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The short answer
Frances is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "Feminine form of Francis. The distinction between Francis as a masculine name and Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century." It ranked #318 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, feminine form of Francis. The distinction between Francis as a masculine name and Frances as a feminine name did not arise until the 17th century. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Frances ranked #318 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #318 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Frances in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Frances mean?
Behind the Name does not give Frances a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: feminine form of Francis.
Is Frances a popular name?
Frances ranked #318 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Frances a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Frances appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Frances — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
