# It isn't FRANCES, it's FRANCIS!! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 4, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119 "2004-09-04T16:09:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/1 "2004-09-04T16:09:22Z")
Hurricanes always used to have female names. Then, some years ago, they started alternating year to year. In odd numbered years they would continue to use female names. In even numbered years, they use male names. Andrew came in 1992. This year we’re doing guys names, and so far we’ve had Charley, Gaston, and…FRANC **I** C. Not FRANCES. I wouldn’t get my knickers in a twist if it were just ordinary people making this mistake. After all, Francis isn’t that common a name anymore. But when I see the same error being made in prominent TV shows and newspapers, it just sticks in my craw, I tell you. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/2 "2004-09-04T16:12:35Z")
Sorry, but no. Hurricane names alternate male-female. Alex Bonnie Charley Danielle Earl Frances Gaston Hermine Ivan ---
**Author:** ![YWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/6f9a4e/32.png) [@YWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YWalker)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/3 "2004-09-04T16:14:11Z")
Nope. They start the alphabet with a given sex, but then they alternate the sex by letter of the alphabet. Alex (male) Bonnie (female) Charley (male) D? Earl (male) Frances (female) Gaston (male) A little more research should’ve been done before the rant… ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/4 "2004-09-04T16:14:28Z")
Dude, they alternate male and female names! The hurricane before this was Earl. Before that was Danielle. Five seconds on Google found [this.](http://mywebpages.comcast.net/herbwx/hurrsixyr.html) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/5 "2004-09-04T16:14:30Z")
Don’t call me Francis. Its Psycho. ---
**Author:** ![Sparklo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Sparklo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparklo)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/6 "2004-09-04T16:14:37Z")
And just to head off any future problems, here’s the list for the next six years… [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml](http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/7 "2004-09-04T16:14:59Z")
[Here ya go](http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutnames.shtml). _points and laughs_ ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/8 "2004-09-04T16:16:11Z")
Quad simulpost! Whoa. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/9 "2004-09-04T16:17:18Z")
Uh… Nice to see everyone’s reactions are in trim. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/10 "2004-09-04T16:19:46Z")
Dude, the **S of P** should know better by now. If every single media outlet including the guys doing the briefing direct from NOAA were getting the name ‘wrong’, I might do a little research before starting a Pit thread. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/11 "2004-09-04T16:24:00Z")
> [@Mehitabel](#): > > Dude, the **S of P** should know better by now. If every single media outlet including the guys doing the briefing direct from NOAA were getting the name ‘wrong’, I might do a little research before starting a Pit thread. C’mon – be merciful to the ghost of a primitive hominid! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/12 "2004-09-04T16:36:48Z")
I blame all those people who invent weird and wonderful spellings for their children’s names, which means that nowadays you can’t know how _anyone_’s name is spelled without asking. Like “My name is Bob, spelled Boob, but pronounced Bob” or “I’m Katherine, but it’s spelled Qathrrynn”. Just yesterday I told a colleague “I’m looking for an E girl’s name for my second child” and after coming up with a few suggestions she said “What about Isabelle?” I say “that starts with an I” and she answers “just spell it with an E - Esabelle”. Heresy! ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/13 "2004-09-04T16:48:38Z")
Right – friends of my son’s were fond of the animated movie Aladdin, so when they named their second daughter, they called her Jazzmine. Right – spelled like that, as in where you excavate Miles Davis ore. (Resisting the temptation to make a pun on Kid Ory! ;)) But sometimes the “funny spelling” is accurately the original, like Caitlin (pronounced Kat’-LEEN, though Jazzmine’s older sister was Katelynn, spelled and pronounced like that). My wife has a problem with the name “Shawn” – the proper spelling for that pronunciation is Sean. It might also be a good idea for parents to realize that their baby is going to grow up someday, and Timi or Riki is going to be quite embarrassed at using that name as a candidate for County Sheriff or on a technical paper. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/14 "2004-09-04T17:23:57Z")
Isn’t Shawn a female version of Sean, as in Shawn Colvin? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/15 "2004-09-04T17:28:29Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > Hurricanes always used to have female names. Then, some years ago, they started alternating year to year. In odd numbered years they would continue to use female names. In even numbered years, they use male names. Andrew came in 1992. This year we’re doing guys names, and so far we’ve had Charley, Gaston, and…FRANC **I** C. Not FRANCES. > > I wouldn’t get my knickers in a twist if it were just ordinary people making this mistake. After all, Francis isn’t that common a name anymore. But when I see the same error being made in prominent TV shows and newspapers, it just sticks in my craw, I tell you. I’m so embarrassed for you, Francic. ---
**Author:** ![Middlea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@Middlea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Middlea)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/16 "2004-09-04T17:38:57Z")
> [@Arnold Winkelried](#): > > I blame all those people who invent weird and wonderful spellings for their children’s names, which means that nowadays you can’t know how _anyone_’s name is spelled without asking. Like “My name is Bob, spelled Boob, but pronounced Bob” or “I’m Katherine, but it’s spelled Qathrrynn”. > > Just yesterday I told a colleague “I’m looking for an E girl’s name for my second child” and after coming up with a few suggestions she said “What about Isabelle?” I say “that starts with an I” and she answers “just spell it with an E - Esabelle”. Heresy! Perhaps we all need this: [http://inch.stormpages.com/index.html](http://inch.stormpages.com/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/17 "2004-09-04T18:22:55Z")
I did actually google this before I posted it. “Frances” does have more hits than “Francis”, but not overwhelmingly so. [Francis wth an “i”](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=Hurricane+Francis) [Frances with an “e”](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=Hurricane+Frances) So I’m wrong, but with some extenuation of circumstances. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/18 "2004-09-04T19:03:26Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > I did actually google this before I posted it. “Frances” does have more hits than “Francis”, but not overwhelmingly so. > > [Francis wth an “i”](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=Hurricane+Francis) > > [Frances with an “e”](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=Hurricane+Frances) A slight hijack, but you look like you could use a link to [Googlefight](http://www.googlefight.com/cgi-bin/compare.pl?q1=Hurricane+Francis&q2=Hurricane+Frances&B1=Make+a+fight%21&compare=1&langue=us). ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/19 "2004-09-04T19:07:43Z")
Heck, Ann Landers taught me years ago that it “I as in HIM, E as in HER” when it came to Francis/Frances. Also that being lashed with a wet noodle could be a valuable part of a couple’s sex life. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119/20 "2004-09-04T19:15:54Z")
On a tangential note, any reason why the names are all French, or French-like, recently. Gaston? How many Americans are named Gaston? Hermine? Now Frances? Of course, Frances is not particularly French, that I know of, but it’s just France with an “s” on it. Any anti-French sentiment showing up here? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-isnt-frances-its-francis/263119.md?page=2)