Firstly, Frances and Francis are both proper names. Frances is commonly used as a female name, while Francis is often used as a male name. However, both names can be used for either gender. The name Frances is of Latin origin and means “free man” or “from France.”

Frances is a gender-neutral name of Latin and German origin, meaning “of the Franks,” "Frankish," “free man,” and "truthful" or "sincere." Frances, which originated in Britain in the 17th century, is said to be the feminine version of Francis, however, the spelling of Frances sports a unisex appeal.

A feminine version of the name in English is Frances, or (less commonly) Francine. (For most speakers, Francis and Frances are homophones or near homophones; a popular mnemonic for the spelling is "i for h i m and e for h e r".) The name Frank is a common diminutive for Francis, as is Frannie for Frances.

Francis, conventionally a masculine name, is often attributed to boys and men, reflecting its historic and societal association with male bearers. Conversely, Frances is recognized as the feminine counterpart, assigned predominantly to girls and women, emphasizing its role in conveying gender identity through nomenclature.

The name Frances is derived from the Latin name Franciscus, which was given to boys of French origin in the Middle Ages. The name was later adopted by English-speaking countries and became popular for both boys and girls. The feminine form of the name, Frances, was popularized in the 17th century, and it became a popular choice for girls.