Frances
Frances is a girl's name of Latin origin.
Meaning
Free one or person from France.
Origin and history
Frances is a traditional English feminine name derived from the Late Latin name Franciscus, meaning 'Frenchman' or 'free man'. It has a rich history in the English-speaking world, maintained as a classic favorite for centuries. In the United States, it is a well-established rank-44 historical name that continues to see steady modern usage.
Popularity in the United States
595,697 babies in the United States have been named Frances since 1880. It ranks #44 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #385.
States where it is most popular
- NY (11.2 %)
- PA (7.2 %)
- TX (6.1 %)
- CA (4.9 %)
- IL (4.7 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 9,182 |
| 1890-1900 | 18,090 |
| 1900-1910 | 28,499 |
| 1910-1920 | 105,599 |
| 1920-1930 | 140,391 |
| 1930-1940 | 92,117 |
| 1940-1950 | 85,448 |
| 1950-1960 | 51,200 |
| 1960-1970 | 25,001 |
| 1970-1980 | 11,337 |
| 1980-1990 | 8,490 |
| 1990-2000 | 6,068 |
| 2000-2010 | 3,959 |
| 2010-2019 | 5,467 |
| 2020-2029 | 4,849 |
Famous people named Frances
- Frances Perkins: Politician, Sociologist
- Frances McDormand: Actress, Producer
- Frances Hodgson Burnett: Novelist, Playwright
Nicknames
Fran, Frankie, Franny
Fun facts
- Historically in English, 'Frances' with an 'e' developed as the standard feminine spelling, while 'Francis' with an 'i' was used for males.
- Frances was consistently ranked among the top 10 most popular female names in the United States during the early 20th century.