Franco
A male given name from Italian or Spanish, equivalent to English Frank or Francis.
Every Franco since 1923 — 9,107 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Franco
Franco is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #747 in 2025 with 348 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1923, 9,107 American babies have been named Franco. Its peak came in 2016, when 353 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Franco stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Franco year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 348 | #747 |
| 2024 | 345 | #745 |
| 2023 | 325 | #780 |
| 2022 | 291 | #839 |
| 2021 | 268 | #866 |
| 2020 | 233 | #945 |
| 2019 | 262 | #853 |
| 2018 | 279 | #808 |
| 2017 | 328 | #727 |
| 2016 | 353 | #702 |
| 2015 | 254 | #876 |
| 2014 | 275 | #825 |
| 2013 | 234 | #890 |
| 2012 | 204 | #980 |
| 2011 | 206 | #961 |
| 2010 | 254 | #839 |
| 2009 | 307 | #748 |
| 2008 | 264 | #830 |
| 2007 | 178 | #1,054 |
| 2006 | 203 | #930 |
| 2005 | 207 | #881 |
| 2004 | 195 | #889 |
| 2003 | 131 | #1,151 |
| 2002 | 115 | #1,206 |
| 2001 | 117 | #1,175 |
| 2000 | 116 | #1,178 |
| 1995 | 78 | #1,330 |
| 1990 | 71 | #1,320 |
| 1985 | 60 | #1,234 |
| 1980 | 106 | #863 |
| 1975 | 89 | #880 |
| 1970 | 55 | #1,105 |
| 1965 | 33 | #1,341 |
| 1960 | 26 | #1,598 |
| 1955 | 7 | #3,299 |
| 1950 | 9 | #2,643 |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | 7 | #3,401 |
| 1925 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Franco
- Franco Zeffirelli Film director · 1923–2019
- Franco Nero Actor · b. 1941
- Franco Modigliani Economist · 1918–2003
- Franco Columbu Actor · 1941–2019
- Franco Corelli Singer · 1921–2003
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Franco mean?
A male given name from Italian or Spanish, equivalent to English Frank or Francis.
How popular is the name Franco in 2025?
Franco ranked #747 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 348 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Franco?
9,107 babies have been named Franco in the United States since 1923, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Franco most popular?
Franco peaked in 2016, when 353 newborns received the name.
Is Franco a boy or girl name?
Franco is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Franco rising or falling?
Franco is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Franco?
Well-known people named Franco include Franco Zeffirelli (film director), Franco Nero (actor), Franco Modigliani (economist).