Florence is an androgynous French and English

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

. It is derived from the French version of (Saint) ''Florentia'', a Roman martyr under

Diocletian Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...

. The Latin ''florens, florentius'' means "blossoming", verb ''floreo'', meaning "I blossom / I flower / I flourish". Florence was in olden times also used as a translation of the Latin version Florentius, and may be used in this context as a male given name. A notable increase use of the name came in the aftermath of

Florence Nightingale Florence Nightingale (; 12 May 1820 – 13 August 1910) was an English Reform movement, social reformer, statistician and the founder of modern nursing. Nightingale came to prominence while serving as a manager and trainer of nurses during t ...

, a nurse in British hospitals during the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...

and is usually considered the founder of modern nursing. She was given the name because she was born in

Florence Florence ( ; it, Firenze ) is a city in Central Italy and the capital city of the Tuscany region. It is the most populated city in Tuscany, with 383,083 inhabitants in 2016, and over 1,520,000 in its metropolitan area.Bilancio demografico an ...

, Italy. Contrary to popular belief, Nightingale was not the first person to be given this given name in the English speaking world. The wife of Richard de Wylughby, of London, was Florence, in 1349 A later example was Florence Wrey (d.1718), wife of John Cole of the Irish County of Fermanagh (married in 1707), who was herself named after her mother, Florence Rolle, the wife of

Sir Bourchier Wrey, 4th Baronet Sir Bourchier Wrey, 4th Baronet (1653–1696) of Tawstock Court in North Devon, was a Member of Parliament and a noted duellist. He commanded a regiment of horse after the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, serving under James Scott, 1st Duke ...

(c. 1653–1696) of

Tawstock Tawstock is a village, civil parish and former manor in North Devon in the English county of Devon, England. The parish is surrounded clockwise from the north by the parishes of Barnstaple, Bishop's Tawton, Atherington, Yarnscombe, Horwood, ...

, Devon, and the daughter of Sir John Rolle (d.1706) of

Stevenstone Stevenstone is a former manor within the parish of St Giles in the Wood, near Great Torrington Great Torrington (often abbreviated to Torrington, though the villages of Little Torrington and Black Torrington are situated in the same r ...

, by his wife and distant cousin Florence Rolle (1630–1705), an even earlier Florence, the daughter and heiress of Denys Rolle (1614–1638), of Stevenstone and Bicton in Devon. This name is also of note because John Cole built a large mansion in Northern Ireland which he named

Florence Court Florence Court is a large 18th-century house and estate located 8 miles south-west of Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is set in the foothills of Cuilcagh Mountain. The nearby village is distinguished by the one-word name Flo ...

after his wife. One of John Cole's descendants, who had become "Lord Enniskillen", planted a peculiarly upright yew tree in the grounds of Florence Court, which was to become the mother tree of all Irish Yews or "Florence Court Yews". Florencia, a Spanish version, is among the most popular names for baby girls in

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

and

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

. Florence was most popular in the United States between 1900 and 1940, when it was in the top 100 names given to baby girls. The name last ranked in the top 1,000 names given to baby girls in the 1970s. Florence was the fourth most popular name given to baby girls in

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, Canada in 2007 and the name has also risen in popularity in

England and Wales England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Eng ...

, where it was the 109th most popular name given to baby girls in 2007.

Name variants

Alternate forms include: *Florance (English) *Florentine (German) *Fiorentina, Fiorenza (Italian) *Florencia, Florencita, Floriana, Florinia (Spanish) *Flóra (Hungarian) English nicknames for Florence include Flo, Florrie and Flossie.

Florent Florent is a French version of the Latin personal name Florentius. It is also used as a surname. People with the first name * Florent Avdyli (born 1993), Kosovan footballer * Florent Aziri (born 1988), Kosovan-German footballer *Florent Hadergjon ...

and

Florenz Florenz may refer to: * Florenz Regalado (born 1928), Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines * Florenz Ziegfeld (1867–1932), American Broadway impresario * Karl-Heinz Florenz (born 1947), German Member of the European Parliamen ...

are masculine equivalents. Florence itself has also been used for boys (Latin ''Florentius''), particularly in Ireland where it was used as an anglicisation of Irish Finnian or Flaithrí.Patricia Hanks and Flavia Hodges, ''A Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press 1990

Notable people

;Women *

Florence Auer Florence Auer (March 3, 1880 – May 14, 1962) was an American theater and motion picture actress whose career spanned more than five decades. Life and career Born in Albany, New York, Auer began her career on East Coast stages at the turn ...

(1880–1962), American actress *

Florence Austin Florence Austin (March 11, 1884 – September 1, 1927) was an American violinist. Early life and education Austin was born in Galesburg, Michigan, the daughter of Edward Eldee Austin and Ella J. Austin. Her father was a surgeon and medical scho ...

(1884–1927), American violinist *

Florence Balgarnie Florence Balgarnie (19 August 1856 – 25 March 1928) was a British suffragette, speaker, pacifist, feminist, and temperance activist. Characterised as a "staunch Liberal", and influenced by Lydia Becker, Balgarnie began her support of women's ...

(1856–1928), British suffragette, speaker, pacifist, feminist, temperance activist *

Florence Ballard Florence Glenda Chapman (''née'' Ballard; June 30, 1943 – February 22, 1976) was an American singer and a founding member of the Motown vocal female group the Supremes. She sang on 16 top 40 singles with the group, including ten number-o ...

(1943–1976), African-American singer *

Florence Bascom Florence Bascom (July 14, 1862 – June 18, 1945) was an American pioneer for women as a geologist and educator. Bascom became an anomaly in the 19th century when she earned two bachelor's degrees. Earning a Bachelor of Arts in 1882, and a Bachelo ...

(1862–1945), American geologist *

Florence Beaumont This is a list of notable people who committed suicide by setting themselves on fire for political reasons. Non-political self-immolations are not included in the list. List Before 1900 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s ...

(died 1967), one of eight Americans known to have set themselves on fire in protest of the Vietnam War * Florence Blatrix-Contat (born 1966), French politician * Florence Brenzikofer (born 1975), Swiss politician * Florence V. Brittingham (1856–1891), American poet, short story writer *

Florence Bjelke-Petersen Florence Isabel Bjelke-Petersen (née Gilmour; 11 August 1920 – 20 December 2017) was an Australian politician and writer. She was a member of the Australian Senate from 1981 to 1993, and was the wife of the longest-serving Premier of Queensl ...

(1920–2017), politician, writer and wife of the longest serving premier

Joh Bjelke-Petersen Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen (13 January 191123 April 2005), known as Joh Bjelke-Petersen, was a conservative Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, during ...

* Florence Caddy (1837–1923), English writer *

Florence Loiret Caille Florence Loiret Caille (born 26 June 1975) is a French actress. She has appeared in more than sixty films since 1996. Filmography References External links * 1975 births Living people French film actresses {{France-actor-st ...

(born 1975), French actress *

Florence Anderson Clark Florence Anderson Clark (, Anderson; June 10, 1835 – March 19, 1918) was an American author, newspaper editor, librarian, and university administrator. She served for 14 years as assistant librarian at the University of Texas (UT), and in honor ...

(1835–1918), American author, newspaper editor, librarian, university dean * Florence Abigail Cowles (1878-1958), American cookbook author and journalist * Florence Avalon Daggett (1907–2002), American filmmaker *

Florence Daysh Florence Daysh, OBE (1908–1979) was a Barbadian social worker and politician. In 1954, she was appointed to the Legislative Council of Barbados and then in 1958, she was elected to serve in the West Indies Federation, one of only two women. In ...

(1908–1979), Barbadian social worker and politician *

Florence Delay Florence Delay (born 19 March 1941 in Paris) is a French academician and actress. Biography The daughter of Marie-Madeleine Carrez and Jean Delay, Delay studied at the Lycée Jean de La Fontaine and then the Sorbonne. In 1962, she played the ti ...

(born 1941), French actress * Florence Eid-Oakden, Lebanese-British economist * Florence Eiseman (1899–1988), American children's clothing designer *

Florence Eshalomi Florence Dauta Eshalomi (''née'' Nosegbe; born 18 September 1980) is a British Labour and Co-operative politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Vauxhall since 2019. She previously served as the Member of the London Asse ...

(born 1980), British politician * Florence Ezeh (born 1977), French-Togolese hammer thrower *

Florence Faivre Florence Vanida Faivre ( th, ฟลอเรนซ์ วนิดา เฟเวอร์; born 8 June 1983) is a French and Thai actress and model. She began her career as a teen television hostess in Thailand, and later branched into modelli ...

(born 1983), Thai actress and model *

Florence Fang Florence Fang (; born 1933/1934) is a Chinese-American businesswoman, publisher, and philanthropist active in the San Francisco area. She is the former owner of the '' San Francisco Examiner'' and other media titles and has been a fund-raiser for t ...

(born 1933/1934), American businesswoman, publisher and philanthropist * Florence Magruder Gilmore (1881-1945), American author *

Florence Hackett Florence Hackett (née Florence Hart) (January 1882 – August 21, 1954) was an American film actress in the silent era. She was allegedly married to veteran film star Arthur V. Johnson, reputedly D.W. Griffith's favorite actor. Previously she ...

(1884–1954), American silent film actress *

Florence Harding Florence Mabel Harding (née Kling; August 15, 1860 – November 21, 1924) was the first lady of the United States from 1921 until her husband's death in 1923 as the wife of President Warren G. Harding. Florence first married Pete De Wolfe ...

(1860–1924), wife of American president Warren G. Harding * Florence Hay, American baseball player *

Florence Henderson Florence Agnes Henderson (February 14, 1934 – November 24, 2016) was an American actress. With a career spanning six decades, she is best known for her starring role as Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom ''The Brady Bunch''. Henderson also appeare ...

(1934–2016), American actress and singer *

Florence Hoath Florence Angela L. Hoath (born 12 July 1984) is a retired British actress. The daughter of British actress Tina Martin, Hoath was born in London and made her film debut in the 1993 screen adaptation of ''Secret Rapture'' at the age of eight. S ...

(born 1984), British actress *

Florence Sally Horner Florence "Sally" Horner (April 18, 1937 August 18, 1952) was an American girl who, at the age of 11, was child abduction, abducted by serial child molester Frank La Salle in June 1948 and held captive for twenty-one months. It is believed that Vl ...

, the child whose kidnapping inspired and is referenced in Vladimir Nabokov's novel ''Lolita'' * Florence Frances Huberwald, American singer, teacher, suffragist, national leader of the women's movement * Florence Hunt (born 2007), English actress *

Florence Huntley Florence Huntley (, Chance; 1855 – February 1, 1912) was an American journalist, editor, humorist, and occult author of the long nineteenth century. Hailing from Ohio, she married the writer Stanley Huntley in 1879 and during this marriage, sh ...

(1861–1912), American journalist, editor, humorist, occult author *

Florence Carpenter Ives Florence Carpenter Ives (, Carpenter; March 10, 1854 – December 20, 1900) was an American journalist and editor. She served as editor of the woman's department of the ''Metropolitan and Rural Home'' and was in charge of all the press work sent o ...

(1854–1900), American journalist *

Florence Foster Jenkins Florence Foster Jenkins (born Narcissa Florence Foster; July 19, 1868 – November 26, 1944) was an American socialite and amateur soprano who became known, and mocked, for her flamboyant performance costumes and notably poor singing ability. S ...

(1868–1944), American soprano *

Florence Fuller Florence Ada Fuller (1867 – 17 July 1946) was a South African-born Australian artist. Originally from Port Elizabeth, Fuller migrated as a child to Melbourne with her family. There she trained with her uncle Robert Hawker Dowling and teacher ...

(1867–1946), Australian artist *

Florence Johnston The television series ''The Jeffersons'' featured several supporting characters. An incomplete list of these characters appears below. Willis family Helen Willis Helen Willis ( née Douglas) (portrayed by Roxie Roker, except for her first appeara ...

, fictional character on the TV series ''The Jeffersons'' and ''Checking In'' *

Florence Griffith Joyner Florence Delorez Griffith Joyner (born Florence Delorez Griffith; December 21, 1959 – September 21, 1998), also known as Flo-Jo, was an American track and field athlete. She set world records in 1988 for the 100 m and 200 m. During the late 1 ...

(1959–1998), American athlete in track and field *

Florence Kelley Florence Moltrop Kelley (September 12, 1859 – February 17, 1932) was a social and political reformer and the pioneer of the term wage abolitionism. Her work against sweatshops and for the minimum wage, eight-hour workdays, and children's rig ...

(1859–1932), American social reformist and feminist *

Florence King Florence Virginia King (January 5, 1936 – January 6, 2016) was an American novelist, essayist and columnist. While her early writings focused on the American South and those who live there, much of King's later work was published in ''Natio ...

(1936–2016), Mississippi author * Florence Knapp (supercentenarian) (1873–1988), American supercentenarian * Florence E.S. Knapp (1875–1949), American politician * Florence Knight, British chef and columnist * Florence E. Kollock (1848-1925), American Universalist minister and lecturer * Florence LaBadie (1888–1917), Canadian silent movie actress *

Florence Lawrence Florence Lawrence (born Florence Annie Bridgwood; January 2, 1886 – December 28, 1938) was a Canadian-American stage performer and film actress. She is often referred to as the "first movie star", and was thought to be the first film actor to ...

(1890–1938), inventor and actress, referred to as "The First Movie Star" * Florence Littauer (1928–2020), American writer and public speaker *

Florence Marly Florence Marly (2 June 1919 – 9 November 1978) was a Czech-born French film actress. During World War II, Marly moved to neutral Argentina with her Jewish husband, film director Pierre Chenal, where she appeared in several films. She also acted ...

(1919–1978), Czech film and television actress *

Florence Mills Florence Mills (born Florence Winfrey; January 25, 1896 – November 1, 1927), billed as the "Queen of Happiness", was an American cabaret singer, dancer, and comedian. Life and career Florence Mills (Florence Winfrey) was born a daughter of for ...

(1896–1927), actress in 1920s black theatre and the Harlem Renaissance *

Florence Newton Florence Newton (died 1661) was an alleged Irish witch, known as the "Witch of Youghal", who died during what St John Seymour as one of the most important examples of Irish witch trials. Witch trial Florence Newton was described as an old beggar w ...

(fl. 1661), Irish alleged witch *

(1820–1910), pioneer of modern nursing *

Florence Sillers Ogden Florence Carson Sillers Ogden (October 2, 1891 – June 23, 1971) was an American newspaper columnist, socialite, conservative political activist, and Racial segregation in the United States, segregationist. She wrote the column ''Dis 'n' Dat'' fo ...

(1891–1971), American columnist, segregationist, and white supremacist *

Florence Price Florence Beatrice Price (née Smith; April 9, 1887 – June 3, 1953) was an American classical music, classical composer, pianist, organist and music teacher. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Price was educated at the New England Conservatory of Mus ...

(1887–1953), African-American composer and teacher * Florence Provendier (born 1965), French politician *

Florence Pugh Florence Pugh ( ; born 3 January 1996) is an English actress. She made her acting debut in 2014 in the drama film '' The Falling''. Pugh gained recognition in 2016 for her leading role as a young bride in the independent drama ''Lady Macbeth' ...

, (born 1996), English actress * Florence Marjorie Robertson (1904–1986), British actress and singer *

Florence Sabin Florence Rena Sabin (November 9, 1871 – October 3, 1953) was an American medical scientist. She was a pioneer for women in science; she was the first woman to hold a full professorship at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, the first woman el ...

(1871–1953), anatomist and pathologist, first female professor at Johns Hopkins Medical School * Florence Senanayake (1903-1988), Sri Lankan Sinhala MP for Kiriella *

Florence Wells Slater Mary Florence Wells Slater (October 16, 1864 – January 22, 1941) was an American entomologist and educator. After graduating from Saint Mary's School (Raleigh, North Carolina), St. Mary's School in 1882, she served on the faculty there as a scie ...

(1864–1941), American entomologist and schoolteacher *

Florence Stephens Florence Elisabet Stephens (5 October 1881 – 2 April 1979) was a wealthy Swedish landowner, known as ''Fröken på Huseby'' ("the Lady of Huseby") for her estate at Huseby. She was the main figure in the Huseby Affair ( sv, Husebyskandalen, "Hu ...

(1881–1979), landholder and the main figure of the Huseby court case *

Florence Sulman Florence Sulman (13 January 1876–15 June 1965) was an English-Australian author and educationalist. Life and work Sulman was born in Bromley, England on 13 January 1876. She was the eldest daughter of John Sulman and Sarah Clarke. She atten ...

(1876–1965), English-Australian author and educationalist *

Florence M. Sullivan Florence M. Sullivan (January 20, 1930 – June 21, 2020) was an American lawyer and politician from New York who served in the New York State Assembly from the 50th district from 1979 to 1983. Life She was born Florence Grady on January 20, 1930 ...

(1930–2020), New York politician * Florence Trail (1854–1944), American educator, writer *

Florence Turner Florence Turner (January 6, 1885 – August 28, 1946) was an American actress who became known as the "Vitagraph Girl" in early silent films. Biography Born in New York City, Turner was pushed into appearing on the stage at age three by he ...

(1885–1946), American actress * Florence Signaigo Wagner (1919–2019), American botanist who served as president of the American Fern Society *

Florence Warfield Sillers Florence Carson Warfield Sillers (September 25, 1869 – April 5, 1958) was an American socialite and historian. A member of an influential American family with colonial ties, Sillers was a prominent figure of Mississippi society and was a foundi ...

(1869–1958), American historian and socialite *

Florence Welch Florence Leontine Mary Welch (born 28 August 1986) is an English singer, the lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the indie rock band Florence and the Machine. The band's debut studio album, ''Lungs'' (2009), topped the UK Albums Chart and wo ...

(born 1986), British singer and frontwoman of indie rock band Florence and the Machine *

Florence Duval West Florence Duval West (September 1, 1840 – November 22, 1881) was a 19th-century American poet. Her published works include ''The Land of the Lotus Eaters'', and ''The Marble Lily and Other Poems''. As a letter writer, she had few, if any equals. ...

(1840–1881), American poet *

Florence Hull Winterburn Florence Hull Winterburn (June 8, 1858 – ?) was an American author and editor. She was the author of ''Nursery Ethics'', 1895, 1899; ''From the Child's Standpoint'', 1859; ''Southern Hearts'' (short stories), 1901; and ''The Children's Health'' ...

(1858–?), American author, editor * Florence Wyman-Richardson (1855–1920), American suffragist * Flo Greaves - PAVO ;Men *

Florence of Worcester Florence of Worcester (died 1118), known in Latin as Florentius, was a monk of Worcester, who played some part in the production of the '' Chronicon ex chronicis'', a Latin world chronicle which begins with the creation and ends in 1140.Keynes, "Flo ...

(died 1118), medieval chronicler * Florance Broadhurst (1861–1909), West Australian businessman * Florence Hensey (), Irish-born French spy * Florence Wilson (1504-1546/7), Scottish humanist

References

{{given name English feminine given names

Name variants

Notable people

See also

References