Florence

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Florence

Gender: Feminine
Language: English, French
Etymology:
Florence is a form of the Latin name Florentia, itself a feminine form of Florentius. It means “Blooming” from the word “floras.”

History:
Florence was never very popular and it mostly died out in the 17th century. The popularity of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), however, revived interest.

Pronunciation: flore-ence

Diminutives: Flo, Flossie.

Alternates: Florencia, Florene, Florentina.
Hawaiian: Pololena.
Hungarian: Firenze.
Italian: Fiorenza, Firenze.
Latin: Florentia.

Masculine: Florentius.

Famous Bearers:
Authors and Artists:
Florence Van Leer Earle Nicholson Coates (1850-1927)
American poet.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Florence Kelley (1859-1932)
American social reformer.

Fictional Characters:
Flossie Bobbsey
From the series of children’s books The Bobbsey Twins.

Miscellaneous:
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)
English nurse. The Founder of professional nursing. Called the Lady of the Lamp.
Florence Ellinwood Allen (1884-1966)
American jurist.
Florence A. Blanchfield (1884-1971)
American army nurse.
Florence Bayard Bird (1908-1998)
Canadian broadcast journalist.
Florence Chadwick (1918-1995)
American swimmer.
Florence Joyner Griffith (1959-1998)
Called Flojo. American sprinter.

Places:
Florence (Italian: Firenze)
Italy.

Political Figures:
Florence Prag Kahn (1866-1948)
American congresswoman.
Florence Jaffray Harriman (1870-1967)
American diplomat. Minister to Norway.

Scientists:
Florence Bascom (1862-1945)
First American female geologist.
Florence Augusta Merriam Bailey (1863-1948)
American ornithologist.
Florence Rena Sabin (1871-1953)
American anatomist.
Florence Seibert (1897-1991)
American scientist. Helped form the tuberculin test.

Singers and Entertainers:
Florence Henderson (1934-)
American actress.

Popularity:
Percentage from the United States (1990 Census):
0.200 % named Florence
0.014 % named Flossie
0.003 % named Florene
0.002 % named Florencia
0.002 % named Florentina
0.002 % named Flo

Popularity of Florence:
Popularity (for all newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 11th most popular.
1910-1920: 14th most popular.
1920-1930: 22nd most popular.
1930-1940: 59th most popular.
1940-1950: 135th most popular.
1950-1960: 272nd most popular.
1960-1970: 419th most popular.
1970-1980: 661st most popular.
1980-2000: N/A

In France...
1900: 173rd most popular.
1906: 189th most popular.
1910: N/A
1911: 191st most popular.
1920: 195th most popular.
1921: 193rd most popular.
1930-1940: N/A
1941: 191st most popular.
1950: 122nd most popular.
1960: 30th most popular.
1970: 14th most popular.
1980: 36th most popular.
1990: 102nd most popular.
1995: 180th most popular.
2000: N/A

Popularity of Flossie:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 181st most popular.
1910-1920: 249th most popular.
1920-1930: 311th most popular.
1930-1940: 394th most popular.
1940-1950: 811th most popular.
1950-2000: N/A