Where does the name Frederick come from?

Frederick is a boy name of Germanic origin.

Is Frederick a boy or a girl name?

Frederick is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Frederick are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Frederick in 2023?

Frederick ranks #507 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1952 with 4,997 babies.

How do you pronounce Frederick?

Frederick is pronounced FRED-rik (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Frederick?

Frederick is also written as Frederic, Friedrich, Federico.

A name from Germanic · Boy

Frederick

From Germanic frid ('peace') + ric ('ruler'); 'peaceful ruler'. Borne by Holy Roman Emperors, kings of Prussia and Denmark, and Frederick Douglass — the freed slave who became an abolitionist statesman.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

264,585 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

596 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

FFrom Germanic frid ('peace') + ric ('ruler'); 'peaceful ruler'. Borne by Holy Roman Emperors, kings of Prussia and Denmark, and Frederick Douglass — the freed slave who became an abolitionist statesman.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Frederick".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Frederic Most common Friedrich Federico

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Frederick.

F
Frederick Douglass (abolitionist)
F
Frederick the Great (Prussian king)
F
Frederick Law Olmsted (Central Park designer)

Quick answers

People often ask about Frederick.

What does the name Frederick mean?: Frederick means from Germanic frid ('peace') + ric ('ruler'); 'peaceful ruler'. Borne by Holy Roman Emperors, kings of Prussia and Denmark, and Frederick Douglass — the freed slave who became an abolitionist statesman.
Where does the name Frederick come from?: Frederick is a boy name of Germanic origin.
Is Frederick a boy or a girl name?: Frederick is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Frederick are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Frederick in 2023?: Frederick ranks #507 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1952 with 4,997 babies.
How do you pronounce Frederick?: Frederick is pronounced FRED-rik (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Frederick?: Frederick is also written as Frederic, Friedrich, Federico.

Similar names

If you love Frederick, also consider…

Robert

#88

Boy ·Germanic

Bright fame; from 'hrod' (fame) and 'beraht' (bright)

From Old High German Ricohard — rīc, "ruler, power," + hard, "brave, strong" — i

Ruler of the home; estate ruler

Walter

#267

Boy ·Germanic

From Old High German Walthari — wald, "rule," + hari, "army" — i

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.