Total births
4,965
Unisex name · since 1912
Fran
Since 1912, U.S. Social Security records show 4,965 babies named Fran, peaking in 1960. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 4,965
- total births
- 1912–2015
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
Fran is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 4,965 have been recorded since 1912.
Fran has 4,965 recorded births among girls since 1912, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1950s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1912 to 2015.
- 4,965 total births
- 1912–2015 years on record
- 1950s peak decade
- 34% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
4,965 girls have been named Fran since 1912, peaking in the 1950s, last recorded in 2015.
- 4,965
- total births
- 1912–2015
- years on record
- 1950s
- peak decade
- 34%
- born in that decade
1950s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Fran was born in this single decade.
1960
Single peak year
280 babies were named Fran in 1960 - its busiest year on record.
Fran's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Fran splits its recorded history at 1951: 65% of all births land in the more recent half, 35% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1922 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1960 peak of 280 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Fran at a glance
Last recorded 2015Peak year
1960
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1912
Fran popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1912–2015
- Peak year (1960)
- 280
- Annual births at peak, across 104 years of records
Fran popularity over time - boys
374 total births recorded since 1918 (Fran as boys' name)
Fran by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1950s was Fran's strongest decade.
1,694 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Fran births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 66
1910s
66 births
- 1920s 106
1920s
106 births
- 1930s 279
1930s
279 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,171 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,694 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,294 births
- 1970s 258
1970s
258 births
- 1980s 86
1980s
86 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
- 2010s 5
2010s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1950s at 1,694 births (34% of all-time use).
How Fran compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Fran's total volume
Fran vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Fran by state
Where Fran concentrates geographically, total births since 1912
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 1,186 | 23.9% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 183 | 3.7% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 181 | 3.6% |
| #4 | California | | 174 | 3.5% |
| #5 | Texas | | 168 | 3.4% |
| #6 | New Jersey | | 153 | 3.1% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 138 | 2.8% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 115 | 2.3% |
New York share of Fran's total US births 23.9%
Even split
1,186 of 4,965 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 23 reporting states.
Fran appears in 23 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Fran? ▼
Since 1912, Social Security records show 4,965 babies named Fran. The most recent recorded year was 2015. Its busiest year on record was 1960, with 280 births.
When was Fran most popular? ▼
Fran was most popular in the 1950s decade with 1,694 total births. The single peak year was 1960.
Where is Fran most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Fran are New York (1,186 births), Illinois (183 births), Pennsylvania (181 births).
Is Fran a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Fran is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 4,965 births, and as a boy's name it has 374 births.
How long has the name Fran been used? ▼
Records for Fran go back to 1912, giving 104 years of history through 2015.
What names are similar to Fran? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Frances, Frankie, Francine, Francesca, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Fran's data
- Fran's decade-level peak was the 1950s (1,694 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New York records the most Frans (1,186 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Fran
Nearby Names Like Fran
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Fran
Frances Girl
#375 595,697 births
Frankie Girl
#590 37,162 births
Francine Girl
#2055 36,470 births
Francesca Girl
#315 35,331 births
Francis Girl
#2081 29,832 births
Compare Fran side by side: Fran vs Frances Fran vs Frankie Fran vs Francine
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1912–2015 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Fran: Baby Name Since 1912 - 4,965 Births, Peak 1960." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/fran. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Fran draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.