girl's name
Agathe
ah-GAHT
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 100 (France)
- Births on record 63,897
France
#13
2025 births
Agathe is a girl's name of Greek origin meaning simply "good," from agathos. It ranks thirteenth in France and belongs to Saint Agatha, a third-century Sicilian martyr, though the modern French usage is a fashion revival rather than a devotional one.
- Agathe is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 2021, when 2,020 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 295 babies in France is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1900.
Agathe over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 1,085 |
| 1910s | 680 |
| 1920s | 710 |
| 1930s | 450 |
| 1940s | 350 |
| 1950s | 315 |
| 1960s | 805 |
| 1970s | 1,965 |
| 1980s | 4,685 |
| 1990s | 10,725 |
| 2000s | 13,420 |
| 2010s | 15,555 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 11,590 |
What Agathe means
Agathe means good. The Greek agathos is the ordinary adjective for good or kind, so unlike most saints' names this one describes a quality directly rather than through a compound.
Where Agathe comes from
Agathe is the French form of Agatha, from the Greek agathos, good. Saint Agatha of Sicily was martyred at Catania in the third century and became one of the most widely venerated early saints, invoked against fire and against the eruptions of Etna. Her name spread across Latin Christendom and produced Agathe in French, Agata in Italian and Spanish, and Agata or Ágota in central Europe. The stone agate takes its name from a Sicilian river rather than from the saint, though the two are frequently confused. The French revival is recent: the name was thoroughly old-fashioned for most of the twentieth century before returning.
Agathe in use
Agathe ranks thirteenth in France with about 2,000 births in 2025, and our records show it entering the French series only in 2000, which confirms it as a revival rather than a continuous tradition. It has not traveled at all: England and Wales place it beyond 6,000 and the United States beyond 15,000, where the English Agatha remains firmly associated with Agatha Christie and reads as historical.
How popular is Agathe?
In 2025, Agathe was given to 2,000 babies in France, ranking #13 that year. It is one of the most popular names in France.
Where Agathe is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Agathe
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Agathe also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Agathe over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Agathe in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Agathe
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Agathe — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Agathe
What does the name Agathe mean?
Agathe means "good," from the Greek agathos.
Is Agathe the French form of Agatha?
Yes. Agatha is the Greek and English form; Agathe is French, Agata Italian and Spanish.
Is the gemstone agate related?
No. The stone is named after a Sicilian river, though the two are often confused.
How popular is Agathe?
Thirteenth in France, but beyond 6,000 in England and Wales.
Is Agathe a girl's or a boy's name?
Agathe is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
Is Agathe a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Agathe currently ranks #13 in France. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.