Francis Name Meaning

The name Francis is generally understood to mean “free” or “Frenchman”. However, the true meaning of the name is a bit more complex. The name Francis was originally given to boys born in France, and it was meant to reflect the cultural and linguistic ties of the person to the country. Over time, the name evolved to symbolize freedom and liberation in a more abstract sense. Today, many parents choose the name Francis for their sons because they associate it with the qualities of freedom, independence, and courage.

Origins of the Name Francis

Francis, a classic name with a rich history, has been a popular choice for boys for centuries. Its roots can be traced back to the Latin word “franciscus”, which means “free man” or “Frenchman”. The name is most famously associated with Saint Francis of Assisi, the Catholic friar who lived in the 12th and 13th centuries. He is considered the patron saint of animals and the environment, and his teachings have inspired many people over the centuries.

Popularity of the Name Francis

The name Francis has been popular for centuries, and its popularity has remained relatively steady over time. In the early 20th century, Francis was one of the most popular names in the United States, and it remained in the top 100 names for boys until the 1960s. Today, the name is still popular, but it has fallen out of the top 100 names. Despite this, Francis is still a popular choice for boys, and it is especially popular among Catholic families.

Famous Francis

Throughout history, many famous people have borne the name Francis. Perhaps the most famous Francis is Saint Francis of Assisi, who is remembered for his devotion to God and his love of nature. Other famous Francises include:

  • Francis Bacon, the English philosopher and statesman
  • Francis Ford Coppola, the American film director and producer
  • Francis Drake, the English explorer and pirate
  • Francis Scott Fitzgerald, the American writer and author of “The Great Gatsby”
  • Francis Gary Powers, the American pilot who was shot down during the Cold War.

One fun fact about the name Francis is that it has been used as a nickname for many famous people over the years. For example, George Washington was sometimes referred to as “Francis” because of his association with the ideals of freedom and liberty. Similarly, the famous writer and philosopher Francis Bacon was often called “Frank” or “Francis”. These nicknames reflect the close connection between the name Francis and the values of freedom and independence.

Final Thoughts on the Name Francis

Francis is a classic name with a rich history and a deep connection to the ideals of freedom and independence. Whether you are a parent looking for a strong and meaningful name for your son, or simply someone who is interested in the history of names, Francis is definitely a name worth considering. With its enduring popularity and association with some of history’s most famous and influential figures, the name Francis is sure to remain a classic choice for generations to come.

Infographic of Francis name meaning, which is “The free.” From the Germanic Franko, the name of a people on the Rhine who referred to themselves as “the free.”
Ask your friends & family about Francis…

Francis Name Popularity

How popular is the name Francis? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 36 978 0.2778%
1911 34 1,293 0.3472%
1912 35 2,505 0.4967%
1913 30 3,201 0.5646%
1914 31 3,890 0.5582%
1915 29 5,588 0.6151%
1916 30 5,643 0.5842%
1917 30 5,797 0.5794%
1918 30 6,345 0.5912%
1919 34 5,725 0.5467%
1920 34 6,237 0.5609%
1921 35 6,290 0.5493%
1922 34 6,143 0.5514%
1923 34 6,083 0.5431%
1924 34 6,127 0.5276%
1925 35 5,972 0.5284%
1926 35 5,786 0.5261%
1927 36 5,643 0.5098%
1928 40 5,507 0.5147%
1929 39 5,268 0.5086%
1930 42 4,986 0.4773%
1931 42 4,730 0.4792%
1932 43 4,387 0.444%
1933 45 4,091 0.4391%
1934 49 3,998 0.4136%
1935 53 3,886 0.3999%
1936 50 3,868 0.4015%
1937 55 3,721 0.3776%
1938 51 3,941 0.385%
1939 53 3,716 0.3653%
1940 61 3,596 0.3383%
1941 60 3,732 0.3316%
1942 58 4,293 0.34%
1943 63 4,065 0.3114%
1944 71 3,646 0.2942%
1945 75 3,440 0.2821%
1946 80 4,000 0.2711%
1947 84 4,208 0.2521%
1948 79 4,206 0.2635%
1949 78 4,279 0.266%
1950 86 4,079 0.2533%
1951 85 4,199 0.2477%
1952 89 3,973 0.2276%
1953 90 3,863 0.2183%
1954 94 3,681 0.2014%
1955 101 3,427 0.1863%
1956 111 3,283 0.1738%
1957 128 2,927 0.1521%
1958 135 2,606 0.1379%
1959 136 2,635 0.1387%
1960 145 2,409 0.1271%
1961 148 2,329 0.1234%
1962 148 2,286 0.1245%
1963 153 2,154 0.12%
1964 158 2,051 0.1165%
1965 164 1,799 0.11%
1966 164 1,667 0.1068%
1967 168 1,561 0.1029%
1968 175 1,495 0.0996%
1969 190 1,398 0.0907%
1970 193 1,367 0.0859%
1971 200 1,187 0.079%
1972 223 939 0.0689%
1973 225 931 0.0718%
1974 234 843 0.0649%
1975 219 919 0.0715%
1976 241 805 0.0625%
1977 235 865 0.0642%
1978 228 889 0.0661%
1979 238 890 0.0631%
1980 247 875 0.0598%
1981 237 939 0.0639%
1982 237 953 0.0638%
1983 234 928 0.0629%
1984 247 856 0.0575%
1985 247 883 0.0582%
1986 252 859 0.0569%
1987 248 904 0.0592%
1988 245 925 0.0594%
1989 274 871 0.054%
1990 285 871 0.0526%
1991 313 784 0.0481%
1992 319 762 0.0477%
1993 337 703 0.0451%
1994 342 683 0.0445%
1995 353 651 0.0432%
1996 393 558 0.0373%
1997 388 577 0.039%
1998 413 535 0.0357%
1999 436 493 0.0329%
2000 442 506 0.0331%
2001 456 486 0.0323%
2002 514 402 0.0268%
2003 526 408 0.0268%
2004 530 405 0.0266%
2005 533 413 0.027%
2006 578 384 0.0245%
2007 619 349 0.0221%
2008 676 305 0.0197%
2009 700 292 0.0195%
2010 673 302 0.021%
2011 606 346 0.0243%
2012 597 369 0.0259%
2013 503 495 0.0348%
2014 476 549 0.0377%
2015 478 574 0.0394%
2016 477 594 0.0412%
2017 463 604 0.0433%
2018 474 562 0.0409%
2019 477 554 0.0409%
2020 484 561 0.0441%
2021 464 603 0.0493%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Francis

If you like Francis, you’ll love these other names like Francis.

What names are diminutives of Francis?

A diminutive is a name that’s like Francis sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Francis, but shorter.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Frank

Frenchman

English

What names are variants of Francis?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Francis.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Chico

Boy, lad

Spanish

Ferenc

Free man

Hungarian

Feri

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Fran

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Francesco

Frenchman; free man

Spanish

Franche

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franchesco

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franchesko

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franchot

French

Francisco

From France

Spanish

Franciscus

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franciskus

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franco

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Francois

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franio

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Frank

Frenchman

English

Frankie

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franko

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Frann

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Frannie

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Frans

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Fransisco

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Frants

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Frantz

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franz

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franzel

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franzen

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Franzin

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Frasco

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Frascuelo

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Frasquito

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Paco

Free

Spanish

Pacorro

Frenchman; free man

Spanish

Panchito

Frenchman; free man

Latin

Pancho

Spanish

Paquito

Spanish

Lists With Francis

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Francis.

4 Comments

  1. I love the name Frank. But my husband thought it was too informal. His name is just Leo, so I took his word for it. I suggested Franklin as a name, but he said it was like the turtle. (This is when I learned that my husband was picky with names.) I hadn’t suggested Francis before because I thought he wouldn’t like it. Unlikely enough, he came to me with the name. I agreed immediately. So then we had our first name, but the middle was undecided, we were going to choose our second choice but they were all names like Franklin. So his name would be Frank Franklin which is a recipe for teasing. We thought about Luke or Bryce but neither of us was a fan of the 1 syllable name with Francis or Frank. We wanted that was great for both Frank and Francis. I wanted Mason, but my husband hates names with “son” as a middle name because “It sounds like a last name.” At that point I was just tired of names, I told him to chose names and I would decide if I liked it. It was weeks before he came to me with a name. Xavi, I was just like “Okay.” But the more I thought of it the more I liked it. his initials are F.X.L, which is really cool.

    Reply

  2. We picked the name Francis for our son because St. Francis of Assisi is my husband, Nick’s favorite Saint. We’re looking forward to teaching our son about the man he was named after.

    Reply

  3. It’s a girl. We like it.

    Reply

  4. We love the St. Francis prayer, “make me a channel of your peace…” (it goes on and is basically the “be the change you wish to see in the world” prayer) and we thought Frankie as a nick name was very cute. Turns out it fits him perfectly!

    Reply

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