Is Francis a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Francis is commonly used as a Unisex name.

How popular is Francis?

It’s currently ranked #407 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

How do you pronounce Francis?

FRAN-sis · IPA: //ˈfrænsɪs//

Francis Unisex

Popularity: #407 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

PronunciationFRAN-sis / /ˈfrænsɪs/

Latin; French

Meaning

Latin: free man; French: from France

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Francis is derived from the Latin name Franciscus, meaning 'Frenchman' or 'free man'. It became popular in the Christian tradition due to Saint Francis of Assisi, who is known for his love of nature and animals. The name has been widely used in various cultures, particularly in Europe, and has several variants and forms. It has also been borne by numerous popes, enhancing its significance in religious contexts.

Trend Summary

Francis has seen fluctuating popularity in the U.S., with a resurgence in recent years.

Variants

Frances
Frank

International Variants

Francesco (Italian)
François (French)
Francisco (Spanish)
Franz (German)

Famous people named Francis

Francis of Assisi was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher known for his devotion to poverty and nature.

Francis Bacon was an English philosopher and statesman who is credited with developing the scientific method.

Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director and producer known for his work on 'The Godfather' series.

Fictional characters named Francis

Francis is a character in the animated series 'Franklin', known for being a supportive friend.

Francis Underwood is a character in the political drama 'House of Cards', known for his ruthless ambition.

Sibling Suggestions

Felix Frederick Fiona Florence Finn Faith

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Francis was first seen in the United States in 1880. Francis has ranked as high as #68 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, and New Jersey. In the past 5 years the name Francis has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Francis (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
PA	54	9%
NY	53	9%
CA	45	8%
OH	40	7%
MI	35	6%
MN	29	5%
MA	29	5%
IL	27	5%
TX	26	4%
FL	26	4%
VA	22	4%
WI	17	3%
WA	16	3%
GA	15	3%
MO	14	2%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	344
1881	259
1882	327
1883	285
1884	340
1885	319
1886	344
1887	327
1888	353
1889	346
1890	363
1891	333
1892	429
1893	418
1894	423
1895	480
1896	551
1897	496
1898	541
1899	501
1900	652
1901	543
1902	597
1903	665
1904	686
1905	685
1906	737
1907	717
1908	853
1909	886
1910	1,000
1911	1,311
1912	2,516
1913	3,205
1914	3,901
1915	5,594
1916	5,652
1917	5,801
1918	6,347
1919	5,726
1920	6,241
1921	6,293
1922	6,147
1923	6,087
1924	6,131
1925	5,978
1926	5,789
1927	5,644
1928	5,516
1929	5,270
1930	4,990
1931	4,735
1932	4,388
1933	4,093
1934	4,006
1935	3,894
1936	3,876
1937	3,730
1938	3,951
1939	3,721
1940	3,607
1941	3,738
1942	4,297
1943	4,068
1944	3,651
1945	3,449
1946	4,006
1947	4,207
1948	4,215
1949	4,282
1950	4,082
1951	4,200
1952	3,979
1953	3,875
1954	3,686
1955	3,439
1956	3,301
1957	2,936
1958	2,619
1959	2,648
1960	2,419
1961	2,344
1962	2,293
1963	2,174
1964	2,067
1965	1,815
1966	1,696
1967	1,583
1968	1,516
1969	1,429
1970	1,390
1971	1,209
1972	989
1973	979
1974	888
1975	957
1976	836
1977	897
1978	940
1979	930
1980	922
1981	974
1982	981
1983	961
1984	902
1985	935
1986	915
1987	949
1988	952
1989	921
1990	919
1991	824
1992	803
1993	753
1994	726
1995	697
1996	607
1997	628
1998	580
1999	542
2000	559
2001	546
2002	464
2003	465
2004	456
2005	463
2006	451
2007	402
2008	368
2009	359
2010	358
2011	387
2012	430
2013	538
2014	593
2015	622
2016	638
2017	661
2018	610
2019	605
2020	616
2021	637
2022	664
2023	675
2024	693