Francis (given name)

Francis
	St. Francis receives the stigmata by Jan Claudius de Cock
Pronunciation	/ˈfrɑːnsɪs, ˈfræn-/
Gender	Male
Language(s)	French, Haitian Creole, Latin
Name day	October 4
Origin
Word/name	Latin
Meaning	Free man
Other names
Related names	Franciscus, Francisco, Francesco, François, Franz, Franciszek, Francesc, Ferenc, Franco, Frans, Frank, Franklin, Frankie, Franky, Fritz

Francis is an English given name of Latin origin.

Francis is a name that has many derivatives in most European languages. The female version of the name in English is Frances, and (less commonly) Francine.^[4] (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)^[5] 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,^[6] 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.^[7]

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: فرانشيسكو (Farānshiskū), فرنسيس (Faransīs), فرانسيس (Farānsīs)
Aragonese: Francho
Armenian: Ֆրանծիսկոս (Franciskos)
Asturian: Xicu
Albanian: Françesku
Alemannic German: Franz, Fränzi
Basque: Frantzisko, Frantziska, Patxi
Bavarian: Franze, Franzi, Franzl
Belarusian: ,
Bulgarian: Франциск (Frantsisk)
Breton: Franseza, Frañsez, Fañch, Fañchig, Soaig, Saig
Catalan: Francesc, Cesc, Cesco, , Xisco, Fran (male version); Francesca, Cisca, Xisca, Xesca, Fani, Francina (female version)
Chinese: 弗朗西斯 (Fúlǎngxīsī), 方濟各 (Fāngjìgè), 法蘭西斯 (Fǎlánxīsī)
Corsican: Francescu, Franciscu
Croatian: Franjo, Frano, Frane, Fran (male version); Franciska, Franka, Franca, Franjica (female version)
Czech: František, (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, (Φραγκίσκος), Frantzeskos (Φραντζέσκος), Frankiski (Φραγκίσκη), Frantzeska (Φραντζέσκα) (female version)
Gujarati: ફ્રાન્સિસ (Phrānsis)
Hawaiian: Palakiko
Hindi: फ्रांसिस (Phrānsis)
Hungarian: Ferenc, Feri, Franciska (female version)
Icelandic: Frans
Indonesian: Fransiskus, Fransiska (female version)
Irish: Proinsias, [Francie], (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: フランシス (Furanshisu) (for translation of English name), フランシスコ (Furanshisuko) (for translation of Christian name)
Kannada: ಫ್ರಾನ್ಸಿಸ್ (Phrānsis)
Konkani: Frask, Forso
Korean: 프란시스 (Peuransiseu), 프란체스코 (Peurancheseuko)
Latin: Franciscus
Latvian: Francisks, Francis
Lithuanian: Pranciškus
Lombard: Francesch
Luo (Ke/Tz): Fransisko, Pransis
Macedonian: Френсис (Frensis)
Malayalam: പൊറിഞ്ചു (Porinchu/Porinju), പ്രാഞ്ചി 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: فرانسیس (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: Франческо (Franchesko) for Italians, Франциск (Frantsisk) for popes, Франц (Frants) for Germans, Франсуа (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: Френсис, 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, , Francisca (female version), Paca (female version), Paqui or Paquita (female version)
Swahili: Fransisko
Swedish: Franciskus, Frans
Tamil: பிரான்சிஸ் (Pirāṉcis)
Telugu: ఫ్రాన్సిస్ (Phrānsis)
Thai: ฟรานซิส (F rān sis̄)
Turkish: Fransız, Fransuva
Ukrainian: Франциск (Frantsysk), Франциска (Frantsyska, female version)
Venetian: Francesco
Vietnamese: Phanxicô
Welsh:
West Frisian: Fransiskus
Yiddish: פראַנסיס (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 (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 Martin Patrick "Frankie" Boyle (born 1972), British stand-up comedian.
Francis C. Heitmeier (born 1950), American politician.
Francis Ford Coppola (born 1939), American film-director, producer, and screenwriter.
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (1915–1998), American singer, actor, and producer.
Francis Rossi (born 1949), British musician.
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 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 & 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, was a military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.
Francis Maude, 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 Owusu (born 1994), American football player
Francis Rosa (1920–2012), American sports journalist
Francis Rundall (1908–1987), British diplomat
Francis Saunderson (1754–1827), Anglo-Irish politician
Francis Valentino American Musician.
Francis Webb (disambiguation), multiple people.
Francis Zamora (born 1977), Filipino politician, businessman, and basketball player

Aristocracy[]

Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor^{[citation needed]} (1708–1765), also Francis III^{[citation needed]}, Duke of Lorraine

Canada[]

Francis Bouillon, Hockey Player (1975–)

France[]

Francis I of France^{[citation needed]}, King of France (1494–1547)
Francis II of France^{[citation needed]}, King of France (1544–1560)
Francis I, Duke of Brittany^{[citation needed]} (1414–1450)
Francis II, Duke of Brittany (1433–1488)
Francis III, Duke of Brittany (1518–1536)
Francis I, Duke of Lorraine^{[citation needed]} (1517–1545)
Francis II, Duke of Lorraine^{[citation needed]} (1572–1632)

German-speaking countries[]

Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor^{[citation needed]}, also Francis I^{[citation needed]}, Emperor of Austria (1768–1835)
Franz, Duke of Bavaria (born 1933), called "Francis II" by Jacobite supporters

Iberian monarchies[]

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

Italy[]

Francis I of the Two Sicilies^{[citation needed]} (1777–1830)
Francis II of the Two Sicilies^{[citation needed]} (1836–1894)
Francis IV, Duke of Modena^{[citation needed]} (1779–1846)
Francis V, Duke of Modena^{[citation needed]} (1819–1875)

Hungary[]

Francis I Rákóczi^{[citation needed]}, Prince of Transylvania (1645–1676)
Francis II Rákóczi^{[citation needed]}, Duke of Hungary and Prince Transylvania (1676–1735)

Scandinavia[]

Francis of Denmark^{[citation needed]} (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)

Academics[]

Francis Bohlen (1868–1942), American Algernon Sydney Biddle professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School
Francis Owen (1886–1975), Canadian philologist and military officer

Fictional characters[]

Francis, a character in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over
Francis Buxton, a character in the 1985 American adventure comedy film Pee-wee's Big Adventure
Francis "Frank" Castle, fictional vigilante from Marvel Comics also known as the Punisher
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, character in Donna Tartt's 1992 novel The Secret History.
Francis, a bull dog 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, a character from Deadpool
Francis E. Francis, a character 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, a character from Police Squad
Francis “Franco” Begbie, a character in “Trainspotting (novel)” a novel by Irvine Welsh
Fran Bow, a main protagonist in 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

References[]

^ "Francis". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
^ "Francis". Oxford Dictionaries UK Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2016-02-07.
^ Navarro, Yvonne (2007). First Name Reverse Dictionary: Given Names Listed by Meaning, 2d ed. McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers. pp. 110–112. ISBN 9780786429349.
^ "Baby Name Statistics". Baby Names – England and Wales, ONS. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
^ Chesterton, Gilbert Keith (1924). "St. Francis of Assisi" (14 ed.). Garden City, New York: Image Books: 158. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Francis" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 933.
^ Francis

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[1] "Francis". Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 2016-02-07.

[2] "Francis". Oxford Dictionaries UK Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 2016-02-07.

[3] Navarro, Yvonne (2007). First Name Reverse Dictionary: Given Names Listed by Meaning, 2d ed. McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers. pp. 110–112. ISBN 9780786429349.

[4] "Baby Name Statistics". Baby Names – England and Wales, ONS. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 30 April 2018.

[Chesterton-5] Chesterton, Gilbert Keith (1924). "St. Francis of Assisi" (14 ed.). Garden City, New York: Image Books: 158. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[6] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Francis" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 10 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 933.

[7] Francis

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