associated with a feminine individual and is a feminine concept.

In France, a woman traditionally retains her nom de jeune fille as her legal surname even after marriage, though she can choose to use her husband's name (known as nom d'usage) for social or professional purposes.

Increasingly, the more gender-neutral term nom de naissance (birth name) is used, especially in official documents, to encompass both men and women's original surnames, regardless of marital status.

💡 * Quel est votre nom de jeune fille ? (What is your maiden name?)

Elle a gardé son nom de jeune fille sur ses documents officiels. (She kept her maiden name on her official documents.)

Mon nom de jeune fille est Dubois, mais mon nom d'usage est Martin. (My maiden name is Dubois, but my married name is Martin.)

Sur l'acte de naissance, il y a le nom de jeune fille de la mère. (On the birth certificate, there is the mother's maiden name.)

The stage name or pen name – le nom de scène / le nom de plume

In French, artists and writers often adopt a professional name different from their birth name. These are known as le nom de scène (stage name) and le nom de plume (pen name), each with its distinct usage.

Le nom de scène (literally 'name of stage') is used for individuals in performing arts. This includes actors, singers, comedians, and musicians who use a specific name when they are in the public eye or performing on stage. Think of artists like Stromae, whose real name is Paul Van Haver.

Le nom de plume (literally 'name of feather,' referring to a quill) is specifically reserved for writers. Authors use a pen name for various reasons, such as anonymity, creating a distinct literary persona, or to overcome societal biases. For example, Voltaire's real name was François-Marie Arouet.

The crucial difference lies in the profession: nom de scène is for performers, and nom de plume is for writers. While the broader term pseudonyme (pseudonym) can encompass both, using nom de scène or nom de plume adds precision and reflects specific cultural traditions in French.

💡 * Quel est son nom de scène ? (What is his stage name?)

Elle écrit sous un nom de plume célèbre. (She writes under a famous pen name.)

Beaucoup d'artistes choisissent un nom de scène facile à retenir. (Many artists choose a stage name that's easy to remember.)

George Sand était le nom de plume d'Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin. (George Sand was the pen name of Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin.)

The brand name – le nom de marque

When you want to talk about the name of a brand in French, the most common and direct term you'll use is le nom de marque.

Le nom de marque literally translates to 'the name of brand' or 'brand name'. It refers to the specific designation given to a product, service, or company that distinguishes it from others.

It's important to note that nom (name) is a masculine noun in French, making le nom de marque always masculine. You will always use the masculine definite article le or indefinite article un with it.

💡 * Quel est le nom de marque de votre téléphone ? (What is the brand name of your phone?)

Elle préfère acheter des produits de marque connue. (She prefers to buy products from well-known brand names.)

Le nouveau nom de marque a été bien accueilli par les consommateurs. (The new brand name was well received by consumers.)

Beaucoup de startups cherchent un nom de marque unique et mémorable. (Many startups are looking for a unique and memorable brand name.)

The full name – le nom complet

The full name – le nom complet

In French, le nom complet literally translates to “the complete name” or “the full name.” It refers to a person's entire given name and surname.

This term is commonly used in formal settings, such as on official documents, registration forms, or when requesting identification, to ensure all parts of a person's name are provided.

A nom complet typically includes both the prénom (first name or given name) and the nom de famille (last name or surname).

💡 * Veuillez indiquer votre nom complet sur le formulaire. (Please indicate your full name on the form.)

Pour l'inscription, nous avons besoin de votre nom complet et de votre date de naissance. (For registration, we need your full name and date of birth.)

Quel est le nom complet de l'auteur ? (What is the author's full name?)

The proper noun – le nom propre

In French, a proper noun is called un nom propre. Unlike common nouns, which refer to general categories, a proper noun designates a unique person, place, or specific entity. A key characteristic of proper nouns in French, as in English, is that they always begin with a capital letter.

Proper nouns encompass a wide range of specific names. These include: personal names (e.g., Marie, Pierre), geographical names (e.g., Paris, La France, Les Alpes), names of specific buildings or monuments (e.g., La Tour Eiffel, Notre-Dame), days of the week and months when part of a specific date or event (e.g., le Lundi de Pâques), and brand names (e.g., Renault, Air France).

While proper nouns generally do not take indefinite articles (un, une, des), they often combine with definite articles (le, la, les) especially for geographical entities like countries, rivers, or mountains. For example, you say la France (France) or le Rhône (the Rhône river). However, for cities and most personal names, articles are typically omitted: Paris (Paris), Jean (John).

💡 *Marie habite à Lyon. (Marie lives in Lyon.)
*La France est un beau pays. (France is a beautiful country.)
*J'ai visité la Tour Eiffel. (I visited the Eiffel Tower.)
*Il travaille chez Renault. (He works at Renault.)
*Le Mont Blanc est la plus haute montagne d'Europe. (Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in Europe.)

Are there other ways to say 'name' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'name' in French. But there are other terms, from old-fashioned ones, to regional ones, to up-and-coming slang ones this middle-aged author might not even be aware of!

You can also do an online search for 'comment dire nom en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for nom on this list. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to talk about names.

And if you’re looking for ways to talk about different kinds of names, or words about identity in French, the WordReference entry for nom is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is a fitting quote to finish it with, courtesy of Voltaire: Le nom n'est rien, mais la personne est tout. (The name is nothing, but the person is everything.)

9 ways to say "name" in French