Florence
Say it: FLOR-ens/ˈflɒɹəns/
Girl and boyMeans flowering, flourishing8 letters2 syllables
#196
in Ireland (2025)
#199 with spellings combined
22
babies in 2025
#146
best rank (1964)
682
babies since 1964
Down 14
10-year rank change
Florence through the years
Compare with another name →girlsboys
Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | #199 | - | - |
| 2024 | 31 | #149 | - | - |
| 2023 | 24 | #190 | - | - |
| 2022 | 25 | #187 | - | - |
| 2021 | 29 | #167 | - | - |
| 2020 | 28 | #167 | - | - |
| 2019 | 30 | #170 | - | - |
| 2018 | 25 | #198 | - | - |
| 2017 | 23 | #219 | - | - |
| 2016 | 34 | #163 | - | - |
| 2015 | 30 | #185 | - | - |
| 2014 | 18 | #274 | - | - |
| 2013 | 17 | #287 | - | - |
| 2012 | 13 | #372 | - | - |
| 2011 | 10 | #442 | - | - |
| 2010 | 14 | #356 | - | - |
| 2009 | 8 | #489 | - | - |
| 2008 | 10 | #431 | - | - |
| 2006 | 4 | #634 | - | - |
| 2004 | 4 | #576 | - | - |
| 2003 | 4 | #559 | - | - |
| 2002 | 3 | #620 | - | - |
| 2001 | 6 | #400 | - | - |
| 2000 | 6 | #379 | - | - |
| 1999 | 3 | #527 | - | - |
| 1997 | 4 | #496 | - | - |
| 1995 | 7 | #352 | - | - |
| 1994 | 4 | #450 | - | - |
| 1993 | 6 | #385 | - | - |
| 1992 | 3 | #522 | 3 | #337 |
| 1991 | 4 | #457 | - | - |
| 1990 | 4 | #446 | - | - |
| 1989 | 5 | #408 | 3 | #307 |
| 1987 | 5 | #417 | - | - |
| 1986 | 4 | #458 | - | - |
| 1985 | 8 | #348 | 6 | #234 |
| 1984 | - | - | 4 | #274 |
| 1983 | 3 | #529 | - | - |
| 1982 | 6 | #399 | 4 | #286 |
| 1981 | 5 | #423 | 6 | #246 |
| 1980 | 7 | #370 | - | - |
| 1979 | - | - | 7 | #245 |
| 1978 | 3 | #522 | 6 | #242 |
| 1977 | 4 | #468 | 4 | #293 |
| 1976 | 11 | #284 | - | - |
| 1975 | 14 | #252 | - | - |
| 1974 | 15 | #255 | 9 | #218 |
| 1973 | 9 | #317 | 10 | #209 |
| 1972 | 8 | #312 | 6 | #238 |
| 1971 | 20 | #212 | - | - |
| 1970 | 7 | #307 | 9 | #197 |
| 1969 | 11 | #255 | 13 | #163 |
| 1968 | 23 | #181 | - | - |
| 1967 | - | - | 23 | #117 |
| 1966 | 17 | #189 | 10 | #159 |
| 1965 | 18 | #186 | - | - |
| 1964 | 26 | #146 | - | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Florence mean?
Flowering, flourishing
Latin, from Florentia, from florens (flowering, flourishing).
Say it right
FLORens
The story of Florence
Florence comes from the Latin Florentia, the feminine of Florentius, from florens, meaning flowering or flourishing. It is the same word as the name of the Italian city. Florence Nightingale, the nurse, was born in that city and named after it, and her fame made the name popular in the nineteenth century.
In the past Florence was also used as a man’s name, standing for the Latin Florentius. The CSO records show Irish boys named Florence into the 1990s, but none since.
As a girls’ name it was quiet for many years and then came back in the 2010s. The most babies came in 2016, with 34. In 2025, 22 girls were named Florence. It does a little better in Northern Ireland, where it was number 84 in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Florence (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Florence (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
FloraFlorrieBeatriceClementine
Sibling ideas
Nicknames
FloFlorrie
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Florence | 22 | 682 |
In Northern Ireland
#84 in 2025 with 25 babies. Best rank #84 (2025); 226 babies since 1999.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.
Florence is also given to boys: 123 since 1966.