Francessca first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Francessca has been for the last 17 years (from 1987 to 2003) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Francessca

A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "free one".

Popularity of Francessca by gender

Based on the last 17 years of data, Francessca is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2003, there were 7 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Francessca.

Year Male Count Female Count
2003 0 7
2001 0 5
2000 0 6
1999 0 5
1998 0 6
1997 0 8
1993 0 7
1992 0 5
1989 0 7
1988 0 10
1987 0 8

The history of the first name Francessca

The name Francessca is of Italian origin, derived from the Latin name Franciscus, meaning "free" or "Frenchman." It has been in use since medieval times.

The name Franciscus itself is thought to have originated from the Germanic tribe known as the Franks, who inhabited parts of present-day France and Germany. The name was later popularized by St. Francis of Assisi, the Italian patron saint of animals and the environment, who lived in the 12th and 13th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Francessca can be found in Dante's Divine Comedy, written in the early 14th century. In the poem, Francessca da Rimini is a character who tells the story of her tragic love affair with her brother-in-law, Paolo Malatesta.

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Francessca. Francessca Caccini (1587-1640) was an Italian composer, singer, and poet who is considered one of the first professional female composers. Francessca Woodman (1958-1981) was an American photographer known for her black and white self-portraits.

Other famous Francesscas include Francessca Neri (1612-1688), an Italian Catholic mystic and religious writer; Francessca Rhyn (1963-), a Swiss former tennis player; and Francessca Annis (1945-), an English actress best known for her roles in television series such as Reckless and Wives and Daughters.

While the name Francessca has its roots in Italy, it has since been adopted and used in various cultures and languages around the world, with slight variations in spelling and pronunciation. The name remains a popular choice for parents seeking a name with a rich cultural heritage and a touch of elegance.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Francessca was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Francessca, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Francessca first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 21, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/francessca-meaning-and-history/.

"Francessca first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/francessca-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 21 July, 2025

Francessca first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/francessca-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.