Name of France

The name France comes from Latin Francia which means "land of the Franks." Originally, this name described the whole Empire of the Franks, a large area that stretched from southern France to eastern Germany. Today, the country of France is still called Frankreich in German, and similar names like Frankrijk in Dutch, meaning "the land of the Franks."

Background

Gallia and Gaul

See also: Gaul

Before it was called France, the land was known as Gaul (Latin: Gallia; French: Gaule). This name was still used even after the Franks' kings like Clovis I, Charles Martel, Pepin the Short, and Charlemagne began to rule. For a long time, people in Europe who used Latin still called the place Gallia along with the name France. In English, the words Gaul and Gaulish mean the same as the Latin words Gallia, Gallus and Gallicus. These English words came from the French words Gaule and Gaulois, which themselves came from a Germanic word used for people who were not German. Today, the word Gaule is only used when talking about history. One special use is in the title of the leader of the French bishops, the archbishop of Lyon, who is called the Primate of the Gauls (Primat des Gaules). The word Gaul is never used in modern English. The symbol of the Coq Gaulois (the Gallic rooster) represents France, and Astérix le Gaulois (Asterix, the Gaul) is a popular series of French comic books.

In Greek, France is still called Γαλλία (Gallia). In Breton, the word Gall means "French", and France is Bro C'hall. The name Le Gall is a common family name in Brittany.

Francia

Main article: Name of the Franks

See also: Francia

During the time of the Franks' kings Clovis I, Charles Martel, Pepin the Short, and Charlemagne, a large area that included most of modern France and Germany was called the Kingdom of Franks or Francia. In 843, at the Treaty of Verdun, the Frankish Empire was divided into three parts: West Francia (Francia Occidentalis), Middle Francia and East Francia (Francia Orientalis).

The rulers of Francia Orientalis later called their land the Holy Roman Empire. The kings of Francia Occidentalis kept their land separate and called it Francia. This is where the name France comes from. In German, France is still called Frankreich, meaning "Reich (empire) of the Franks".

France

See also: France

In most Romance languages, France is called "France" or a similar word, like Francia in Italian and Spanish. This is also where the English name "France" comes from. In most Germanic languages, France is called the "Land of the Franks", such as Frankreich in German, Frankrijk in Dutch, and Frankrike in Swedish and Norwegian.

Meanings of the name France

"France" can mean a few different things depending on how we use it. Most commonly, it refers to the whole French Republic, where "French" describes a person's nationality.

Historically, the name "France" comes from the land of the Franks, a group of people from long ago. This idea of "France" has been important in fighting for freedom, like when a king declared that setting foot in France meant being free.

"France" can also mean just the main part of the country, called metropolitan France. Sometimes it refers to a specific area around Paris called Île-de-France, which was the heart of the kingdom. This area gave its name to places like Roissy-en-France, where the big airport is located, and the Stade de France, built for a big soccer tournament. These names remind us of the local history around Paris.

Other names for France

In Hebrew, France is called צרפת (Tzarfat). In Māori, France is known as Wīwī, which comes from the French words oui, oui meaning "yes, yes." In modern Greek, France is still called Γαλλία (Gallia), a name that comes from Gaul. In Thai, the name for France is ฝรั่งเศส (Farang-set).