Francine
Francine was the 1850th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 108 babies. Its best year was 1946, when it ranked 216th; the most babies were born in 1951 (1,143). Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,219 places. More babies were named Francine in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Meaning from Frances; "Frenchwoman" · French, Latin
Say it fran-SEEN /frænˈsin/
- Rank in 2025
- #1,850 girls, up 817 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 108girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19511,143 babies
- Total since 1880
- 36,481babies recorded
What does the name Francine mean?
Francine is a French name, borrowed into English, that is usually taken as a diminutive linked to Françoise (Frances). Wiktionary's French entry derives it from Old French Franc, "Frank", with the ending -ine. Frances is from Latin Francisca, "Frankish woman, Frenchwoman". Wikipedia notes Francine was most popular in France in the 1940s, and it was well used in the US in the 1940s and 1950s.
Franc (Old French, “a Frank, Frenchman”)-ine (French, “diminutive ending”)
How sure is this? Probable. The exact formation (Franc + -ine or a pet form of Françoise) is not fully settled.
Related names: Frances, Françoise, Fran, Francina.
See also: French names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Francine', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Frances', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wikipedia, 'Francine (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Nicknames for Francine
The usual nicknames for Francine are Fran and Frannie.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Girls, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fran · also for Francesca, Frances, Francis | Traditional | — | — |
| Frannie · also for Francesca, Frances | Traditional | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are girls given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Francines go by each one.
Francine popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 11 since 1960.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,850 | 108 |
| 2020 | #2,667 | 63 |
| 2010 | #4,428 | 33 |
| 2000 | #2,318 | 67 |
| 1990 | #1,199 | 142 |
| 1980 | #809 | 200 |
| 1970 | #388 | 604 |
| 1960 | #286 | 1,020 |
| 1950 | #224 | 1,124 |
| 1940 | #387 | 299 |
| 1930 | #575 | 141 |
| 1920 | #860 | 71 |
| 1910 | #1,236 | 14 |
| 1900 | #1,488 | 8 |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Francine, counting every spelling?
Francine has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #1,669 for girls in 2025, against #1,850 on the official list.
How many kids will share the name Francine?
108 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Francine (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Francine born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 78 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Francine.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Francine?
About 27,100 people born in the US named Francine are alive today, with a median age of 66; half are between 55 and 74. That makes Francine a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Francine by state
How common Francine was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Michigan (2.2×). In 40 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Francine: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Francine, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Francine · Sibling names for Francine
Questions about the name Francine
What does Francine mean?
Francine means “from Frances; "Frenchwoman"” (French, Latin origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Francine?
Francine was the 1850th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 108 babies. Its best year was 1946, when it ranked 216th; the most babies were born in 1951 (1,143). Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,219 places. More babies were named Francine in the 1950s than in any other decade.
Is Francine a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Francine in the US.
Where is Francine most popular?
In 2021–2025, Francine was most common in Minnesota (0.15 per 1,000 girls), followed by Wisconsin and Michigan.