The nameFrançois
François is the French form of Francis, a name of kings and writers.
- Boy's name
- French
- Feast day
Meaning
François comes from the Latin Franciscus, "Frenchman".
Origin
French, from Latin.
History
King François I brought Leonardo da Vinci to France. In the United States Francois reached 1485th place in 1967.
François in other languages
François is the French form of Francis. It is Franz in German, Francesco in Italian, Francisco in Spanish and Portuguese, Francesc in Catalan, Franciszek in Polish, Frans in Dutch and Fañch in Breton.
Did you know?
- King François I welcomed Leonardo da Vinci to Amboise, where the painter died in 1519.
- In 1539 François I made French the language of official documents with the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts.
- François Truffaut won the Best Director award at Cannes in 1959 for his first feature, The 400 Blows.
Famous people named François
- François Truffaut, film director
- François Rabelais, writer
Popularity of the name François
François in the United States
François was most popular in the United States in the 1980s, with 287 births over the decade, 16% of all recorded babies named François. Its rise began around 1912, and it peaked in 1992. Half of all babies named François in the United States were born before 1980, so it is mostly a parents' generation name.
François in France
François was most popular in France in the 1960s, with 53,695 births over the decade, 13% of all recorded babies named François. Half of all babies named François in France were born before 1948, so it is mostly a grandparents' generation name. Over the last five years on record, its popularity has held steady at around 92 births a year.
François in Belgium
Variants and related names
How many people are named François? See the counter → · What would your name be in 1950? · Name origin quiz
Compare François with another name
Meaning, origin and popularity of François side by side with the name of your choice.
François in our baby name lists
Frequently asked questions
What does the name François mean?
François comes from the Latin Franciscus, "Frenchman".
What is the origin of the name François?
French, from Latin.
Is François a girl's or a boy's name?
François is a boy's name.
How popular is the name François?
In 2024, François was the 6695th most popular name for baby boys in the United States, with 13 births.
What are the variants of the name François?
Variants and related names of François include Franc, Francine, Francis, Frankie, Franklin, Frantz, Jean-Francis and Paco.
Who are famous people named François?
François Truffaut, film director; François Rabelais, writer.