Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Franco

Franco is the abbreviated form of Francesco, the Italian equivalent of Francis, both of which are derived from the Late Latinate Franciscus, a vocabulary word denoting “French” or “Frenchman” which ultimately means “free”. The Franks were an ancient Germanic tribe who eventually morphed into the French people. The name in its various linguistic formations was ultimately popularized by St. Francis of Assisi (whose baptismal name was actually Giovanni). Giovanni was given the nickname Francis by his wealthy Italian father who had business dealings in France and greatly admired the French people. Born at the end of the 12th century, St. Francis had a pleasant, happy childhood, but as a young man, a couple of bad experiences caused him to turn away from the material world and devote himself to the poor and sick. After he was joined by a few disciples, these so-called Franciscans dedicated themselves to humility, poverty and the love for all living creatures. St. Francis is often depicted surrounded by animals, particularly birds. It’s no surprise that St. Francis is the patron saint of animals and the environment, but he is also the patron saint of Italy. Thanks to the cult that grew up around St. Francis, the name spread in the 14th century and became even more popular during the Italian Renaissance of the 16th century. This old classic has given way to several forms in various languages including Francesco and Franco (Italian), François (French), Franz (German), Francisco (Spanish) and of course Francis and Frank (English). Today, the name Franco is most popular in the nation of Chili.

All About the Baby Name – Franco

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME FRANCO

The Three energy is powerful and enthusiastic. These personalities are cheerful, full of self-expression, and often quite emotional. They have an artistic flair and "gift-of-gab" that makes them natural entertainers. Their joyfulness bubbles over, and their infectious exuberance draws a crowd. The Three personality is like a child - forever young and full of delight. They are charming, witty, and generally happy people. The Three personality lives in the "now" and has a spontaneous nature. Threes seem to live with a bright and seemingly unbreakable aura that attracts others to them. In turn, they are deeply loyal and loving to their friends and family. Luck also has a tendency to favor number Threes.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME FRANCO

Franco is a name that has never experienced much usage in the United States. It first appeared on the male naming charts in 1967 and floundered at very low levels of popularity until 1980. Between 1981 and 2004, the name completely disappeared from the panoply of male names used in America. In the past seven or eight years this name has reemerged, although he remains at the bottom of the charts and only in occasional use. It appears that Franco is quite a bit more popular in South America than it is up here in North America. Still Spanish-speakers are more apt to use Francisco than Franco in the United States. Franco definitely has more of an Italian feel to it, and a more casual sensibility than Francesco. Franco makes us think of Marco, Rocco and Mario. Very relaxed and unfussy Italian – yet strong, confident and simply handsome.

Quick Facts

ON FRANCO

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

Italian

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

2

RANKING POPULARITY:

888

PRONUNCIATION:

FRAHN-ko

SIMPLE MEANING:

Free man

Characteristics

OF FRANCO

Communicative

Creative

Optimistic

Popular

Social

Dramatic

Happy

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Franco

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME FRANCO

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Franco

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME FRANCO

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Franco


Popular Songs

ON FRANCO

Franco Un-American
a song by NOFX

Famous People

NAMED FRANCO

Franco Harris (football player)
Franco Zeffirelli (filmmaker)

Children of Famous People

NAMED FRANCO

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Franco

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME FRANCO

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Franco