Frances is a distinctive choice, ranked #425 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Frances in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2024
#425
US Rank #379
About the Name Frances
Frances is gradually declining in popularity, having dropped 73 places over five years. Its high point was #161 in 1996, and it now sits at #425. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Frances is distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #379, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Frances
Unlikely. With around 101 UK babies named Frances per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Frances in her class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Frances has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 73 places in the last five years. Its peak was #161 in 1996. Choosing it now means she is likely to be among the last of her generation with this name.
Frances is more popular in the US (#379) than in the UK (#425). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Frances include: Frances Karttunen — Frances Esther Karttunen, also known as Frances Ruley Karttunen, is an American academic linguist, historian and author.; Frances Tiafoe — Frances Tiafoe Jr..
Frances appears in the US top 500 at #379 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
101
UK babies named Frances (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.1
In a school of 600
↓ 73 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Frances
Likely around 1 other Frances in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Frances
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Frances Ford Seymour Fonda was a Canadian-American socialite. She was the second wife of actor Henry Fonda and the mother of actors Jane Fonda and Peter Fonda.
Frances Perkins was an American workers-rights advocate who served as the fourth United States secretary of labor from 1933 to 1945, the longest serving in that position. A member of the Democratic Party, Perkins was the first woman ever to serve in a presidential cabinet.
Frances Burke, Countess of Clanricarde was an English noblewoman. The daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth I's Secretary of State, she became the wife of Sir Philip Sidney at age 16.
Frances Ruth Shand Kydd was the mother of Diana, Princess of Wales. She was the maternal grandmother of William, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, respectively first and fifth in the line of succession to the British throne.
Frances Carr, Countess of Somerset, was an English noblewoman who was the central figure in a famous scandal and murder during the reign of King James I. She was found guilty but spared execution, and was eventually pardoned by the King and released from the Tower of London in early 1622.
Frances Nelson, Viscountess Nelson, Duchess of Bronte was the wife of Horatio Nelson, the British naval officer who won several victories over the French during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Born to wealthy parents on Nevis, she was orphaned at 21, and married a doctor, Josiah Nisbet.