NameChart

Frances

Girl name

Frances has been given to 600,721 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1918 and currently ranks #318 for girls (2025).

Meaning & origin /ˈfɹænsɪz/

From Old French Franceise, feminine form of Franceis, from Late Latin Franciscus (“Frankish”). Doublet of Francisca.

Origin: Latin

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

04.033k8.066k12.099k16.132k 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

600,721

Peak year

1918 (16,229 babies)

Rank in 2025

#318 for girls

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▲ +56%

Gender split

99% girls / 1% boys

Famous people named Frances

Judy Garland

American actress, singer, dancer and vaudevillian (1922–1969)

Frances McDormand

American actress

Frances Arnold

Nobel prize winning US scientist and engineer (born 1956)

Frances Hodgson Burnett

English-American playwright and author (1849–1924)

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Frances.

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