Francell
A masculine name of French origin meaning "free" or "of Frank heritage".
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Francell. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 66.7% of registrations being female. The average person named Francell today is around 72 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Francell births was 1921 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Francell. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Francell is about 72 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Francells were born before 1964.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Francell. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1921
5 babies that year
Average age
72
years old
1951 SSA rank
#3,896
Tracked since 1921
Gender
Gender distribution for Francell
Francell is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 15 total registrations, 5 (33.3%) were male and 10 (66.7%) were female.
Francell as a male name
- Ranked #3,896 in 1951
- 5 male births in 1951
- Peak: 1951 (5 births)
Francell as a female name
- Ranked #5,956 in 1953
- 5 female births in 1953
- Peak: 1921 (5 births)
Popularity
Francell: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Francell from the 1920s through to the 1950s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 10 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Francell 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 Francell during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Francell
The name Francell is believed to have originated in the ancient Germanic regions of Europe, particularly in areas that are now part of modern-day Germany and the Netherlands. Its roots can be traced back to the Old Frankish language, a dialect spoken by the Franks, a confederation of Germanic tribes that played a significant role in the history of Western Europe.
The name Francell is likely derived from the Old Frankish word "franko," which means "free" or "frank." This word was later adopted into other Germanic languages, such as Old English and Old Norse, where it evolved into words like "franca" and "frankr," respectively. These words were used to describe the Franks and their cultural identity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Francell can be found in the Frankish Annals, a collection of historical records dating back to the 6th century AD. This text mentions a Frankish nobleman named Francellus, who lived during the reign of the Merovingian dynasty. However, it is uncertain whether this name is directly related to the modern form of Francell.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Francell. One of the most prominent figures was Francell of Strasbourg (c. 1050-1120), a renowned scholar and theologian who lived during the High Middle Ages. He was known for his contributions to the study of canon law and served as a canon at the Cathedral of Strasbourg.
Another notable Francell was Francell of Pavia (c. 1180-1250), an Italian jurist and legal scholar who taught at the University of Bologna. His works on Roman law and legal theory were highly influential during the medieval period.
In the 15th century, there was Francell von Buren (c. 1410-1475), a German knight and military commander who fought in the Hussite Wars, a series of religious conflicts in Bohemia. He was known for his bravery and tactical skills on the battlefield.
During the Renaissance period, Francell Fiore (c. 1470-1540) was an Italian painter and architect active in Venice. He is renowned for his frescoes in the Palazzo Ducale and his contributions to the architectural style of the Venetian Renaissance.
In the 17th century, Francell Guicciardini (1612-1675) was an Italian historian and political writer. He is best known for his work "La Historia d'Italia," a comprehensive historical account of the Italian peninsula from the late 15th to the mid-16th century.
While the name Francell may have fallen out of widespread use in more recent times, its rich history and cultural significance can be traced back to the ancient Germanic tribes and their influence on the development of Western civilization.
People
Francell + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Francell 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
Francell: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Francell?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Francell 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 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Francell a common name?
We classify Francell as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Francell most popular?
The single biggest year for Francell was 1921, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Francell is about 72 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Francell in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Francell a female name?
Yes, 66.7% of people registered as Francell 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.
Is Francell still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Francell in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Francell can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Francell?
Find out how many people have the name Francell on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.