Francis
Pronounced F R AE1 N S AH0 S (ARPABET)
- 2 syllables
- Peaked 1918
- 145 years in use
- 1 spelling
How popular is Francis?
Francis is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 294,960 children — the 132nd most common boys' name on record.
It peaked in 1918, went quiet for most of a century, and is climbing again. Its best single year was 1918, when 6,444 children were given it.
Frances is counted with it here, since the two are pronounced identically.
Spelling variants
These spellings sound identical to Francis and are counted together with it, which is why the totals here are higher than a single-spelling count.
- Frances
Nicknames
Characteristics
- 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
- Pronunciations:
- F R AE1 N S AH0 S · F R AE1 N S IH0 S
- Stress pattern:
- 10 · 10
- Syllables:
- 2
Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.
Names like Francis
Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.
Sibling names for Francis
Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.
Frequently asked questions
- How popular is the name Francis?
- Francis ranks 132nd among boys' names in US records, with 294,960 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 6,480.
- Is Francis a unisex name?
- No. Francis is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
- When was Francis most popular?
- 1918, when 6,444 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.
- What are common nicknames for Francis?
- Frank, Frankie. These are recorded as separate names in their own right, so each has its own page and its own popularity curve.
- How else is Francis spelled?
- Frances. All of these sound the same and are counted together in the totals on this page.