With more than 24,000 French women named in 2025, this female choice of Persian origin still seduces young parents and settled solidly in the top 100 of the most given names.
A first name steeped in history and symbols
Derived from Persian meaning “Dawn”, this first name crosses the centuries by carrying in him an aura of light and renewal. It was popularized from Antiquity by Roxane, wife of Alexander the Great in the 4th century, a striking figure of the Seleucid dynasty. In France, he experienced a sustainable notoriety thanks to literature and theater, notably with the famous heroine of Cyrano de Bergerac imagined by Edmond Rostand.
A heroine who marked the collective imagination
In the play, the heroine is first seduced by Christian’s poems before discovering, too late, that they had actually been written by Cyrano. This romantic figure, both touching and passionate, has largely contributed to anchor this first name in French cultural memory. Since then, it symbolizes both sensitivity, curiosity and courage.
Cultural variants and influences
The English -speaking version Roxanne, carried by around 4,200 French people in 2025, appears for its part in the Top 500. It owes part of its success to the cult song of the Police, released in 1978, which resonated this first name on the international scene. In France, the most common form, however, remains that to a single “n”.
Current characterology and trends
Onomastics specialists associate this first name with features such as determination, independence and dynamism, all qualities that attract many parents today. Present in the selection of highly growth first names of the Top 100, it is part of a movement in which light and poetic first names with singular sounds are distinguished.