The first name Francis
A boy’s name from Latin meaning “frankish (man)”, “a frank”, “frankland”.
Pronounced /ˈfɹænsɪs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Francis means “frankish (man)”, “a frank”, “frankland” in Latin.
Borrowed from Medieval Latin Franciscus (“Frankish (man); a Frank”), from Francia (“Frankland”)). Doublet of Francisco and Franz.
A form of Frances.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 262 boys were named Francis, making it the 193rd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2019, with 264 births (#196).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Francis with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Francis at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 769 boys born in the United States were named Francis, the 420th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 6,347 were.
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.
Francis in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Francis in Latvian too.
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Francis
575 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Francis BaconEnglish philosopher and statesman (1561–1626)
- Francis DrakeEnglish sailor and privateer (c. 1540 – 1596)
- Francis Ford CoppolaAmerican filmmaker (born 1939)
- Francis CrickBritish molecular biologist, biophysicist, neuroscientist; co-discoverer of the structure , 1916–2004
- Francis FukuyamaAmerican political scientist, political economist, and author, born 1952
- Francis William AstonBritish chemist (1877-1945)
- Francis GaltonBritish eugenist, polymath, and behavioural geneticist (1822–1911)
- Richard Francis BurtonBritish explorer, army officer, writer and scholar (1821–1890)
- Nevill Francis MottEnglish physicist, Nobel prize winner, 1905–1996
- Charles Francis RichterAmerican seismologist, 1900–1985
- Francis PoulencFrench composer and pianist (1899–1963)
- Francis Peyton RousAmerican scientist (1879-1970)
More Latin boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Francis mean?
- Francis means “frankish (man)”, “a frank”, “frankland” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Francis?
- Borrowed from Medieval Latin Franciscus (“Frankish (man); a Frank”), from Francia (“Frankland”)). Doublet of Francisco and Franz.
- How popular is the name Francis?
- In 2025, 262 boys born in England and Wales were named Francis, ranking 193rd. Its peak was 2019, with 264 births.
- What are nicknames for Francis?
- Common nicknames for Francis include Frank, Fran.
- Is Francis a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 320,322 US babies named Francis since 1880, 9% were girls and 91% boys.
- When was Francis most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 6,347 babies were named Francis, its highest rank at 30th.
- How do you pronounce Francis?
- Francis is /ˈfɹænsɪs/, 2 syllables.
- What name is Francis a form of?
- Francis is a form of Frances.
- What are other spellings of Francis?
- France and Frances.
- Is Francis also a surname?
- Yes. Francis is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.