What does Francesca mean?
Francesca means “free one” or “from France,” the feminine of Francesco.
What does Elisa mean?
Elisa is an Italian short form of Elisabetta, “God is my oath.”
Francesca vs Elisa
Which is more popular?
Francesca is more popular than Elisa today: about 984 US babies were given the name Francesca in 2025, compared with 674 named Elisa.
| Francesca | Elisa | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Free one | God is my oath |
| Origin | Italian | Italian |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | fran-CHES-kah | eh-LEE-zah |
| Syllables | 3 | 3 |
| First appeared | 1895 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2025 (984) | 2012 (849) |
| In 2025 | 984 | 674 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Francesca
Elisa
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Francesca | Elisa |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5,015 | 4,236 |
| 2010s | 6,875 | 6,579 |
| 2000s | 7,019 | 5,373 |
| 1990s | 6,909 | 5,569 |
| 1980s | 4,095 | 6,739 |
| 1970s | 2,250 | 6,020 |
| 1960s | 1,380 | 6,196 |
| 1950s | 989 | 2,720 |
| 1940s | 297 | 1,044 |
| 1930s | 108 | 1,056 |
| 1920s | 171 | 1,129 |
| 1910s | 168 | 560 |
| 1900s | 42 | 219 |
| 1890s | 13 | 128 |
| 1880s | 0 | 93 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Francesca or Elisa more popular?
Francesca is more popular than Elisa today: about 984 US babies were given the name Francesca in 2025, compared with 674 named Elisa.
What is the difference between Francesca and Elisa?
Francesca means Free one (Italian origin), while Elisa means God is my oath (Italian origin).
Which name is older, Francesca or Elisa?
In US records, Francesca first appears in 1895 and Elisa in 1880, so Elisa has the longer recorded history.