The first name Blanche
A girl’s name from French meaning “white”.
1 syllable Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
French origin
Blanche means “white” in French.
From Old French blanc (“white”). The surname originated as a nickname, or as a matronymic.
More names that mean white.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Blanche last appeared in the official list in 2019, given to 3 girls. It peaked in 2004, with 5 births (#3,197).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Blanche with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Blanche at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 16 girls born in the United States were named Blanche, the 6,892nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1917, when 2,836 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Blanche in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Blanche in French too.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Blanche
52 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Blanche of Navarre, Queen of FranceFrench queen consort, 1331–1398
- Blanche of LancasterEnglish noblewoman and heiress, died 1368
- Blanche LincolnAmerican politician, born 1960
- Blanche SweetAmerican actress (1896–1986)
- Blanche MonnierFrench woman kept locked for 25 years (1849–1913)
- Blanche BingleyEnglish tennis player (1863–1946)
- Blanche HuberFirst female doctor in Malta, 1901–1940
- Blanche BakerAmerican actress, born 1956
- Blanche of France, Duchess of OrléansFrench princess, 1328–1393
- Blanche of MontferratDuchess of Savoy and wife of Charles I of Savoy (1472-1519)
- Blanche of France, Duchess of AustriaFrench princess, 1278–1305
- Blanche of NavarreDuchess of Brittany, 1220–1283
More French girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Blanche mean?
- Blanche means “white” in French.
- What is the origin of the name Blanche?
- From Old French blanc (“white”). The surname originated as a nickname, or as a matronymic.
- How popular is the name Blanche?
- In 2019, 3 girls born in England and Wales were named Blanche, ranking 5,591st. Its peak was 2004, with 5 births.
- Is Blanche a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 87,648 US babies named Blanche since 1880 were girls.
- When was Blanche most popular?
- 1917 in the United States, when 2,836 babies were named Blanche, its highest rank at 91st.
- What are other spellings of Blanche?
- Blanch.
- Is Blanche also a surname?
- Yes. Blanche is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.