The first name Frederick

In 2025, 954 boys were named Frederick, making it the 52nd most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2021, with 1,017 births (#61).

Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Frederick with other names.

In 2025, 728 boys born in the United States were named Frederick, the 435th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1951, when 4,984 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.

Nicknames for Frederick

• Freddie
• Freddy

• Frederick Douglass
  African-American social reformer, writer, and abolitionist (c. 1818–1895)
• John Frederick William Herschel
  English polymath, mathematician, astronomer, chemist, inventor and photographer (1792–1871
• Frederick Sanger
  British biochemist (1918–2013)
• Frederick Soddy
  English radiochemist (1877–1956)
• Frederick Banting
  Canadian medical scientist and doctor (1891-1941)
• Frederick Reines
  American physicist (1918–1998)
• Frederick Hopkins
  English biochemist, 1861–1947
• Frederick Winslow Taylor
  American mechanical engineer (1856–1915)
• Frederick Chapman Robbins
  American doctor, 1916–2003
• Frederick Forsyth
  English novelist (1938–2025)
• Frederick Chiluba
  Former President of Zambia (1991–2002)
• Frederick Ashton
  British dancer and choreographer (1904–1988)

• Friedrich
• Hans
• Otto
• Wilhelm
• Heinrich
• Ludwig
• Hermann
• Leonard
• Wolfgang
• Kurt
• Fritz
• Leopold
• Gunther
• Dirk
• Manfred
• Bernd

All 62 names of German origin

What does the name Frederick mean?

Frederick means “peace”, “king”, “ruler” in German.

What is the origin of the name Frederick?

From German Friedrich, Friederich and influenced by Latin Friderīcus, Frederīcus, from Old High German Fridurih, from Frankish *Friþurīk, from Proto-Germanic *Friþurīks, from *friþuz (“peace”) + *rīks (“king, ruler”), literally “peace king, peaceful ruler”.

How popular is the name Frederick?

In 2025, 954 boys born in England and Wales were named Frederick, ranking 52nd. Its peak was 2021, with 1,017 births.

What are nicknames for Frederick?

Common nicknames for Frederick include Freddie, Freddy.

Is Frederick a boy's or a girl's name?

Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 267,165 US babies named Frederick since 1880 were boys.

When was Frederick most popular?

1951 in the United States, when 4,984 babies were named Frederick, its highest rank at 78th.

How do you pronounce Frederick?

Frederick is /ˈfɹɛd(ə)ɹɪk/, 2 syllables.

What are other spellings of Frederick?

Frederic, Erick and Fredrick.

Is Frederick also a surname?

Yes. Frederick is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.