boy's name
Frederick
FRED-rik
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 9
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 298,831
the United States
#436
2025 births
Frederick is a boy's name of Germanic origin meaning "peaceful ruler." It combines frid, peace or protection, with ric, ruler, and was a dynastic name of German and Prussian royalty for eight centuries.
- Frederick is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1952, when 4,997 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in US records.
- Today about 1 in 552 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Frederick over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Frederick is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 4,603 |
| 1890s | 3,994 |
| 1900s | 3,905 |
| 1910s | 23,608 |
| 1920s | 31,679 |
| 1930s | 26,712 |
| 1940s | 39,200 |
| 1950s | 44,449 |
| 1960s | 30,942 |
| 1970s | 20,915 |
| 1980s | 13,182 |
| 1990s | 8,863 |
| 2000s | 5,630 |
| 2010s | 5,522 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,961 |
What Frederick means
Frederick means peaceful ruler, or ruler through peace. The first element means peace or protection and the second means ruler or realm — so the name describes governing without force rather than merely a ruler who happens to be peaceable.
Where Frederick comes from
Frederick descends from the Germanic Frithuric, from frid, peace, and ric, ruler. It was a staple of German nobility long before it reached England — Frederick Barbarossa, Holy Roman Emperor from 1155, and Frederick the Great of Prussia are the two best-known bearers, neither of them notably peaceful. The name arrived properly in Britain with the Hanoverian succession in 1714, and Frederick, Prince of Wales, gave it royal standing. It generated Fred, Freddie and Fritz as familiar forms, and Freddie now considerably outranks it.
Frederick in use
Our data marks Frederick as reviving, peaking in 1952, now at 52 in England and Wales against 436 in the United States. Freddie, its own pet form, sits at 10 in England and Wales — so the diminutive outranks the parent name roughly fivefold, a common pattern in British naming and a rare one anywhere else.
How popular is Frederick?
In 2025, Frederick was given to 954 babies in England and Wales, ranking #52 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Frederick is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
How Frederick is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Frédérick | Frédérick is a rare spelling of Frederick, written with an acute accent and recorded about 595 times, mostly in France. | 595 |
Names that peaked alongside Frederick
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Frederick also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Frederick over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
6 nicknames for Frederick
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Frederick in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Frederick
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Frederick — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Frederick
What does the name Frederick mean?
Frederick means "peaceful ruler," from the Germanic frid, peace, and ric, ruler.
Is Frederick a royal name?
Extensively. It was dynastic among German and Prussian royalty and reached Britain with the Hanoverian succession in 1714.
Is Freddie short for Frederick?
Historically yes, though Freddie is now registered independently — and in England and Wales it outranks Frederick roughly fivefold.
How popular is the name Frederick?
In 2025, Frederick was given to 954 babies in England and Wales, ranking #52 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Frederick a girl's or a boy's name?
Frederick is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Frederick?
Frederick has 2 syllables.
When was Frederick most popular?
Frederick peaked in 1952, when 4,997 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Frederick?
Frederick is usually shortened to Fred, Freddie, Fritz, Rick, Derick and Freddy.
Is Frederick a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Frederick currently ranks #52 in the United States. After peaking in the 1950s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.