Francis (given name)

Francis is an English, French, German, Dutch and Scandinavian given name of Latin origin.

Francis is a name that has many derivatives in most European languages. A feminine version of the name in English is Frances, or (less commonly) Francine. (For most speakers, Francis and Frances are homophones or near homophones; a popular mnemonic for the spelling is "i for him and e for her".) The name Frank is a common diminutive for Francis, as is Frannie for Frances. Less common are the diminutives Fritz for Francis, and Franny and Fran for either Francis or Frances.

History The name has relatively unclear origins but is thought to mean "free". Notably, the Germanic peoples known as the Franks gave their name to France and their characteristic national weapon was the francisca, a throwing axe. Francesco ("Free man", "Frank", "Frenchman", in medieval Italian) was the name given to Saint Francis of Assisi (born Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone) by his francophile father, whose wife, the mother of Francesco, was French, celebrating his trade with French merchants. Due to the renown of the saint, the name became widespread in Western Europe during the Middle Ages in its different versions (Francisco, François, etc.). However, it was not regularly used in Britain until the 16th century as Francis.Francis

Related names in other languages Related names are common in other Western European languages, in countries that are (or were before the Reformation) Catholic. Other non-European languages have also adopted variants of the name. These names include:

Arabic: (Farānshiskū), (Faransīs), (Farānsīs) Aragonese: Francho Armenian: Ֆրանցիսկոս (Franciskos) Asturian: Xicu Albanian: Françesku Alemannic German: Franz, Fränzi Basque: Frantzisko (male version), Frantziska or Pantxika (female version), Patxi or Pantxi (male diminutive of Frantzisko) Bavarian: Franze, Franzi, Franzl Belarusian: Францішак (Francišak) Bulgarian: (Frantsisk), (Fruzhin) Breton: Franseza, Frañsez, Fañch, Fañchig, Soaig, Saig Catalan: Francesc, Cesc, Cesco, Xesc, Xisco, Fran (male version); Francesca, Cisca, Xisca, Xesca, Fani, Francina (female version) Chinese: (Fúlǎngxīsī), (Fāngjìgè), (Fǎlánxīsī) Corsican: Francescu, Franciscu Croatian: Franjo, Frano, Frane, Fran (male version); Franciska, Franka, Franca, Franjica (female version) Czech: František, Františka (female version) Danish: Frans Dutch: Frans, Frank, Franciscus, Franciescus, Francieskus, Francis, Francies, Cies (Franciska, Francisca or Francien is used to signify the female version in the Netherlands) Esperanto: Francisko Estonian: Franciscus Filipino: Francisco, Francis, Franco, Kiko (diminutive of Francisco) Finnish: Frans, Fanni, Fransiscus, Ransu French: François, Francis, Francisque (rare) (male version); Françoise, France, Francine (female version) Galician: Francisco German: Franziskus, Franz, Franziska (female version) Greek: Fragiskos, Fragkiskos, Frangiskos, Frangkiskos, Frankiskos, (), Frantzeskos (), Frankiski (), Frantzeska () (female version) Gujarati: (Phrānsis) Hawaiian: Palakiko Hindi: (Phrānsis) Hungarian: Ferenc, Feri, Franciska (female version) Icelandic: Frans Indonesian: Fransiskus, Fransiska (female version) Irish: Proinsias, Proinnsias [Francie], (all variants are valid for both males & females, rare for a female to adopt this name in Irish) Italian: Francesco, Franco, Fran, Ciccio, Cecco, Checco, Chicco (male version); Franca, Francesca, Cina, Cesca, Cecca (female version) Japanese: (Furanshisu) (for translation of English name), (Furanshisuko) (for translation of Christian name) Kannada: (Phrānsis) Konkani: Frask, Forso Korean: (Peuransiseu), (Peurancheseuko) Latin: Franciscus Latvian: Francisks, Francis Lithuanian: Pranciškus, Pranas Lombard: Francesch Luxembourgish: Fränz Luo (Ke/Tz): Fransisko, Pransis Macedonian: (Frensis) Malayalam: (Porinchu/Porinju), Pranchi, Prenju, Frenju (popular amongst the Syro Malabar Catholics of Kerala. Porinchu being more common in the North around the Thrissur ArchDiocese, while Prenju and Frenju are more common in the South in the Kuttanad region of the Changanacherry ArchDiocese) Maltese: Franġisk, Frans Manx: Frank Neapolitan: Francesco (diminutives: Ciccio, Ciccillo) Norman: Françouais Norwegian: Frans, Franciskus Occitan: Francés Persian: (Frānsīs or Ferānsīs) Piedmontese: Fransesch Polish: Franciszek, (diminutives: Franek, Franio, Franuś) (male version), Franciszka, (diminutives: Franka, Frania) (female version) Portuguese: Francisco, Francisquinho, Chico, Chiquinho, Quico, Fran, Paco (diminutives) Francisca (female version), Francisquinha, Chica, Chiquinha, Quica (diminutives) Romanian: Francisc Russian: (Franchesko) for Italians, (Frantsisk) for Poles, (Frants) for Germans, (Fransua) for French Samogitian: Prancėškos Sardinian: Franchiscu, Franciscu, Frantziscu (male version); Franchisca, Francisca, Frantzisca (female version); Tzitzeddu/Tzitzedda, Tzischeddu/Tzischedda, Ciccìttu/Ciccìtta (diminutives) Scottish Gaelic: Frangag, Frangan, Prainnseas Serbian: , Franja, Franc, Francisko (rare in native usage), Slobodan (local version) Sicilian: Franciscu, Ciscu Slovak: František Slovene: Frančišek, Franček, France, Franci, Franc, Fran, Franko Spanish: Francisco, Paco, Pacho, Paquito, Curro, Fran, Quico, Pancho, Cisco, Chisco, Francisca (female version), Paca (female version), Pacha, Paqui or Paquita (female version) Swahili: Fransisko Swedish: Franciskus, Frans Tamil: (Pirāṉcis) Telugu: (Phrānsis) Thai: (Frānsis̄) Turkish: Fransız, Fransuva Ukrainian: (Frantsysk), (Frantsyska, female version) Venetian: Francesco (Francesca, female version), Fransisco (Fransisca, female version), Francisco (Francisca, female version) Vietnamese: Phanxicô Welsh: Ffransis, Fransis (or Fransys) West Frisian: Fransiskus Yiddish: (Fransis)

List of people with the given name Francis

Francis Atwoli (born 1939), Kenyan trade unionist Francis Alcantara (born 1992), professional tennis player from the Philippines Francis Alÿs (born 1959), Belgian-born, Mexico-based artist Francis Andersen (1925–2020), Australian scholar in the fields of biblical studies and Hebrew Francis Bacon (1561–1626), English philosopher, statesman, scientist, lawyer, jurist, author and pioneer of the scientific method Francis Bacon (artist) (1909–1992), Irish-born English artist Francis Baines (Jesuit) (1648–1710), English Jesuit Francis "Fritz" Barzilauskas (1920–1990), American National Football League player Francis Bernard (disambiguation), multiple people Francis Bohlen (1868–1942), American professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School Francis Bouillon (born 1975), American-Canadian ice hockey player Francis S. Bowling (1916–1997), justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi Francis Martin Patrick "Frankie" Boyle (born 1972), British stand-up comedian Francis Brewu (born 2006), American football defensive tackle Francis Brill (1836–1913), American farmer and politician Francis Buchholz (1954–2026), German bass guitarist Francis Cabrel (born 1953), French singer-songwriter, composer and guitarist Francis W. Capers (1839–1892), American educator and Confederate Army General Francis Capra (born 1983), American actor Sir Francis Chichester (1901–1972), British businessman, pioneering aviator and solo sailor Francis Collins (born 1950), American physician-scientist Francis Coquelin (born 1991), French professional footballer Francis Marion Crawford (1854–1909), American writer Francis Crick (1916–2004), British molecular biologist and winner of the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Francis Napier Denison (1866–1940), Canadian meteorologist, inventor, seismologist, and astronomer Francis Xavier Dercum (1858–1931), American physician Francis E. Donoghue (1872–1952), member of Illinois State House of Representatives Francis Donald Logan (1930–2022), American historian Francis Drake (1540–1596), English sea captain Francis Elliott (journalist), British journalist Francis Fentress (1873–1930), justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court Francis Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940), American novelist and short story writer Francis B. Foley (1887–1973), American metallurgist Francis Fontaine (1845–1901), American poet and novelist Francis Ford Coppola (born 1939), American film-director, producer, and screenwriter Francis Fraschilla (born 1958), American basketball commentator and former college basketball coach Francis Fukuyama (born 1952), American political scientist Francis Galluppi (born 1988), American filmmaker Sir Francis Galton (1822–1911), British polymath Francois Xavier Gouraud (1877–1913), French physician and dietitian Francis Greenslade, Australian comedic actor Francis Griffith (disambiguation) Francis Grignon (born 1944), French politician Francis Grose, English antiquary, draughtsman, and lexicographer Francis C. Heitmeier (born 1950), American politician Francis Alick "Frankie" Howerd (1917–1992), British comedian and actor Francis Huré (1916–2021) French resistant, diplomat and writer Francis Davis Imbuga (1947–2012), Kenyan playwright Francis Irving, British computer programmer and activist for freedom of information

Francis Scott Key (1779–1843), writer of the American national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" Francis Kilcoyne (died 1985), American President of Brooklyn College Francis Kobangoye (born 1990), Gabonese basketball player Francis Kompaon (born 1986), T46 Papua New Guinean athlete Francis Lai (1932–2018), French composer, noted for his film scores Francis Lawrence (born 1971), American filmmaker and producer Francis van Londersele (born 1953), French directeur sportif Francis Magalona (1964–2009), Filipino rapper, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and television personality Francis Magee (born 1959), Irish actor Francis Magundayao (born 1999), Filipino actor and model Francis Manapul (born 1979), Canadian comic book artist and writer Francis March (1825–1911), American polymath, academic, philologist, and lexicographer Francis Marion, also known as the Swamp Fox, military officer in the American Revolutionary War Francis Marrash, Syrian scholar, publicist, writer, poet, and physician Francis Matthews (1927–2014), British actor, known for voicing Captain Scarlet Francis Maude, British Conservative politician Francis J. McCaffrey (1917–1989), American lawyer and politician from The Bronx, New York Francis J. McCaffrey Jr. (1902–1972), American lawyer and politician from Brooklyn, New York Francis McDonald (1891–1968), American actor Francis Méano (1931–1953), French international footballer Francis Davis Millet (1848–1912), American artist and RMS Titanic sinking victim Francis Molo (born 1994), New Zealand-Australian rugby league player

Francis Narh (born 1994), Ghanaian footballer Francis Ng (born 1961), Hong Kong actor and director Francis Ngannou (born 1986), Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist Francis Obikwelu (born 1978), retired Nigerian-born Portuguese sprinter Francis Omondi Ogolla (born 1962), Kenyan military general, Chief of Defence Forces. Francis Omaswa, Ugandan cardiovascular surgeon, academic and administrator Francis Ouimet (1893–1967), American amateur golfer Francis Owen (1886–1975), Canadian philologist and military officer Francis Owusu (born 1994), American football player Francis Paré (born 1987), Canadian-Belarusian professional ice hockey forward Francis Pasion (1978–2016), Filipino independent film and television drama director Francis E. Patterson (1821–1862), American military officer Francis Peacock (1723–1807), Scottish dance teacher and musician Francis "Frank" Pearson (1937–2003), British drag queen known as Foo Foo Lammar Francis Penrose (1817–1903), English architect, archaeologist, astronomer and sportsman rower Francis Petre (1847–1918), New Zealand-born architect based in Dunedin