Given name & surname
Fritz
“a peaceful ruler”
In German use, Fritz is an affectionate form of Frederick. One German interpretation is “a peaceful ruler.”
Original GermanFriedrich
Meaning & origin
What it means
In German use, Fritz carries the interpretation “a peaceful ruler.” In German use, Fritz is an affectionate form of Frederick. One German interpretation is “a peaceful ruler.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
In German use, Fritz is used as an affectionate form of Friedrich. Fritz is used as a form of Frederick.
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. In German use, Fritz is an affectionate form of Friedrich. The history of Friedrich gives this family its wider story. Friedrich’s historical associations include many German princes and princelings, as well as several kings of Prussia. Friedrich has historical associations with royal or imperial families.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Fritz through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 6,683
- 6,683 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1956
- 107 babies
- 2025
- 47
- #2,727 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +2%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 47 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,727 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 1.9% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 107 in 1956. In 2025, Florida and Texas shared the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (6 each). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,533 as a first name in 2020; 31,402 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.
Fritz’s family of names
Fritz is an affectionate form of Frederick. In German usage, Fritz shares a linguistic root with the English form Fred. In German usage, Fritz has a conventional equivalent in the Italian form Federico.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Fritz has relatives in 9 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
Germanwhere Fritz comes from · 12 names
Nicknames & forms 19
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 7
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Fritz
- Fritz HaberGerman chemist and receiver of the Nobel prize (1868–1934)
- Fritz LangAustrian filmmaker (1890–1976)
- Fritz PreglSlovene-Austrian Nobel prize laureate and scientist (1869-1930)
- Fritz WalterGerman association football player (1920–2002)
- Fritz ZwickySwiss astronomer (1898–1974)
- Fritz Albert LipmannGerman-American biochemist1899–1986
- Fritz StrassmannGerman chemist (1902–1980)
- Fritz KreislerAustrian violinist and composer (1875-1962)
- Fritz LeiberAmerican writer of fantasy, horror, and science fiction (1910–1992)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
Similar names
If you love Fritz, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Lutz
Lutz is used as a given name and a surname. Lutz is connected with Ludwig.
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Roger
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Franz
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Fedrico
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