Frannie is of American origin, derived from Frances or Francesca, meaning 'free' or 'frank'. It was popularized by John Steinbeck's novel "East of Eden," where the protagonist's mother is named Frannie. This name gained further recognition through its use in other literary works and pop culture references.
"The name Frannie has seen a varied history of popularity, with notable spikes in the late 1940s to early 1950s and again in the mid-1970s to early 1980s, but has generally declined since the 1980s. Interestingly, it saw a resurgence recently with 27 births recorded between 2015 and 2023."