Frederick
Meaning: not confirmed (origin debated)
About the name Frederick
The origin of Frederick is debated, and we couldn't confirm its meaning from a sourced etymology. A commonly cited theory links it to German roots, with the meaning “Peaceful ruler”. Treat that as a theory, not a settled fact.
Why we say this: we only state a meaning as fact when a sourced etymology (Wiktionary, with its references) supports it. For Frederick we didn't find one we were confident in, so we show the popular explanation as a theory.
It has a vintage feel. In 2025, Frederick ranked #435 for boys in the US, with 728 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 1951. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Frederick were boys.
- US rank 2025
- #435
- In 2015
- #515
- Babies in 2025
- 728
Popularity of Frederick, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Frederick
- Fred
- Freddie
Names similar to Frederick
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.