Françoise is a French feminine given name, a variant of Françoise, meaning 'free man'. It derives from the Germanic elements 'frank' (meaning 'free') and 'rīc' (meaning 'ruler' or 'king').
frenchfeminine
Famous People
Françoise Giroud (1916-2003)
Journalist, writer, feminist
Co-founded the French magazine Elle.
Helped establish women's rights in France.
Served as Minister of Culture from 1974 to 1977.
Françoise Sagan (1935-2004)
Novelist, playwright
Known for her novels exploring themes of love, disillusionment, and existentialism.
Authored the acclaimed novel "Bonjour Tristesse" at a young age.
Françoise Barré-Sinoussi (1947-)
Virologist
Won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2008 for her co-discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Françoise Gilot (1921-)
Painter, Author
Long-term partner and muse of Pablo Picasso
Celebrated for her own abstract expressionist paintings