Francelia
A feminine name of French origin, possibly meaning "from France".
Name Census estimates that about 159 living Americans carry the first name Francelia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Francelia today is around 57 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Francelia births was 1969 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Francelia. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
159
~ 1 in 2,155,688 Americans
Peak year
1969
23 babies that year
Average age
57
years old
1998 SSA rank
#11,532
Tracked since 1912
Popularity
Francelia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Francelia from the 1910s through to the 1990s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 61 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1960s peak, Francelia remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Francelia by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Francelia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Francelias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Francelia
The name Francelia finds its origins in the Latin language, believed to have emerged during the late Roman period. It is a feminine variant of the masculine name Franciscus, which derives from the Latin adjective "Francus," meaning "free" or "Frank." The Franks were a Germanic tribe that played a crucial role in the establishment of medieval France.
The earliest recorded use of the name Francelia dates back to the 12th century, where it appears in several ecclesiastical records from regions of present-day France and Italy. It is believed that the name gained popularity among noble families during this time, possibly as a way to honor the influential Frankish heritage.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Francelia was a Benedictine nun who lived in the 13th century in a monastery located in the Duchy of Burgundy. Although little is known about her life, her name is mentioned in various monastic chronicles from that era.
In the 14th century, Francelia del Fiore, a renowned Italian poet and scholar, gained recognition for her literary works and contributions to the intellectual circles of Florence. Born in 1355, she was praised for her mastery of classical literature and her ability to compose intricate sonnets and odes.
During the Renaissance period, Francelia Montefeltro, daughter of the Duke of Urbino, was a prominent figure in the Italian courts. Born in 1472, she was renowned for her patronage of the arts and her influential role in shaping the cultural landscape of her time.
In the 17th century, Francelia de Montfort, a French noblewoman and philanthropist, left a lasting impact on her community. Born in 1612, she established several charitable institutions and was celebrated for her dedication to helping the less fortunate.
The 19th century saw the rise of Francelia Bayliss, an English artist and illustrator known for her exquisite botanical drawings. Born in 1828, her works were widely acclaimed and featured in prestigious publications of the time.
Throughout history, the name Francelia has carried a sense of nobility, grace, and cultural heritage, reflecting its Latin roots and the influence of the Frankish people on the formation of medieval European societies.
People
Francelia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Francelia as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Francelia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Francelia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 159 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Francelia going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 2,155,688 US residents.
Is Francelia a common name?
We classify Francelia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 71.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 329 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Francelia most popular?
The single biggest year for Francelia was 1969, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Francelia is about 57 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Francelia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Francelia in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.