girl's name
Florence
FLOR-ənss
- Origin Latin
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 538,399
the United States
#391
2025 births
Florence is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning "blossoming" or "flourishing." It comes from the Latin florens, and reached English as the name of the Italian city, which was itself named for prosperity.
- Florence is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1918, when 11,350 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in US records.
- Today about 1 in 274 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Florence over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Florence is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 16,815 |
| 1890s | 32,504 |
| 1900s | 36,368 |
| 1910s | 81,759 |
| 1920s | 88,628 |
| 1930s | 38,162 |
| 1940s | 20,480 |
| 1950s | 10,618 |
| 1960s | 5,115 |
| 1970s | 2,227 |
| 1980s | 1,272 |
| 1990s | 828 |
| 2000s | 600 |
| 2010s | 1,828 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,343 |
What Florence means
Florence means blossoming, flowering or flourishing. The sense is not the flower itself but the act of thriving — the same idea English keeps in the word flourish.
Where Florence comes from
Florence descends from the Latin florens, the present participle of florere, to bloom or prosper, itself from flos, flower. It existed as the Roman name Florentius and its feminine Florentia, borne by several early saints. The Italian city of Firenze carries the same root, from the Roman colony Florentia, and it was the city that gave the name its modern life: Florence Nightingale was born there in 1820 and named after it, and her fame turned a place name into a first name across the English-speaking world.
Florence in use
Our records show Florence peaking in 1918 and then falling for most of the century before turning back up — it is one of the clearest revivals in the data. The revival is far stronger in Britain, where Florence sits at 5 in England and Wales, than in the United States, where it is still outside the top 350.
How popular is Florence?
In 2025, Florence was given to 1,924 babies in England and Wales, ranking #5 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Florence is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Florence
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Florence also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Florence over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
5 nicknames for Florence
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Florence in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- French
- Fiorenza
- Italian
- Fiorenza
- Romanian
- Florentina
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Florencia
Sibling names for Florence
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Florence — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Florence
What does the name Florence mean?
Florence means "blossoming" or "flourishing," from the Latin florens.
Is Florence named after the city?
In modern use, usually yes. Both come from the same Latin root, but Florence Nightingale — named for her birthplace — is why English speakers adopted it.
Is Florence coming back into fashion?
Our data marks Florence as reviving. It peaked in 1918, declined for decades, and is now a British top ten name.
How popular is the name Florence?
In 2025, Florence was given to 1,924 babies in England and Wales, ranking #5 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Florence a girl's or a boy's name?
Florence is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Florence?
Florence has 2 syllables.
When was Florence most popular?
Florence peaked in 1918, when 11,350 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Florence?
Florence is usually shortened to Flo, Flossie, Florrie, Ren and Flora.
Is Florence a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Florence currently ranks #5 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.