René (born again, or reborn, in French language) is a very common given name in French-speaking countries. It comes from Latin name Renatus. René is normally, originally only a masculine name (Renée being the feminine form). But in non-Francophone countries, the habit of giving the name René to both boys and girls is now common. It sometimes surprises French speakers. In addition, both forms are used as surnames (family names), probably as a patronymic.
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People
As a first name
- Adrien René Franchet, French botanist
- Alain-René Lesage
- Bernard-René de Launay
- François-René de Chateaubriand
- Frederic René Coudert, Jr.
- Jacques René de Brisay
- Jean René Constant Quoy
- Louis René Édouard
- Louis-René Beaudoin
- René & Angela, 1980s R&B duo
- René Adler
- René Angélil
- René Arnoux
- René Arped Spitz, psychiatrist and psychologist
- René Artois
- René Auberjonois, American actor
- René Barjavel
- René Barrientos
- René Bazin
- René Benjamin
- René Berthiaume
- René Blondlot
- René Blum, French ballet choreographer
- René Blum, Luxembourgian politician
- René Bolf, Czech footballer
- René Boylesve
- René Caillé
- René Cassin
- René Char
- René Clair
- René Clément
- René Coty
- René Crevel, French writer
- René Dahinden
- René Daumal, French surrealist writer
- René de Birague
- René de Laboulaye
- René Descartes
- René Dif
- René Doumic
- René Dreyfus
- René Dubos
- René Dumont
- René Echevarria, television writer and producer
- René Eespere
- René Favaloro
- René Felber, Swiss politician
- René Fonck
- René Fontaine
- René François Artois
- René Girard, French philosopher and historian
- René Goblet
- René Goguen
- René Goscinny
- René Goupil
- René Grousset, French historian
- René Guénon
- René Gusperti, Italian swimmer
- René Guyon
- René Hardy
- René Harris
- René Henriksen
- René Herse
- René Higuita
- René Highway, Canadian dancer and actor
- René I of Naples
- René Iché, French sculptor
- René II of Lorraine
- René Jacobs, Flemish musician
- René Just Haüy
- René Laanen
- René Lacoste
- René Laënnec
- René Lalique
- René Lavand
- René Le Bossu
- René Leboeuf
- René Leibowitz
- René Leriche
- René Lévesque, pro-independence Premier of Quebec
- René Leynaud, unorthodox French Catholic poet, friend of Albert Camus
- René Lohse
- René Louis d’Argenson
- René Lussier
- René Magritte
- René Maheu
- René Malaise, Swedish entomologist
- René Maran
- René Mayer
- René McLean, jazz saxophonist and flautist
- René Moawad
- René Monteagudo
- René Morin
- René Muñoz
- René Nicolas de Maupeou
- René of Alençon
- René of Châlon
- René Pétillon
- René Piché, former politician in Ontario, Canada
- René Pleven, former French prime minister
- René Pottier
- René Préval
- René Rachou, Brazilian physician, specialist in malaria
- René Rapin
- René Réaumur
- René Renoult
- René Richard Louis Castel
- René Robert Cavellier
- René Roch, President of FIE (governing body for fencing)
- Rene Russo, American movie actress
- René Schneider
- René Simard, Quebec pop singer
- René Stockman
- René Strickler
- René Thirifays
- René Thom
- René Thomas, French auto racer
- René van de Kerkhof
- René Vandereycken
- René Van Der Wouden, composer and producer of electronic music
- René Viénet
- René Viviani
- René Voisin
- René Waldeck-Rousseau
- René Wellek
- René Worms
- René, Marquis of Elbeuf
- Renée Adorée
- Renée Cox
- Renée Estevez
- Renée Fleming, American soprano singer
- Renée Geyer
- Renée Jones
- Renée Montagne
- Renée of France
- Renée Rienne
- Renée Soutendijk
- Renée Zellweger
- René-Louis Baire
- René-Prosper Blondlot
- Saint-René Taillandier
As a surname
- France-Albert René, former President of Seychelles
- Leon René, an American music composer and songwriter
- Wendy Rene, American soul singer
Things and places
- 1250 René-Lévesque, formerly known as La Tour IBM-Marathon is a building in Québec, Canada
- Automobiles René Bonnet was a French automobile maker.
- Île René-Levasseur is a large island in the center of Lake Manicouagan in Québec, Canada.
- René Guyon Society was an American group that advocated sexual relationships with children, based on a book on ethics by René Guyon
- René, Sarthe is a commune in the French département of Loire
Book
- René is a novella by Chateaubriand
