France was first called Gaul.
Gaul was the name used by the Romans for the region inhabited by Celtic tribes, roughly corresponding to modern-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, parts of Switzerland, and parts of northern Italy. This period predates the formation of France as a unified kingdom. The Romans gradually conquered Gaul between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, incorporating it into the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire.
Later, after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Franks, a Germanic tribe, conquered the area in the 5th century AD. The land then became known as Frankia, deriving its name from the Franks. Frankia eventually evolved into the Kingdom of France.
In summary, while "Gaul" represents the area's earliest known name, "Frankia" signifies the beginning of what would eventually become France.
