Florence
Meaning of Florence
Florence, the Anglicized feminine form of the Latin cognomen Florentius, derives from the participle florens, “blossoming” or “flourishing,” and thus conveys an intrinsic sense of growth and vitality; across English-speaking cultures it further invites associations with the Tuscan city renowned for Renaissance humanism and, in a more personal register, with Florence Nightingale, whose decisive role in elevating modern nursing endows the name with an academic and humanitarian prestige. In the United States, Social Security data reveal a classic boom-and-bust trajectory: after occupying top-20 status during the 1910s and 1920s, the name experienced a protracted mid-century contraction, bottoming out in the late 1980s, before entering a measured resurgence that has carried it from rank 908 in 2009 to 387 in 2024—a pattern consistent with the broader revival of Edwardian favorites. Pronounced FLAWR-uhns (/ˈflɔːrəns/), Florence thus offers prospective parents a lexeme that is historical yet newly ascendant, botanically evocative yet professionally dignified, and firmly rooted in both linguistic scholarship and documented demographic trends.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as FLAWR-uhns (/ˈflɔːrəns/)
American English
- Pronunced as FLOR-uhns (/ˈflɔrəns/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Florence
| Florence Nightingale founded modern nursing and saved countless lives by improving hygiene during the Crimean War. |
| Florence Griffith Joyner, known as Flo-Jo, was the world's fastest woman, setting records in the 100m and 200m, and was married to her coach, Olympic gold medalist Al Joyner. |
| Florence Lawrence was a pioneering silent film actress known as the "Biograph Girl" who starred in nearly 300 movies. |
| Florence Henderson was an American singer and actress best known for playing Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch throughout her six-decade career. |
| Florence Ballard co-founded the Supremes and sang on numerous hits before her solo career failed. |
| Florence Owens Thompson was the subject of Dorothea Lange's iconic Great Depression photograph "Migrant Mother." |
| Florence Mary Taylor, Australia's first female architect, is best known for her influential role as publisher and editor of building industry journals. |
| Florence Yu Pan is an American lawyer and judge serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. |
| Florence Barbara Seibert was an American biochemist who developed a reliable tuberculosis test by isolating purified tuberculin. |
| Florence Lathrop Field Page was an American socialite and philanthropist from the Barbour family who married into the Field, Nelson, and Page families. |
| Florence Kate Upton was a cartoonist and author best known for creating the Golliwog character in children's books. |
| Florence May Chadwick was an American swimmer who made history as the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions and conquer other major open water routes. |
| Nettie Florence Keller was an American doctor, social reformer, feminist, prohibitionist, and early vegan from Carthage, Missouri, and a Seventh-day Adventist. |
| Florence Reece, an American activist and poet, wrote the iconic song "Which Side Are You On?" at age twelve during a coal miners' strike. |
