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Francisco

Boy name · 3 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Francisco: 3 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 3 births in 2020.

A name with deep Iberian roots, Francisco is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the Latin Franciscus, meaning “Frenchman” or “one who is free.” It has been borne by towering historical figures, most notably the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, the visionary painter Francisco de Goya, and of course Saint Francis of Assisi, whose own name gave the world the city of San Francisco. That Californian city is the most famous place connection, but the name also appears throughout the Americas. While not traditional in Scotland, Francisco has steadily appeared on birth registers since the 1970s, reflecting the nation’s growing multicultural diversity. A common affectionate variant is Paco, used especially in Spain, derived from the Latin pater comunitatis, or “father of the community.”