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    The first name France

    A unisex name meaning “a frank”, “javelin”.

    Pronounced /fɹæns/ 1 syllable Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    France means “a frank”, “javelin”.

    From Middle English France, from Old French France, from Latin Francia, from Francī, the name of a Germanic tribe, of unclear (but Proto-Germanic) origin. Believed to be most likely from Frankish *Frankō (“a Frank”), from Proto-Germanic *frankô (“javelin”). Compare Frank. Displaced native Old English Francland (see modern Frankland).

    A form of Frances, Francis.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named France at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2021, 5 boys born in the United States were named France, the 12,744th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 39 were.

    02040 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    1,538
    babies named France since 1880
    #12,744
    rank in 2021
    1918
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    France in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    فَرَنْسَا f or فَرَنْسَة
    faransā
    Arabic, also فَرَنْجَة, فرنسا
    Ֆրանսիա
    Fransia
    Armenian
    Фра́нция
    Fráncija
    Bulgarian
    França
    Catalan
    Фагуй
    Faguy
    Chinese, also Фагуә, 法國 /法国
    Francie
    Czech
    Frankrig
    Danish
    Frankrijk
    Dutch
    Francio
    Esperanto, also Francujo
    Prantsusmaa
    Estonian
    Ranska
    Finnish
    საფრანგეთი
    saprangeti
    Georgian
    Frankreich
    German, also Frankriich, Frankrych
    Γαλλία
    Gallía
    Greek
    צָרְפַת
    tsarfát
    Hebrew
    फ़्रांस
    frāns
    Hindi, also फ़्रान्स
    Franciaország
    Hungarian
    Frakkland
    Icelandic
    Prancis
    Indonesian, also Perancis
    an Fhrainc
    Irish
    Francia
    Italian
    フランス
    Furansu
    Japanese, also 仏蘭西
    프랑스
    Peurangseu
    Korean, also 불란서
    Gallia
    Latin, also Francia, Francogallia

    Spelled France in French too.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    • Fraunce

    Famous people named France

    16 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • France Nuyen
      French actress, born 1939
    • France A. Córdova
      American astrophysicist and university president (born 1947)
    • France Gareau
      Canadian athletics competitor (born 1967)
    • France Roche
      French actress, 1921–2013
    • France Anglade
      French actress (1942–2014)
    • France Castel
      Canadian actor, television presenter and radio host, born 1944
    • France Jamet
      French politician, born 1961
    • Marie-France Dufour
      French singer (1949-1990)
    • France Clidat
      French pianist, 1932–2012
    • France Saint-Louis
      Canadian ice hockey player, born 1958
    • France Ellegaard
      Finnish musician and pianist (1913–1999)
    • France Rumilly
      French actress, born 1939

    Questions

    What does the name France mean?
    France means “a frank”, “javelin”.
    Is France a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 1,538 US babies named France since 1880, 75% were girls and 25% boys.
    When was France most popular?
    1918 in the United States, when 39 babies were named France, its highest rank at 1,100th.
    How do you pronounce France?
    France is /fɹæns/, one syllable.
    What name is France a form of?
    France is a form of Frances and Francis.
    What are other spellings of France?
    Fraunce.
    Is France also a surname?
    Yes. France is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.