What is Francis in Irish?

The Irish form of Francis is Proinsias, pronounced PRON-she-iss. Proinsias means “little Frenchman.”

How do you pronounce Proinsias?

Proinsias is pronounced PRON-she-iss. Three syllables, stress on the first. There's a short video above where you can hear it said.

Francis in Irish: Proinsias

The Irish form of Francis is Proinsias, a boy's name meaning “little Frenchman.” Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.

Updated September 2026

How to say Proinsias

PRON-she-issThree syllables, stress on the first

Irish form: Proinsias
Meaning: Little Frenchman
Gender: Boy
Popularity in Ireland: No. 309 for boys (2025)

How do you say Francis in Irish?

Francis in Irish is Proinsias, pronounced PRON-she-iss. It has three syllables, with the stress on the first.

Hear Proinsias said aloud, with its meaning (37 seconds, Baby Names of Ireland on YouTube).

What does Proinsias mean?

Proinsias means “little Frenchman.” Francis is one of the English forms of the name.

How popular is Francis in Ireland?

In 2025, 14 baby boys in Ireland were named Francis, which made it No. 309 that year. That's down from No. 210 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1964, when 429 baby boys were named Francis, No. 16 that year. The records go back to 1964, when 429 baby boys were given the name.

Baby boys named Francis each year. Source: Central Statistics Office, Irish Babies’ Names 2025 (data: table VSA50, boys' names, CC BY 4.0).

See the numbers by year

Year	Babies	Rank
2025	14	No. 309
2024	16	No. 267
2023	17	No. 254
2022	19	No. 251
2021	20	No. 239
2020	17	No. 271
2019	16	No. 285
2018	20	No. 247
2017	21	No. 244
2016	18	No. 263
2015	26	No. 210
2014	23	No. 237
2013	27	No. 215
2012	14	No. 310
2011	15	No. 302
2010	23	No. 234
2009	24	No. 227
2008	23	No. 225
2007	15	No. 253
2006	27	No. 173
2005	25	No. 170
2004	28	No. 151
2003	22	No. 168
2002	24	No. 159
2001	23	No. 150
2000	27	No. 139
1999	21	No. 156
1998	20	No. 150
1997	50	No. 99
1996	59	No. 97
1995	56	No. 96
1994	66	No. 85
1993	77	No. 80
1992	83	No. 78
1991	80	No. 78
1990	86	No. 80
1989	88	No. 74
1988	98	No. 71
1987	117	No. 63
1986	128	No. 58
1985	136	No. 53
1984	143	No. 59
1983	182	No. 51
1982	173	No. 54
1981	204	No. 50
1980	192	No. 55
1979	214	No. 49
1978	217	No. 48
1977	226	No. 45
1976	235	No. 42
1975	243	No. 40
1974	245	No. 41
1973	272	No. 35
1972	282	No. 29
1971	288	No. 28
1970	305	No. 27
1969	272	No. 27
1968	332	No. 24
1967	336	No. 23
1966	390	No. 20
1965	393	No. 19
1964	429	No. 16

Proinsias in Ogham

Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Proinsias, letter by letter.

᚛ᚚᚏᚑᚔᚅᚄᚔᚐᚄ᚜

PPeith
RRuis, elder
OOnn, gorse
IIodhadh, yew
NNion, ash
SSail, willow
IIodhadh, yew
AAilm, pine
SSail, willow

Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator

Names that go with Francis

Sister names

Saoirse Maebh Blathnaid Nuala Granuaile Oonagh

Brother names

Ferdia Peadar Oisin Niall Daithi Cormac

Questions about Francis

What is Francis in Irish?: The Irish form of Francis is Proinsias, pronounced PRON-she-iss. Proinsias means “little Frenchman.”
How do you pronounce Proinsias?: Proinsias is pronounced PRON-she-iss. Three syllables, stress on the first. There's a short video above where you can hear it said.
Is Francis a girl's name or a boy's name?: Francis is a boy's name.
How popular is Francis in Ireland?: In 2025, Francis was No. 309 for boys in Ireland, with 14 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1964, at No. 16.