Francis

[ˈfrænsɪs]

Meaning

English form of the Late Latin Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman".

Background Story

Francis is the English form of the Late Latin name Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman", which comes ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, named for a type of spear they used. The 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi was originally named Giovanni but was nicknamed Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French; due to the saint's renown the name became widespread in Western Europe during the Middle Ages, though it was not regularly used in Britain until the 16th century. In the English-speaking world it is occasionally used for girls, as a variant of the homophone Frances.