Frances
Frances is a boy's name of Latin origin.
Meaning
Free man; Frenchman.
Origin and history
Frances is historically a feminine spelling of the Latin-derived name meaning 'free one' or 'from France', though it has a long legacy of masculine usage as well. While Francis is the standard male spelling in modern U.S. practice, Frances has been given to over 5,000 boys in official U.S. records since 1880. It remains an enduring, classic name with unisex cross-over history.
Popularity in the United States
5,024 babies in the United States have been named Frances since 1880. It ranks #1722 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1893.
States where it is most popular
- NY (25 %)
- PA (16.3 %)
- IL (9.9 %)
- TX (8.1 %)
- SC (6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 139 |
| 1890-1900 | 155 |
| 1900-1910 | 222 |
| 1910-1920 | 724 |
| 1920-1930 | 1,107 |
| 1930-1940 | 925 |
| 1940-1950 | 505 |
| 1950-1960 | 404 |
| 1960-1970 | 268 |
| 1970-1980 | 174 |
| 1980-1990 | 166 |
| 1990-2000 | 111 |
| 2000-2010 | 53 |
| 2010-2019 | 37 |
| 2020-2029 | 34 |
Famous people named Frances
- Frances Bavier: Actress
Nicknames
Fran, Frank, Frankie
Fun facts
- Historically, 'Francis' was used for males and 'Frances' for females, though cross-spelling has occurred for centuries in official records.
- The name traces back to the Germanic tribe of the Franks, whose name was associated with the Old French word for 'free'.