Frances
Literal root meaning: “France + -ish”
About the name Frances
Frances is a girl name with Late Latin roots, literally “France + -ish”. It is related to Francesca, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a classic, short & sweet feel. In 2025, Frances ranked #318 for girls in the US, with 960 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 1942. Since 2000, 99% of US babies named Frances were girls.
Etymology
Shares its root with Francesca, which comes from Late Latin, meaning “France” + “-ish”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Frances”, “Francesca”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #318
- In 2015
- #513
- Babies in 2025
- 960
Popularity of Frances, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Frances
Frances is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Frances
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.