Benoît
/bə.nwa/
Benoît is the French way to say the male given name Benoit.
Benoît is a male given name. An informal and affectionate way to address someone with this name is through the shortened form Beno.
Which one should you use?
Benoît is the standard masculine form of the name, while Benoîte is the feminine version.
How do you pronounce it?
The name has two syllables and is pronounced /bə.nwa/.
Did you know?
- The name Benoît is a 'doublet' of the word benêt, which in modern French is a derogatory term for a 'silly' or 'simpleton' person. Despite sharing the same ancient root of 'blessed', the two words have moved in opposite directions in meaning.
- In modern French, you will almost never encounter the feminine version of the name, Benoîte. While it exists, the name is now used almost exclusively for males.
- The name Benoît is a linguistic 'doublet' of the French adjective béni, meaning 'blessed'.
Examples in context
- Je connais un homme nommé Benoît.I know a man named Benoît.
- Est-ce que Benoît est là ?Is Benoît here?
- Benoît travaille dans cette banque.Benoît works in this bank.
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are talking about a mutual friend at a cafe.
- ManonTu as vu Benoît aujourd'hui ?Have you seen Benoît today?
- NathanNon, je n'ai pas vu Benoît.No, I haven't seen Benoît.
- ManonIl est peut-être au bureau.He is perhaps at the office.
- NathanC'est possible, il travaille beaucoup.That's possible, he works a lot.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Benoît, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Benoît, benoît, CC BY-SA 4.0.
