Francisco is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the masculine given name ''

Franciscus Franciscus is a Latin given name, originally an epithet meaning "the Frank, the Frenchman". It was applied to Saint Francis of Assisi (1181/82–1226). Francis had been baptized Giovanni (John); his father was Italian and his mother Proven� ...

''.

Nicknames

In Spanish, people with the name Francisco are sometimes nicknamed "

Paco Paco is a Spanish nickname for Francisco. According to folk etymology, the nickname has its origins in Saint Francis of Assisi, who was the father of the Franciscan order; his name was written in Latin by the order as ''Pater Communitatis'' (fath ...

". San Francisco de Asís was known as ''Pater Comunitatis'' (father of the community) when he founded the

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

order, and "Paco" is a short form of ''Pater Comunitatis''. In areas of Spain where

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

is spoken, "

Patxi Patxi is a male given name in the Basque language area in northern Spain and south-west France, but more commonly a nickname for those officially named Francisco (or François in the French zone, ultimately cognates of Francis); the original Basqu ...

" is the most common nickname; in the

Catalan Catalan may refer to: Catalonia From, or related to Catalonia: * Catalan language, a Romance language * Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia Places * 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...

areas, "Cesc" (short for

Francesc Francesc () is a masculine given name of Catalan origin. It is a cognate of Francis, Francesco, Francisco, François, and Franz. People with the name include: *Cesc Fàbregas (Francesc Fàbregas i Soler) (born 1987), Spanish professional foot ...

) is often used. In Spanish

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

and in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, people with the name Francisco are frequently called "

Pancho Pancho is a male nickname for the given name Francisco (Spanish and Portuguese equivalent of Francis). The feminine form is Pancha. It is also sometimes used as a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name *Pancho Barnes (1901– ...

". " Kiko" is also used as a nickname, and "

Chicho Chicho is a Spanish male nickname. It can be a pet name for many different Spanish names, including Francisco and Narciso. Notable people known by this nickname include: * Cándido Sibilio * Chicho Frumboli, also known as Mariano Frúmboli, Argen ...

" is another possibility. In Portuguese, people named Francisco are commonly nicknamed " Chico" (''shíco''). This is also a less-common nickname for Francisco in Spanish.

People with the given name

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

is rendered in the Spanish and Portuguese languages as Papa Francisco *

Francisco Acebal Francisco López Acebal (5 April 1866, in Gijón – 5 September 1933) was a Spanish novelist, playwright and journalist. Education He began his studies at the Institute Jovellanos of his native town and continued with Escolapios Madrid. He grad ...

(1866–1933), Spanish writer and author *

Francisco Alves Mendes Filho Cena Francisco Alves Mendes Filho, better known as Chico Mendes (; 15 December 1944 – 22 December 1988), was a Brazilian rubber tapper, trade union leader and environmentalist. He fought to preserve the Amazon rainforest, and advocated for the h ...

(1944–1988), known as

Chico Mendes Francisco Alves Mendes Filho, better known as Chico Mendes (; 15 December 1944 – 22 December 1988), was a Brazilian rubber tapper, trade union leader and environmentalist. He fought to preserve the Amazon rainforest, and advocated for the h ...

, Brazilian rubber tapper, unionist and environmental activist * Francisco Anysio de Oliveira Paula Filho (1966–1997), known as

Chico Anysio Chico Anysio (born Francisco Anysio de Oliveira Paula Filho, 12 April 1931 – 23 March 2012) was a Brazilian actor, comedian, writer and composer. Biography Anysio was born in Maranguape, Ceará. He moved with the family to Rio de Janeiro ...

, Brazilian actor, comedian, writer and composer * Francisco de Assis França, known as

Chico Science Francisco de Assis França (March 13, 1966 – February 2, 1997), better known as Chico Science, was a Brazilian singer and composer and one of the founders of the manguebeat cultural movement. He died in a car accident in 1997 in Recife, Perna ...

, Brazilian singer and composer and one of the founders of the Mangue Beat cultural movement *

Francisco (slave) Francisco (died 28 April 1876) was the last person to be executed in Brazil. An enslaved person, he was hanged for the murder of his masters. In 1874, Francisco and two other slaves, Prudencio and Vicente, were arrested for having beat to death t ...

(died 1876), black slave who killed his masters and the last person executed by Brazil * Francisco Ayala (disambiguation), several people *

Francisco J. Ayala Francisco José Ayala Pereda (born March 12, 1934) is a Spanish-American evolutionary biologist, philosopher, and former Catholic priest who was a longtime faculty member at the University of California, Irvine and University of California, Dav ...

(born 1934), Spanish-American biologist and philosopher * Francisco de Borja Echeverría (1848–1904), Chilean diplomat and politician * Francisco Buarque de Hollanda, popularly known as

Chico Buarque Francisco Buarque de Hollanda (born 19 June 1944), popularly known simply as Chico Buarque, is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer, playwright, writer, and poet. He is best known for his music, which often includes social, economic, ...

, Brazilian singer, guitarist, composer, dramatist, writer and poet * Francisco Cabrera (cyclist), Chilean track and road cyclist *

Francisco Caamaño Domínguez Francisco Caamaño Domínguez (born 8 January 1963) is a Spanish politician, who served as justice minister from 2009 to 2011. He is a member of the Spanish Parliament. Early life and education Caamaño was born in Ceé, A Coruña province, on ...

(born 1963), Spanish politician *

Francisco Carreón Francisco Carreón y Marcos (October 5, 1868 – 1939/41) was a Filipino general in the Philippine Revolution against Spain and in the Philippine–American War. As the vice president of Macario Sakay's Tagalog Republic ''(Tagalog: Republika ...

, Filipino revolutionary who was the former vice president of the short-lived

Tagalog Republic Tagalog Republic ( fil, Republika ng Katagalugan, more precisely "Republic of the Tagalog Nation/People"; es, República Tagala) is a term used to refer to two revolutionary governments involved in the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish ...

that existed from 1902–1906 *

Francisco Cerúndolo Francisco Cerúndolo (born 13 August 1998) is an Argentine professional tennis player. He has won one ATP singles title. Cerúndolo attained a career high ATP singles ranking of World No. 24 on 25 July 2022. He also has a career high doubles r ...

(born 1998), Argentine tennis player *

Francisco Dagohoy Francisco Dagohoy (born Francisco Sendrijas; c. 1724) was a Filipino revolutionary who holds the distinction of having initiated the longest revolt in Philippine history, the Dagohoy Rebellion. This rebellion against the Spanish colonial governme ...

, Filipino who started a rebellion against Spain that endured for 85 years *

Francisco Denis Francisco Denis (born 1961) is a Venezuelan actor and director. Denis runs his own theater company in Venezuela, and has acted in about 20 films there. Selected filmography * DEMONICA (TBA) *Takari de Chivo ( TBA) Also director and writer *Benig ...

, Venezuelan actor and director * Francisco Javier Duarte, Laser physicist * Francisco Flores (disambiguation), several people *

Francisco Fonseca José Francisco "Kikin" Fonseca Guzmán (born 2 October 1979) is a Mexican former professional footballer who played as a striker. He currently works as a football analyst for Televisa Deportes Network. Club career Born in León, Guanajuato, ...

, Mexican football (soccer) player * Francisco Franco, Spanish dictator (1939–1975) * Francisco García, Dominican basketball player *

Francisco Hudson Ancud.html" ;"title="Punta Arenas by sea from Ancud">Punta Arenas by sea from Ancud, and in orange Hudson's proposed route. The red dot shows the 20 km wide Ofqui Isthmus the only obstacle that makes this route intransitable. --> Francisco Hudson C ...

(1826–1859), Chilean navy officer and hydrographer * Francisco Infante-Arana (born 1943), Russian painter * Francisco de Jesus, Brazilian boxer * Francisco Jiménez (born 1943), Mexican-American author * Francisco Leal (1968-) Spanish sprint canoer * Francisco Lachowski, Brazilian model *

Francisco Liaño Francisco Liaño Fernández (born 16 November 1964) is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Although he represented four clubs during 15 years as a senior, his professional career was closely associated to Deportivo, during ...

, Spanish footballer *

Francisco Lindor Francisco Miguel Lindor Serrano (born November 14, 1993), nicknamed "Paquito" and "Mr. Smile", is a Puerto Rican professional baseball shortstop for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Cleveland Indian ...

, MLB shortstop *

Francisco Liriano Francisco Liriano Casillas (born October 26, 1983) is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays, Houston Astros, ...

, MLB starting pitcher *

Francisco Marto Francisco de Jesus Marto (11 June 1908 – 4 April 1919) and Jacinta de Jesus Marto (11 March 1910 – 20 February 1920) were siblings from Aljustrel, a small hamlet near Fátima, Portugal, who with their cousin Lúcia dos Santos (1907–2 ...

, Fatima visionary * Francisco Morales, Argentine judoka *

Francisco Macías Nguema Francisco Macías Nguema ( Africanised to Masie Nguema Biyogo Ñegue Ndong; 1 January 1924 – 29 September 1979), often mononymously referred to as Macías, was an Equatoguinean politician who served as the first President of Equatorial Guinea ...

, later Africanized his name to Masie Nguema Biyogo Ñegue Ndong, former dictator of Equatorial Guinea *

Francisco Olivencia Francisco Olivencia Ruiz (12 February 1934 – 4 January 2019) was a Spanish lawyer and politician. Early life Francisco Olivencia was born in Ceuta and studied law at the Complutense University of Madrid. His brother was Manuel Olivencia. Ol ...

(1934–2019), Spanish lawyer and politician *

Francisco de Orellana Francisco de Orellana Bejarano Pizarro y Torres de Altamirano (; 1511 – November 1546) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador. In one of the most improbably successful voyages in known history, Orellana managed to sail the length of the Amaz ...

(1511–1546), Spanish explorer and conquistador * Francisco de Paula Cândido (1910–2002), known as

Chico Xavier Chico Xavier () or Francisco Cândido Xavier, born Francisco de Paula Cândido (, April 2, 1910 – June 30, 2002), was a popular Brazilian philanthropist and spiritist medium. During a period of 60 years he wrote over 490 books and several ...

, medium in Brazil's spiritism movement *

Francisco Pizarro Francisco Pizarro González, Marquess of the Atabillos (; ; – 26 June 1541) was a Spanish conquistador, best known for his expeditions that led to the Spanish conquest of Peru. Born in Trujillo, Spain to a poor family, Pizarro chose ...

, Spanish conquistador * Francisco Rodríguez (baseball, born 1982), (K-Rod) MLB closing pitcher * Francisco Rodríguez Adrados (1922–2020), Spanish hellenist * Francisco Rotllán, Mexican football (soccer) player * Francisco Rubio Llorente (1930–2016), Spanish jurist * Francisco Santos (disambiguation), several people * Francisco Sardinha, Indian politician, former Chief Minister of Goa and member of the

Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British E ...

* Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, Spanish conquistador *

Francisco Velázquez Francisco Cecílio Velázquez (born 10 January 1975), nicknamed "Panchito", is a retired Argentine roller hockey player. As a forward, he is remembered as one of the greatest roller hockey players, being often compared to his idol António Livra ...

, former Argentine roller hockey player * Francisco Lachowski, Brazilian fashion model * Francisco Victoria, Mexican independence fighter * Francisco Vidal (disambiguation), several people * Francisco Vidal (Chilean politician), Chilean politician * Francisco González Gómez (1918–1990), Spanish caricaturist, painter and sculptor who used the pseudonym of ''Francisco'' * Weerahannadige Francisco Fernando (1812–1848), Sri Lankan Sinhala independence revolutionary

As a surname

Aaron Francisco Aaron Francisco (born July 5, 1983) is a former American football safety. He was signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at BYU. He was also a member of the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis ...

, American football player * Antônio Francisco (1923–1997), better known as Nininho, Brazilian football player *

Botong Francisco Carlos Modesto "Botong" Villaluz Francisco (November 4, 1912 – March 31, 1969) was a Filipino muralist from Angono, Rizal. Early life Francisco was a most distinguished practitioner of mural painting for many decades and best known for his hist ...

(1912–1969), Filipino painter * Frank Francisco, Dominican professional baseball pitcher * João Francisco, Brazilian football player *

Jason Francisco Jason Veron Francisco (born October 11, 1987)Jason Francisco's Bio
. Pinoy Big Brother

, Filipino actor and comedian *

Manuel Francisco Manuel Francisco, who died in 2020 aged 84, was a South African professional snooker and billiards player who won the South African amateur Snooker Championship 6 times. Francisco came from a snooker-playing family. His brother Silvino and e ...

, South African professional snooker player * Noel Francisco, American attorney, Solicitor General of the United States (2017–2020) * Osmar Francisco, Brazilian footballer *

Pablo Francisco Pablo Ridson Francisco (born January 4, 1974) is an American comedian, actor and writer. He started his career doing improv in Tempe, Arizona. Career In the 1990s, he appeared on ''MADtv'' as a featured player. His stand-up act was introduced ...

, American stand-up comedian *

Peter Francisco Peter Francisco (born Pedro Francisco; July 7, 1760 – January 16, 1831) known variously as the "India", the "Giant of the Revolution" and occasionally the "Virginia Hercules", was a Portuguese-born American patriot and soldier in the America ...

(1760–1831),

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

soldier *

Peter Francisco (snooker player) Peter Francisco (born 14 February 1962 in Cape Town, Western Cape) is a former South African professional snooker player who won the African Snooker Championship 4 times and South African Snooker Championship 8 times and the South African Bi ...

, South African professional snooker player * Sergio Francisco, Spanish footballer *

Silvino Francisco Silvino Francisco (born 3 May 1946) is a South African former professional snooker player, most notable for winning the 1985 British Open. Snooker career Francisco comes from a snooker-playing family. His brother Manuel and nephew Peter both ...

, South African professional snooker player

Fictional characters

* Francisco d'Anconia, a character in Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged *

Francisco Ramon Vibe (real name Paco Ramone or Francisco "Cisco" Ramon) is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Carlos Valdes portrayed Cisco Ramon in The CW's Arrowverse, especially ''The Flash'', in which he was one ...

, a superhero in the

DC Comics DC Comics, Inc. (doing business as DC) is an American comic book publisher and the flagship unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. DC Comics is one of the largest and oldest American comic book companies, with thei ...

(sometimes called Paco Ramon) *

Francisco Scaramanga Francisco Scaramanga is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists in the James Bond novel and film version of '' The Man with the Golden Gun''. Scaramanga is an assassin who kills with his signature weapon, a pistol made of solid gold ...

, the main antagonist of Ian Fleming's last novel, '' The Man with the Golden Gun'' (1964) and the subsequent film adaption from 1974 * Judge Francisco, supporting character in the

Judge Dredd Judge Joseph Dredd is a fictional character created by writer John Wagner and artist Carlos Ezquerra. He first appeared in the second issue of '' 2000 AD'' (1977), which is a British weekly anthology comic. He is the magazine's longest-running ...

comic strip

References

{{given name, type=both Spanish masculine given names Portuguese masculine given names fr:Francisco nl:Francisco ja:フランシスコ nds:Francisco