Where does the name Francis come from?

Francis is a boy name of Latin origin.

Is Francis a boy or a girl name?

Francis is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 9% of children given the name Francis are girls and 91% are boys.

How popular is the name Francis in 2023?

Francis ranks #2004 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1918 with 7,000 babies.

How do you pronounce Francis?

Francis is pronounced FRAN-siss (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Francis?

Francis is also written as Francisco, François, Francesco.

A name from Latin · Boy

Francis

From the medieval Latin Franciscus meaning 'Frenchman' — originally a nickname applied to Saint Francis of Assisi (born Giovanni) by his cloth-merchant father, who admired French culture.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

289,026 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

775 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

FFrom the medieval Latin Franciscus meaning 'Frenchman' — originally a nickname applied to Saint Francis of Assisi (born Giovanni) by his cloth-merchant father, who admired French culture.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Francis".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Francisco Most common François Francesco

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Francis.

F
Pope Francis
F
Francis Ford Coppola (director)
F
Francis Bacon (philosopher and painter)

Quick answers

People often ask about Francis.

What does the name Francis mean?: Francis means from the medieval Latin Franciscus meaning 'Frenchman' — originally a nickname applied to Saint Francis of Assisi (born Giovanni) by his cloth-merchant father, who admired French culture.
Where does the name Francis come from?: Francis is a boy name of Latin origin.
Is Francis a boy or a girl name?: Francis is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 9% of children given the name Francis are girls and 91% are boys.
How popular is the name Francis in 2023?: Francis ranks #2004 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1918 with 7,000 babies.
How do you pronounce Francis?: Francis is pronounced FRAN-siss (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Francis?: Francis is also written as Francisco, François, Francesco.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.