Given name & surname
Friedrich
“a peaceful ruler”
Friedrich is a form of Frederick. One German interpretation is “a peaceful ruler.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Friedrich is a form of Frederick. One German interpretation is “a peaceful ruler.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Friedrich is a form of Frederick. An origin associated with Frederick is Germanic.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In German use, Friedrich is used as a form of Frederick.
The story
The name’s historical associations include many German princes and princelings, as well as several kings of Prussia. The name has historical associations with royal or imperial families.
Friedrich through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 652
- 652 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 29 babies
- 2025
- 29
- #3,788 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +35%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 29 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 3,788 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 35.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 967 as a first name in 2020; 5,909 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.
Friedrich’s family of names
In German usage, Friedrich has a diminutive in Fritz. Friedrich shares a linguistic root with Frederick. In German usage, Friedrich has a conventional equivalent in the English form Fred.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Friedrich has relatives in 26 languages.
119 related names in 26 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 79
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Frederickvariant · German, English
- Fritzdiminutive · German, English
- Vickvariant · German
- Fredrichvariant · German
- Frederichvariant · German, West Frisian
- Fieteshort form · German, West Frisian
- Fritzldiminutive · gmw-ecg
- Friederichvariant · German
Show 52 moreShow fewer
- Fickenpet form · English, German
- Frischpet form · English, German
- Fritsdiminutive · Dutch, Danish
- Fickpet form · English, German
- Friedr.variant · German
- Fritzschingvariant · German
- Fritzschevariant · German
- Fritzschvariant · German
- Fritzmannvariant · German
- Fritzlervariant · German
- Fritzervariant · German
- Fritzenvariant · German
- Fritzelvariant · German
- Fritzevariant · German
- Fritschlervariant · German
- Fritschlevariant · German
- Fritschivariant · German
- Fritschervariant · German
- Fritschenvariant · German
- Fritschevariant · German
- Fritschvariant · German
- Frischevariant · German
- Friedtvariant · German
- Friedrichsenvariant · German
- Friedrichsvariant · German
- Friedreichvariant · German
- Friedmannvariant · German
- Friedlinvariant · German
- Friedleinvariant · German
- Friedlevariant · German
- Friedlvariant · German
- Friederichsvariant · German
- Friedervariant · German
- Friedemannvariant · German
- Friedelvariant · German
- Friedevariant · German
- Friedvariant · German
- Fridrichvariant · German
- Fridericivariant · German
- Friderichsvariant · German
- Friderichvariant · German
- Frickervariant · German
- Frickevariant · German
- Frickvariant · German
- Freudrichvariant · German
- Frersvariant · German
- Frerksvariant · German
- Frerkingvariant · German
- Frerkvariant · German
- Frerixvariant · German
- Frericksvariant · German
- Frerichsvariant · German
And 19 more.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 45
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- FreddyEnglish
- FredEnglish
- FedericoItalian, Spanish
- FredericOccitan, English
- FrederikWest Frisian, Dutch
- FredrikSwedish, Dutch
- FredricSwedish
- MiroslavCzech
Show 37 moreShow fewer
- FredericoPortuguese
- RikSwedish
- Ferryalso known as · French, German
- Freerkequivalent
- Fridrikhequivalent
- Freidrichequivalent
- Frederikoequivalent
- ФридерикRussian
- ФридрихRussian
- Friþuriccognate · Old English
- Phri-đrichborrowing · Vietnamese
- Frederikascognate · Lithuanian
- Fridericuscognate · Latin
- ΦρειδερίκοςGreek
- FryderykPolish
- FrédéricFrench
- BedřichCzech
- Edrichequivalent
- Friederikefeminine form
- FeddoWest Frisian
- FedderWest Frisian
- FrigyesHungarian
- FederigoSpanish
- FréDutch
- FreekDutch
- FriðrikIcelandic
- FriðrekurIcelandic
- VeetrikkiFinnish
- RietrikkiFinnish
- RieterikFinnish
- ReetrikkiFinnish
- ReeterikkiFinnish
- HeetrikkiFinnish
- FeetrikkiFinnish
- FríðrikurFaroese
- FriðrekrOld Norse
- FriðikrOld Norse
See also 10
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Frilyalso known as · German
- Friedolinalso known as · German
- Friedoalso known as · German
- Friedialso known as · German
- Fridolinalso known as · German
- Fridoalso known as · German
- Fridichalso known as · German
- Friddoalso known as · German
Show 2 moreShow fewer
People named Friedrich
- Friedrich NietzscheGerman philosopher (1844-1900)
- Friedrich EngelsGerman philosopher, sociologist and economist (1820–1895)
- Alexander von HumboldtPrussian geographer, naturalist and explorer (1769–1859)
- Wilhelm IIas King of Prussia last German Emperor from 1888 to 1918 (1859–1941)
- Frederick the GreatKing of Prussia from 1740 to 1786 (1712-1786)
- Friedrich HayekAustrian and British economist (1899–1992)
- Frederick BarbarossaHoly Roman Emperor from 1155 to 11901122–1190
- Friedrich MerzGerman politician, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germanyborn 1955
- Wilhelm von HumboldtPrussian philosopher, government official, diplomat, and educator (1767–1835)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Friedrich, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Heinrich
“the ruler of the house” · “home”
>99% boys
Aldric
“an old king”
>99% boys
Aldrich
“an old king”
>99% boys
Ciro
“a king”
>99% boys
Hendrick
“the ruler of the house” · “home”
>99% boys
Auguste
“one who is venerable; majestic”
>99% boys
Henri
“home” · “power”
97% boys · 3% girls
Henryk
“home” · “power”
>99% boys