Frances
The feminine of Francis, from Latin Franciscus, “Frenchman” or “Frank.”
Popularity, 1880–2025
Meaning 'Frenchwoman,' a staple of the 1910s when its nickname Fanny was still innocent.
Frances appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American girls in every year from 1880 to 1955. It spent 15 years inside the top 10. Its biggest year was 1918, when 16,132 newborn girls received the name, ranking it No. 8 nationally. In 2025 it ranked No. 318 for girls. All told, 600,721 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Francis (320,322) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: Frank, Francis, Fannie
Explore Frances interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 9,182 | No. 30 |
| 1890s | 18,090 | No. 22 |
| 1900s | 28,499 | No. 12 |
| 1910s | 105,599 | No. 8 |
| 1920s | 140,391 | No. 9 |
| 1930s | 92,117 | No. 16 |
| 1940s | 85,448 | No. 28 |
| 1950s | 51,200 | No. 51 |
| 1960s | 25,001 | No. 127 |
| 1970s | 11,337 | No. 199 |
| 1980s | 8,490 | No. 267 |
| 1990s | 6,068 | No. 351 |
| 2000s | 3,959 | No. 572 |
| 2010s | 5,467 | No. 437 |
| 2020s | 4,849 | No. 318 |
Births and rank shown for girls, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.