Origin of the name Francesca:

Feminine form of Francesco, the Italian cognage of Francis, which is from the Middle Latin Franciscus, a derivative of Francus (a Frank, a freeman). The name was borne by the 13th-century Francesca da Rimini, the beautiful daughter of the county of Ravenna, Giovanni da Polenta. In return for military support, Francesca's father betrothed her to the ugly and malformed lord of Rimini, Giovanni Malatesta. Paolo, Malatesta's handsome younger brother, acted as proxy in the marriage and he and Francesca soon fell in love. They were discovered and put to death in 1289 by Malatesta. Dante recorded the tragedy of Francesca da Rimini in his work Inferno.

From A World of Baby Names by Teresa Norman.Buy the book