Francis (given name)

Francis is an English given name of Latin origin.

Francis is a name that has many derivatives in most European languages. The other version of the name in English is Frances, and (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.

Derivation

Francesco ("Frank", "Frenchman", "Free man" 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, this Italian name became widespread in Western Europe during the Middle Ages in different versions ( Francisco, François, etc.). However, it was not regularly used in Britain until the 16th century as Francis.Francis
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The name of France itself comes from the Germanic people known as the Franks; the origin of their name is unclear but is thought to mean "free". The characteristic national weapon of the Franks was the francisca, a throwing axe.

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, Frantziska, Patxi
* Bavarian: Franze, Franzi, Franzl
*Belarusian: Francišak, Францішак (Frantsishak)
* 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 rancie (all variants are valid for both males & females, rare for a female to adopt this name in Irish)
* Italian: Francesco, Franco, Fran, Cino, Cisco, Cecco (male version); Franca, Francesca, Ciccia, 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
* Lombard: Francesch
* 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, Frâncu
* Russian: (Franchesko) for Italians, (Frantsisk) for popes, (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, Frances, Francis
* 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, Paquito, Curro, Fran, Quico, Pancho, Cisco, Chisco, Francisca (female version), Paca (female version), 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
* Vietnamese: Phanxicô
* Welsh: Ffransis
* West Frisian: Fransiskus
* Yiddish: (Fransis)

List of people with the given name Francis

* 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 (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 Ford Coppola (born 1939), American film-director, producer, and screenwriter
* Francis Crick (1916–2004), British molecular biologist and winner of the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
* Francis E. Donoghue (1872–1952), member of Illinois State House of Representatives
* Francis Donald Logan (born 1930), American historian
* Francis Drake (1540–1596), English sea captain
* Francis Elliott (journalist), British journalist
* Francis Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940), American novelist and short story writer
* Francis B. Foley (1887–1973), American metallurgist
* Francis Fontaine (author) (1845–1901), American poet and novelist
* Francis Fukuyama (born 1952), American political scientist
* Francis C. Heitmeier (born 1950), American politician
* Francis Alick "Frankie" Howerd (1917–1992), British comedian and actor
* Francis Irving, British computer programmer and activist for freedom of information
* Francis Kobangoye (born 1990), Gabonese basketball player
* 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 Magalona (1964–2009), Filipino rapper, singer, songwriter, entrepreneur and television personality
* 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 Marion, also known as the Swamp Fox, military officer in the American Revolutionary War
* Francis Maude, British Conservative politician
* Francis Davis Millet (1848–1912), American artist and RMS ''Titanic'' sinking victim
* Francis Molo (born 1994), New Zealand-Australian rugby league player
* Francis Ngannou (born 1986), Cameroonian-French mixed martial artist
* Francis Owen (1886–1975), Canadian philologist and military officer
* Francis Owusu (born 1994), American football player
* Francis "Frank" Pearson (1937–2003), British drag queen known as Foo Foo Lammar
* Francis Rosa (1920–2012), American sports journalist
* Francis Rossi (born 1949), British musician
* Francis Rundall (1908–1987), British diplomat
* Francis Saunderson (1754–1827), Anglo-Irish politician
* Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (1915–1998), American singer, actor, and producer
* Francis Valentino, American musician
* Francis Webb (disambiguation), multiple people
* Francis Parker Yockey, American writer, lawyer and philosopher
* Francis Zamora (born 1977), Filipino politician, businessman, and basketball player

Aristocracy

* Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor (1708–1765), also Francis III, Duke of Lorraine

France

* Francis I of France, King of France (1494–1547)
* Francis II of France, King of France (1544–1560)
* Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414–1450)
* Francis II, Duke of Brittany (1433–1488)
* Francis III, Duke of Brittany (1518–1536)
* Francis I, Duke of Lorraine (1517–1545)
* Francis II, Duke of Lorraine (1572–1632)

German-speaking countries

* Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, also Francis I, Emperor of Austria (1768–1835)
* Franz, Duke of Bavaria (born 1933), called "Francis II" by Jacobite supporters

Iberian monarchies

* Prince Francis Joseph of Braganza (1878–1919), Infante of Portugal, 2nd son of Miguel II, legitimist claimant to the throne of Portugal
* Francis of Spain (1822–1902), Duke of Cádiz, King Consort of Queen Isabella II

Italy

* Francis I of the Two Sicilies (1777–1830)
* Francis II of the Two Sicilies (1836–1894)
* Francis IV, Duke of Modena (1779–1846)
* Francis V, Duke of Modena (1819–1875)

Hungary

* Francis I Rákóczi, Prince of Transylvania (1645–1676)
* Francis II Rákóczi, Duke of Hungary and Prince Transylvania (1676–1735)

Scandinavia

* Francis of Denmark (1497–1511), Prince of Denmark, Norway and Sweden

Religious figures

* Pope Francis (born 1936), the current pope
* St. Francis of Assisi (1181/1182–1226), Italian Catholic friar and saint
* Francis de Sales (1567–1622), French Catholic bishop and saint
* Francis Xavier (1506–1552), Basque Catholic Jesuit missionary and saint
* Francis George, OMI (1937–2015), cardinal and Archbishop of Chicago (1997–2014)

Fictional characters

* Francis, in '' Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over''
* Francis "Frank" Barone, in '' Everybody Loves Raymond''
*Francis Buxton, in the 1985 American adventure comedy film '' Pee-wee's Big Adventure''
* Francis "Frank" Castle, from Marvel Comics, also known as the Punisher
*Francis Mo Siu Wai 毛小慧, in 2000 Hong Kong's TVB sitcom War Of The Genders 男親女愛
* Francis the Talking Mule, featured in seven movies in the 1950s, voiced by Chill Wills
* Francis Underwood, from the Netflix original series '' House of Cards''
* Francis Urquhart, lead character of the British political thriller '' House of Cards (UK TV series)''
* Francis Abernathy, in Donna Tartt's 1992 novel '' The Secret History''
* Francis, a bulldog in the 1988 Disney animated film '' Oliver & Company''
* Francis, a ladybug in the 1998 Disney/Pixar animated film '' A Bug's Life''
* Francis, Malcolm's oldest brother in ''Malcolm in the Middle''
* Francis Xavier Cross, "Frank", Scrooge-like protagonist in the Christmas comedy '' Scrooged''
* Francis Freeman, from '' Deadpool''
* Francis E. Francis, from '' The Boss Baby''
* Frank Gallagher, from the UK TV show '' Shameless''
* Francis, a nerdy chameleon and one of the bosses in the video game '' Super Paper Mario''
* Francis Xavier Reagan, "Frank," the current NYPD police commissioner in the TV series '' Blue Bloods''
* Frank Drebin, from ''Police Squad''
* Francis “Franco” Begbie, in the Trainspotting novel by Irvine Welsh
* Fran Bow, a main protagonist in the game of the same name
*Francis Butthurst Pope, a main character in the Big Nate comic strip
* Purple Francis, a nonexistent protagonist of the ''Left 4 Dead'' video game franchise, created as an internet hoax

See also

* Francis (surname)
* Francis (disambiguation)

References

{{given name
English-language masculine given names
French masculine given names
English masculine given names