Francis
From Latin Franciscus, meaning Frenchman, originally a byname for a Frank. It spread across Europe after the thirteenth-century friar of Assisi bore it.
Francis in 2025
Francis was given to 891 babies in the United States in 2025 — 769 boys and 122 girls, making it the 719th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 3,721 babies born.
The history of Francis
Francis reached its highest point in 1918, when 7,000 babies were given the name, ranking 63rd that year. Its best-ever ranking was 61st, in 1915.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 320,322 babies have been named Francis. Half of them were born before 1936, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Silent Generation.
Francis by decade
| Decade | Babies named Francis | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 3,915 | 105 |
| 1890s | 5,625 | 115 |
| 1900s | 8,450 | 110 |
| 1910s | 45,446 | 61 |
| 1920s | 65,206 | 68 |
| 1930s | 44,960 | 81 |
| 1940s | 42,400 | 114 |
| 1950s | 36,880 | 168 |
| 1960s | 20,830 | 300 |
| 1970s | 11,290 | 389 |
| 1980s | 10,838 | 441 |
| 1990s | 8,460 | 516 |
| 2000s | 5,322 | 801 |
| 2010s | 6,095 | 860 |
| 2020s | 4,605 | 719 |
Where Francis is heading
Francis has risen 30% over the past decade, from 686 babies in 2015 to 891 in 2025.
Names like Francis
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Francis.