Franco
Franco was the 747th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 348 babies. Its best year was 2016, when it ranked 702nd with 353 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 129 places. More babies were named Franco in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning a Frank; free (Italian/Spanish form of Frank) · Italian, Spanish, Latin
Say it FRANG-koh /ˈfɹæŋkoʊ/
- Rank in 2025
- #747 boys, up 198 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 348boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2016353 babies
- Total since 1880
- 9,107babies recorded
What does the name Franco mean?
Franco is the Italian and Spanish equivalent of Frank and Francis, from Late Latin Francus 'a Frank', a member of the Germanic people who gave their name to France. Because the Franks were the free ruling class in Gaul, frank also came to mean 'free'. The name of the Franks themselves is often traced to a Germanic word for a kind of spear, but that is uncertain. Franco is also a common surname in Spain, Italy and Latin America.
Francus (Late Latin, “a Frank”)*frankô (Proto-Germanic, “a Frank (perhaps 'spear')”)
How sure is this? Well established. The name's meaning 'a Frank' is clear; the origin of the people's name is uncertain.
Pronunciation: Spanish and Italian: FRAHN-koh.
Related names: Frank, Francis, Francesco, Frankie.
See also: Latin names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Franco', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Frank', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Frank', DMNES (Durham University)
Franco popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #747 | 348 |
| 2020 | #945 | 233 |
| 2010 | #839 | 254 |
| 2000 | #1,178 | 116 |
| 1990 | #1,320 | 71 |
| 1980 | #863 | 106 |
| 1970 | #1,105 | 55 |
| 1960 | #1,598 | 26 |
| 1950 | #2,643 | 9 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | #3,401 | 7 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Franco, counting every spelling?
Franco is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #724 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #747 for Franco on its own. Together these spellings went to 353 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franco | 348 | #747 | 1,577 |
| Franko | 5 | #12,644 | 48 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Franco?
348 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Franco (0.10 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Franco 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 24 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Franco.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Franco?
About 8,800 people born in the US named Franco are alive today, with a median age of 16; half are between 8 and 31. That makes Franco mostly worn by children and young adults.
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.
Franco by state
How common Franco was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in New Jersey (2.0×), Florida (1.9×), Illinois (1.8×), California (1.7×), Texas (1.7×). In 29 states fewer than five boys 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 Franco: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Franco, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Franco · Sibling names for Franco
Questions about the name Franco
What does Franco mean?
Franco means “a Frank; free (Italian/Spanish form of Frank)” (Italian, Spanish, Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Franco?
Franco was the 747th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 348 babies. Its best year was 2016, when it ranked 702nd with 353 babies. Over the last ten years it has moved up 129 places. More babies were named Franco in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Franco a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Franco in the US.
Where is Franco most popular?
In 2021–2025, Franco was most common in New Jersey (0.37 per 1,000 boys), followed by Florida and Illinois.