Frances Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Frances is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Frances?
Frances is spelled F-R-A-N-C-E-S. The name has 7 letters.
Frances at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- Frances is the feminine form of Francis, meaning “Frenchman” or “free man.”
- Origin
- The name Frances is commonly associated with the Latin name Franciscus, meaning “Frenchman” or “free man.”
- Pronunciation
- FRAN-sis · 2 syllables
Frances Popularity in 2025
Rank#318
Recorded Births960
Rank#10,695
Recorded Births6
- Girls usage rose 57 places to #318 and recorded 131 more births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage fell 2,383 places to #10,695 and recorded 3 fewer births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Frances Mean?
Frances is the feminine form of Francis, meaning “Frenchman” or “free man.”
Origin: The name Frances is commonly associated with the Latin name Franciscus, meaning “Frenchman” or “free man.”
How Do You Pronounce Frances?
PronunciationFRAN-sis
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Frances?
- History
- Frances has been used as a feminine given name in English-speaking countries for several centuries.
Frances Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2012 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 960 | #318 |
| 2025 | Boys | 6 | #10,695 |
| 2024 | Girls | 829 | #375 |
| 2024 | Boys | 9 | #8,312 |
| 2023 | Girls | 760 | #403 |
| 2022 | Girls | 755 | #419 |
| 2021 | Girls | 801 | #392 |
| 2021 | Boys | 9 | #8,166 |
| 2020 | Girls | 744 | #418 |
| 2020 | Boys | 10 | #7,502 |
| 2019 | Girls | 718 | #438 |
| 2019 | Boys | 5 | #12,145 |
| 2018 | Girls | 723 | #441 |
| 2017 | Girls | 730 | #437 |
| 2017 | Boys | 5 | #12,246 |
| 2016 | Girls | 721 | #446 |
| 2016 | Boys | 5 | #12,185 |
| 2015 | Girls | 614 | #513 |
| 2015 | Boys | 6 | #10,644 |
| 2014 | Girls | 484 | #603 |
| 2013 | Girls | 409 | #690 |
| 2013 | Boys | 6 | #10,728 |
| 2012 | Girls | 364 | #763 |
| 2012 | Boys | 5 | #12,274 |
When Was Frances Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1918 · Girls
16,132 recorded births
National rank #8
1921 · Girls
15,993 recorded births
National rank #9
1920 · Girls
15,883 recorded births
National rank #9
1924 · Girls
15,183 recorded births
National rank #10
Where Frances Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| DC | #64 | 10 |
| VT | #75 | 5 |
| ME | #91 | 11 |
| AL | #135 | 33 |
| RI | #180 | 5 |
| MN | #193 | 28 |
| ND | #195 | 5 |
| SC | #198 | 24 |