Named after the Franks, whose name meant 'javelin' — yet French descends from Latin, not Frankish.
The Romance language descended from Vulgar Latin, spoken primarily in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, and many former French colonies. Also, the people of France collectively.
From Old English 'Frencisc,' meaning 'of the Franks,' from the tribal name 'Franca' (Frank). The Franks were a confederation of West Germanic tribes who conquered Gaul in the 5th century under Clovis I. Their name likely derives from Proto-Germanic *frankōn, meaning 'javelin' or 'lance' (cf. Old English 'franca,' 'javelin'). Alternatively, it may connect to *frankaz, meaning 'free, bold,' though this meaning may have developed from the tribal name rather than the other way around. The Franks gave their name to
The English word 'frank' meaning 'candid, open, free in speaking' derives from the same tribal name. In medieval France, only the Franks (the ruling class) were fully free, so 'franc' came to mean 'free.' This produced 'franchise' (originally 'freedom, privilege'), 'franc' (the currency, stamped 'Francorum Rex,' King of the Franks), and 'frank' (speaking