Francis is a distinctive choice, ranked #2575 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Francis in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2024
#2575
US Rank #450
About the Name Francis
Francis has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 126 places in five years. It was most popular in 1998 at #191 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.
Francis 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 #450, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Francis
Unlikely. With around 10 UK babies named Francis per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Francis in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Francis has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 126 places in the last five years. Its peak was #191 in 1998. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Francis is more popular in the US (#450) than in the UK (#2575). 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 Francis include: Don Francis — Donald Pinkston Francis is an American physician and epidemiologist who worked on the Ebola outbreak in Africa in the late 1970s, and as an HIV/AIDS...; Bev Francis — Beverley "Bev" Francis is an Australian gym owner and retired professional bodybuilder, powerlifter, and national shot put champion.; Francis Drake — Sir Francis Drake was an English explorer and privateer best known for making the second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition between 1577 and....
Francis appears in the US top 500 at #450 in 2024 — moderately popular in America, though less so than in the UK.
10
UK babies named Francis (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 126 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Francis
Likely around 1 other Francis 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 Francis
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Donald Pinkston Francis is an American physician and epidemiologist who worked on the Ebola outbreak in Africa in the late 1970s, and as an HIV/AIDS researcher. He retired from the U.S.
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italian mystic, poet and Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Christian life of poverty, he became a beggar and an itinerant preacher.
Sir Francis Drake was an English explorer and privateer best known for making the second circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition between 1577 and 1580 (being the first English expedition to accomplish this). He is also known for participating in the early English slaving voyages of his cousin, John Hawkins, and John Lovell.
Brigadier General Francis Marion, also known as the "Swamp Fox", was an American military officer, planter, and politician who served during the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War. During the American Revolution, Marion supported the Patriot cause and enlisted in the Continental Army, fighting against British forces in the southern theater of the American Revolutionary War from 1780 to 1781.
Dillon Hart Francis, known professionally as DJ Hanzel, is an American electronic music producer and DJ. He played a key role in popularizing moombahton and later developed its heavier variants, moombahcore and EDM trap.
Paul William "Sage" Francis is an American independent underground rapper from Providence, Rhode Island. He is the founder and CEO of Strange Famous Records.