Francisco is a name of Spanish origin that means "free-born man" or "Frenchman". It is derived from the Germanic word "Frank," which refers to the Franks, a tribe that inhabited Gaul (now France) during the Middle Ages. The name Francisco has been popular throughout history and has been borne by several notable figures.
One of the most famous bearers of the name Francisco was St. Francis of Assisi, an Italian friar and preacher who lived in the 12th century. He is known for his love of nature and animals, as well as his work with the poor and sick. St. Francis of Assisi founded the Franciscan order and is considered one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic Church.
Other notable figures bearing the name Francisco include Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that conquered the Inca Empire in Peru, and Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator who ruled from 1939 until his death in 1975.
In literature, Francisco is also a character in Ernest Hemingway's novel "The Old Man and the Sea," where he plays a significant role as the old fisherman Santiago's apprentice. The name Francisco has been used throughout history to denote strength, courage, and resilience, reflecting its meaning of being free-born or independent-minded.
Based on the statistics provided, it's clear that the name Francisco has seen a varied degree of popularity over the years in the United States.
The earliest data available starts in 1933 with 5 births that year. This number remained relatively consistent until the late 1940s and early 1950s when we saw an increase to double-digit figures, peaking at 22 births in 1951.
However, this trend did not continue as the popularity of the name Francisco started to decline again from the mid-1950s onwards. Between 1956 and 1966, the number of births with the name Francisco fluctuated between 5 and 14 per year.
The late 1960s and early 1970s saw a renewed interest in the name Francisco, with numbers ranging from 8 to 15 births annually. This trend continued into the 1980s, with the number of births peaking at 21 in 1982.
However, since then, the popularity of the name Francisco has decreased significantly. From the mid-1990s onwards, there have been fewer than 20 births annually, and as recent as 2011, only 5 births were recorded.
In total, over the period from 1933 to 2011, there have been 826 births of children named Francisco in the United States. These statistics highlight the changing trends in baby names over time, with Francisco experiencing periods of popularity and decline throughout the decades.