The first name Frank
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /ˈfɹeɪ̯ŋk/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
The surname derives from the medieval tribal name. The given name is also a form of Francis, with formal given name status since the 19th century.
Frank is a short form of
.From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 272 boys were named Frank, making it the 186th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2018, with 360 births (#155).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Frank with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Frank at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 584 boys born in the United States were named Frank, the 514th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1918, when 17,018 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Frank in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Frank in Danish, Dutch, German, Icelandic, Norwegian and Swedish too.
Famous people named Frank
750 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Frank Lloyd WrightAmerican architect (1867-1959)
- Frank ZappaAmerican musician (1940–1993)
- Frank LampardEnglish association football player and manager, born 1978
- Frank HerbertAmerican writer (1920–1986)
- Frank GehryCanadian and American architect (1929–2025)
- L. Frank BaumAmerican author of children's books (1856–1919)
- Frank WilczekAmerican theoretical physicist, born 1951
- Cecil Frank PowellBritish physicist, 1903–1969
- Frank RijkaardDutch association football player and manager, born 1962
- Frank Macfarlane BurnetAustralian virologist (1899-1985)
- Frank BormanAmerican astronaut (1928–2023)
- Frank B. KelloggAmerican politician (1856-1937)
Questions
- What does the name Frank mean?
- The surname derives from the medieval tribal name. The given name is also a form of Francis, with formal given name status since the 19th century.
- How popular is the name Frank?
- In 2025, 272 boys born in England and Wales were named Frank, ranking 186th. Its peak was 2018, with 360 births.
- Is Frank a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 920,589 US babies named Frank since 1880 were boys.
- When was Frank most popular?
- 1918 in the United States, when 17,018 babies were named Frank, its highest rank at 9th.
- How do you pronounce Frank?
- Frank is /ˈfɹeɪ̯ŋk/, one syllable.
- Is Frank also a surname?
- Yes. Frank is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.