Given name & surname · also Gaelic, Germanic
Frederick
“a peaceful ruler”
Frederick is used as a given name and a surname. One German interpretation is “a peaceful ruler.”
Original GermanFriedrich
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “a peaceful ruler.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Germanic.
How it developed
In English usage, Frederick developed from Friedrich.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Frederick through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 267,165
- 266,060 boys · 1,105 girls
- Most popular year
- 1952
- 4,997 babies
- 2025
- 728
- #435 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +13%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 728 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 435 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 12.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 4,984 in 1951. In 2025, California and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (51 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 138,927 as a first name in 2020; 39,331 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Frederick’s family of names
In English usage, Frederick has a diminutive in Fred. Frederick shares a linguistic root with Federico. In English usage, Frederick has a related form in Erick.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Frederick has relatives in 31 languages. Lines run from its Proto-Germanic roots to each of them.
40 related names in 31 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 35
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Friedrichvariant · German
- Erickvariant · English
- Freddydiminutive · English
- Freddiediminutive · English
- Fredrickvariant
- Freddiminutive · English
- Fredydiminutive · Spanish
- Federicovariant · Italian, Spanish
Show 27 moreShow fewer
- Fritzpet form · English
- Fredericvariant · English, Catalan
- Frederikvariant · Slovak, Dutch
- Fredrikvariant · Swedish, Norwegian
- Fredricvariant · English
- Freddericklikely variant
- Fredericovariant · Portuguese
- Frederichvariant
- Frederricklikely variant
- Ffredericklikely variant
- Ficovariant
- Fryderykvariant · Polish
- Frederykvariant
- Frederycvariant
- Fredrykvariant
- Fredrycvariant
- Fredryckvariant
- Frederyckvariant
- Fryderkyvariant
- Fridrickvariant
- Fridrichvariant
- Friedrickvariant
- Friedelvariant
- Fridovariant
- Fredekvariant
- Federigovariant · Italian
- Frédéricvariant · French
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 37
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- FriederichGerman
- Fredafeminine form · English
- Fredericafeminine form
- FariGreenlandic
- Frithoricequivalent
- Priidikequivalent
- Vidrikequivalent
- Reedikequivalent
Show 29 moreShow fewer
- Priiduequivalent
- Frédérickequivalent
- Fredericksen“son of” surname · English
- ФридерикRussian
- ФридрихRussian
- ફ્રેડ્રિકborrowing · Gujarati
- Friþuriccognate · Old English
- Fridericuscognate · Latin
- ΦρειδερίκοςGreek
- Bedřichcognate · Czech
- Fredellafeminine form
- Fridolinequivalent
- Freerkequivalent
- PriitEstonian
- Frigyescognate · Hungarian
- 프리드리히Korean
- FadriqueSpanish
- ΦρήντριχGreek
- FríðrikurFaroese
- FrederikoEsperanto
- FriðrikIcelandic
- FedricoItalian
- FriderikSlovene
- VeetiFinnish
- Feardorchaoriginal · Irish
- FridrihsLatvian
- Rieticognate
- Freekcognate
- Frerikcognate
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Frederick
- Frederick the GreatKing of Prussia from 1740 to 1786 (1712-1786)
- Fred AstaireAmerican dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer (1899–1987)
- Frederick BarbarossaHoly Roman Emperor from 1155 to 11901122–1190
- Frederick DouglassAfrican-American social reformer, writer, and abolitionist (c. 1818–1895)
- Frederick II, Holy Roman EmperorKing of Sicily, Holy Roman Emperor (1194–1250, 1220–1250)1195–1250
- Frederick SangerBritish biochemist (1918–2013)
- Frederick SoddyEnglish radiochemist (1877–1956)
- Frederick BantingCanadian medical scientist and doctor (1891-1941)
- Frederick ReinesAmerican physicist (1918–1998)
Characters named Frederick: Freddy Krueger (the main antagonist of the A Nightmare on Elm Street film series), Captain Marvel Jr. (fictional character).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
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