How to say it
FLOR · ence
/ˈflɔːr.əns/
Feminine
Florence
Flourishing, prosperous
What it means
Latin, from florens, 'flowering' or 'flourishing.'
Florence comes from the Latin florens, 'flourishing,' the same root as 'flora' and 'flourish.' Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, was named for the Italian city of her birth and made the name a byword for care. It faded mid-century and is now well into a vintage revival, helped by Florence + the Machine and actress Florence Pugh. Flo, Florrie, and Flossie are the shorts.
Popularity over time
peaked at #6 in 1890, currently #391 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Flo, Florrie, and Flossie all fall out of it.
- Pop culture
Florence Nightingale, the city of Florence, and Florence + the Machine.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Florence Nightingale founder of modern nursing
- Florence Pugh English actress
Spelling variants
- Florencia
- Firenze
- Florentia
Names with the same feeling
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