# Next papal name. Place your Bets! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 11, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-papal-name-place-your-bets/649997 "2013-02-11T18:13:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-papal-name-place-your-bets/649997/161 "2013-03-14T01:53:59Z")
Frances is a woman’s name. Francis is a man’s name. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-papal-name-place-your-bets/649997/162 "2013-03-14T03:01:24Z")
> [@Eliahna](#): > > I can’t believe he’s the first Francis. It seems like a name that would already have been done. I mentioned in another thread, there are some otherwise major saintly names that have never been used, including several apostles and founders: > [@What would your papal name be?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-your-papal-name-be/651114/32): > > if I’m counting right there’s also:\*\* No Joseph, Anthony, Dominic, Ignatius or Bernard; no Louis or Didacus(Diego)\*\*. There are 23 Johns, 6 Pauls, a Mark and a Stephen, but **not one Matthew or Luke, no James, Philip, Andrew, or Bartholomew**. No Thomas, either, or Timothy; no Damian or Cosimas(Cosmo), nor Augustine, Jerome or Polycarp, apparently. And until now, no Francis. I suspect partly because for most of the flock, “Francis” calls up one specific saint: Francis of Assisi. And to imply that this is who you are going to model yourself after… is to task yourself mightily. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-papal-name-place-your-bets/649997/163 "2013-03-14T04:09:44Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > I mentioned in another thread, there are some otherwise major saintly names that have never been used, including several apostles and founders: > > No Thomas, either, or Timothy; no Damian or Cosimas(Cosmo), nor Augustine, Jerome or Polycarp, apparently. > > And until now, no Francis. > > I suspect partly because for most of the flock, “Francis” calls up one specific saint: Francis of Assisi. And to imply that this is who you are going to model yourself after… is to task yourself mightily. I realize the assumption seems to be it is Francis of Assisi but since he is a Jesuit, why couldn’t he be taking the name because of [Francis Xavier](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Xavier)? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-papal-name-place-your-bets/649997/164 "2013-03-14T04:41:56Z")
I was at a meeting tonight and they were talking about the Pope. One person said, “He’s from Argentina,” and then another replied, “Yes, but he’s got a little Italian in his genes.” This was _not_ the sort of group where I could bust out laughing because my inner 12-year-old heard “jeans” and thought, “I hope not–that’s been the _problem_.” I sure wanted to, though. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-papal-name-place-your-bets/649997.md?page=8)