Girl name · Latin
Frances
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: Frenchwoman, from FranceFrances is a girl's name that comes from Latin and means "Frenchwoman, from France". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Frenchwoman, from France
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #318 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Frances
As a girl's name, Frances comes from Latin and means "Frenchwoman, from France". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Frances on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Frances on 2 lists.
“Frenchwoman; Latin. Vintage and warm”
From Girl middle names, classic girl middle names
“Frenchwoman, from France; Latin. Frankie for short”
From Vintage girl names, old fashioned girl names from the 1900s to 1920s
How popular is Frances?
- US rank in 2025
- #318
- 960 babies, 597 per million girls
- Best rank
- #8 in 1918
- 16,132 babies that year
- Babies since 1880
- At least 595,697
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 6,995 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 8,143 per million |
| 1900s | 9,735 per million |
| 1910s | 12,947 per million |
| 1920s | 11,746 per million |
| 1930s | 8,639 per million |
| 1940s | 5,899 per million |
| 1950s | 2,662 per million |
| 1960s | 1,369 per million |
| 1970s | 734 per million |
| 1980s | 494 per million |
| 1990s | 337 per million |
| 2000s | 214 per million |
| 2010s | 312 per million |
| 2020s | 498 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #447 | #437 | #442 | #438 | #418 | #393 | #419 | #405 | #375 | #318 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Nicknames for Frances
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Francommon English nickname
- Frankiecommon English nickname
- Fannycommon English nickname
Other forms of Frances
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- FrancaA Frenchwoman (Latin, girl)
- FrancescaA Frenchwoman (Latin, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- EnzoItalian name, from Heinz, a form of Henry; popular in France (Germanic, boy)
- FranciscaA Frenchwoman (Latin, girl)
- FrançoiseA Frenchwoman (Latin, girl)
- PaquitaDiminutive of Francisca, a Frenchwoman (Latin, girl)
Middle names for Frances
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Latin
- LauraLaurel tree (Latin, girl)
- OliviaOlive tree (Latin, girl)
- CarinaDear, beloved (Latin, girl)
- EmiliaRival, striving to equal (Latin, girl)
- FloraFlower, blossom (Latin, girl)
- MarinaOf the sea (Latin, girl)
- ReginaQueen (Latin, girl)
- ValentinaStrong, healthy (Latin, girl)
- CelesteHeavenly, of the sky (Latin, girl)
- ClaraClear, bright (Latin, girl)
- DianaDivine, heavenly (Latin, girl)
- JulianaFeminine form of Julian, from the Roman family name Julius (Latin, girl)
- LuciaLight, brightness (Latin, girl)
- RosaRose flower (Latin, girl)
- SabinaSabine woman (Latin, girl)
- AlmaSoul, nourishing (Latin, girl)
- AmandaWorthy of love (Latin, girl)
- AureliaGolden (Latin, girl)
Frances: common questions
What does the name Frances mean?
Frances comes from Latin and means "Frenchwoman, from France".
Is Frances a boy or girl name?
Frances is mainly a girl's name. In 2025, 960 girls and 6 boys in the US were named Frances, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are nicknames for Frances?
Common nicknames for Frances include Fran, Frankie and Fanny.
How popular is the name Frances?
Frances ranked #318 in the US in 2025, with 960 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Frances?
Forms of Frances with the same meaning and origin include Franca (Italian) and Francesca (Italian).
What middle names go with Frances?
Middle names that flow well with Frances include Esme, Honor, Jane, Joy and June. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.