Francis
Feminine · “Frenchman”
Francis is given to both — 29,832 girls and 290,490 boys since 1880. See Francis as a boy nameSee other names given to both
Francis for a daughter is the older English practice. Before Frances settled as the feminine spelling, both sexes used Francis — and the name means, plainly, a Frenchman.
How old is the name Francis?
Francis was already in use when US birth records began in 1880 — it is at least 145 years old. The typical Francis alive today was born around 1933, making them about 92 years old. About 12,000 people named Francis are estimated to be alive in the US today.
When was the name Francis most popular?
Francis peaked in 1880, reaching #206 nationally. Today it ranks #1684, 1,478 places below that high. See the whole 1880 chart.
Francis appears on these lists:
Where it comes from
From Franciscus to Francis
The story of Francis
Francis of Assisi was baptized John and nicknamed Francesco by a father who traded in France; the nickname became one of the most-given names in Europe. English used Francis for both sexes into the eighteenth century, and the Frances spelling for women settled only gradually. Nineteenth and early twentieth-century American registers still carry Francis for daughters in real numbers, peaking around 1915.
Meaning
Frenchman, free one
From the Latin Franciscus, 'Frenchman'. The Franks who gave France its name were themselves called after a word meaning free — the same root that gives the English 'frank' and 'franchise' — so the name reaches a second sense one step further back.
How the name formed
- Franciscus
- Francis
Related forms: Frances · Francesca · Françoise · Francisca
Pronouncing Francis
FRAN-siss
Two syllables, stress on the first. Francis and Frances are said identically; the spelling carries the whole distinction.
Nicknames for Francis
Moderate
What the data says
146 years of official birth records
The long climb, and where it stands now
The same years in position rather than babies
- First recorded
- 1880
- Most girls named
- 1921661 — the highest on record
- Peak rank
- #206reached in 1880
- Change vs 2022
- +76.8%122 in 2025, from 69
Rank is a position, a count is a headcount, and they move independently — a name can hold its rank while the number of babies behind it falls. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration.
Francis in other languages
The same name elsewhere
- Frances in English — spelling variant
- Francesca in Italian — related form
- Françoise in French — related form
- Francisca in Spanish — related form
Strongest US states over the last decade: Texas, California, Florida.
Franciss among us
people named Francis are estimated to be alive in the US today
About 1 girl in 13,174 born in 2025 was named Francis
Estimated from SSA birth records and published actuarial life tables. Method
Is it right for you
What happens to a name after it peaks
Fashion outlook
Francis is on its second act. Revived names age gently: the generation that wore them first is far enough away that the name feels classic rather than dated.
A scored estimate from 146 years of naming cycles — not a prophecy. Great names outlive statistics. How this is scored
Where Francis is headed
Francis should hold steady through 2030 — the curve is flat, and flat curves are the most predictable kind.
Medium confidence — fitted on official counts through 2025.
A damped-trend projection of the official birth data — a sketch of momentum, not a promise. Every name's forecast, ranked.
Francis beside its neighbors
The names ranked closest to Francis in 2025, in babies rather than position — the bars are to scale.
US girls given each name in 2025.
The trade-off
- Five centuries of English use and a saint at the root.
- Fran and Frankie are both available and are very different in feel.
- It carries a real piece of English orthographic history.
- The i spelling now reads as masculine to nearly everyone.
- Frances is the standard feminine spelling and will be assumed.
Nobody names a baby alone.
Put Francis to the vote.
Add it to a family vote or a couple’s swipe deck — the other person gets one card, a simple answer and room to say why. No app, no account for them.
Only the people you invite can see your list.
Already decided on Francis? Hide it among decoys and let them guess.
What they receive
Someone added a name to your list
Francis
Feminine · #1684 in the U.S.
Frequently asked
- How many Franciss are there in the world?
- No country counts the world's names, so there is no worldwide figure — anyone quoting one is estimating. About 12,000 people named Francis are estimated to be alive in the US today.
- How popular is the name Francis in 2025?
- Francis ranks #1684 among US girl names in 2025, with 122 babies given the name.
- How rare is the name Francis?
- About 1 in every 13,174 US girls born in 2025 was named Francis — 122 in all.
- Will my child share the name Francis with classmates?
- Francis will almost certainly be the only one in school.
Ranked beside Francis
Names sitting at a similar level of popularity right now.
Nechama#1684 · Janae#1684 · Jamila#1684 · Soleia#1684 · Aadya#1684 · Milah#1684 · Maliah#1684 · Tahlia#1692
Looking for what else is popular rather than what resembles Francis? See the current top 100.
Choosing between Francis and another name?
See them side by side — full stats, history and a gentle verdict.
Compare side by sideIn a hurry? Just pick a winner — one tap, no sign-up, and you see how everyone else voted.
Weighing a whole shortlist? Add the rest in the builder, or settle it with a bracket.
Cast your vote
Which one would you pick?
Your gut first, the numbers after — the split shows once you pick.
US figures from the Social Security Administration. 1880–2025. Data & methodology
No advertising trackers and no data sellinghow we handle your dataindependent and founder-run, about Name Battle