French boys' names that are easy to pronounce

[BlueBelle81]

I am expecting a baby in June and I'm really stuck for boys names.

I already have a little boy called Raphael and I just can't think of another name I love as much.

I was very keen on Aubrey but I think it's being used for girls more and more and DH blows hot and cold on it.
I am of French origin and I'd like a name that reflects that and can be easily pronounced in French and English (and won't make his life unbearable in a West Yorkshire comprehensive....)

My husband likes Gabriel (but that would be 2 archangels) and Laszlo (would feel a bit funny as it's neither French nor English)
I like various unsuitable french names...Guillaume especially.

Please help! I'd love to read your suggestions.

Aurèle

I was once madly in love with a Loic. Think he was Breton. He pronounced it "loh-eek"

I lived in St. Quentin in Picardie and my folks back home had real problems pronouncing that.

I like Emile and Pierre.

These are thé names of my primary aged friends.
Pierre, Jean, Gaspard, Augustin, Aurélien, Gaston, Antonin, Léo, Victor, Louis, Louison, Aloys, Paul, Amaury, Loïc, Édouard.

Oh and my favorite Cyprien.

Loïc

Gabriel

I know a lovely French family with a little boy called Gabin (Ga-ban) and his sister is Manon. They're delightful!

French boys in my family:
Raphael (I know you have this one already!)
Thibault
Guillaume
Antoine
Quentin (Would never be pronounced correctly in England!)
Romain (Goes by Roman in England which is easy enough for English people to get!)
Joris (Again probably wouldn’t be pronounced properly ever)
I also know an Anselme, Gaspard, Leopold (really like this one!)
If I get my own way though my half French child will be Gabriel!

Noé?

Personally I wouldn't use Gabriel because the French pronunciation sounds like the girl's name Gabrielle. Same with Daniel / Danielle.

I love the name Loic. Pronounced as written: low ick.

ikeakia Gee-ome (like home without the H for the second syllable)

Nicolas
Quentin
Adrian
Philippe
Gerard

Marcel and Pascal are gorgeous names.

My short list is

Valentin
Thibault
Aloïs
Sylvain
Joachim
Aubrey
With Gabriel and Nathaniel in hand of the negotiations get really stuck! Just have to see what's on DH's list!

Nice shortlist, I think English speakers would really struggle with Aloïs though (I ruled out Anais for a girl for the same reason).
My favourite is Valentin.
Good luck with DH!

Maurice
Leo
Theodore
Emile

What's wrong with renaming the rabbit? I know a family that did this with the cat (Tabitha). Cat now long-forgotten, baby Tabitha now in her 40s and fully owns her name!

Clement
Emile

Gabriel is still the stand out for me.

I like Valentin and Thibault. But in the U.K Valentin will be Valentine. And I don’t think Aloïs or Thibault will work. Aloïs will be Aloyse or Aloeis, And Thibault will be Thigh or Tie bolt or bowlt. (I have a French friend called Thibault - so this is from experience.).

Aubrey is very much a girls name in the US and that will impact usage here.

So from your list Sylvain and Joachim are the only ones that really work Imo.

There are three Remys in my DC's fairly small school and they are all boys

I love be Valentin, Quentin and Thibault and know French friends with these names. Yes, they're pronounced differently in both languages but once explained, pretty easy to remember imo.

I don't like Joachim at all. It's an old fashioned German name pronounced Yo ach eem. Really tricky for English speakers!!

I found the french don't really know Nathaniel, they think it's Nathanaël. But if you're mainly in the UK, it'll be fine!

Alex
Charles
Daniel
Henri
Jules
Matt
Max
Maxime
Paul
Pierre
Roman
Samuel
Simon
Theo
Thomas
Victor

Ok so some famous French footballers are called:

Nicolas (Anelka)
Thierry (henry)
Didier (Deschamps)
Zinedine (Zidane)
Marcel (Desailly)
Just (Fontaine)
Laurent (Blanc)
Fabien (Barthez)

Could earn cool points?