Frances

Frances is the feminine form of Francis, which derives from the Medieval Latin name Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman" or "from Francia." The name ultimately traces back to the Germanic tribal name of the Franks, whose own name may derive from a word meaning "free" or from the name of a type of throwing spear. It was popularized largely through the fame of Saint Francis of Assisi, the thirteenth-century Italian friar, whose influence spread the name across Europe in both its masculine and feminine forms. Related forms include Francesca, the Italian and Spanish feminine variant, as well as Fanny, a traditional diminutive.