Fun Facts About the Name Fred
- Decades of popularity: Fred stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 76 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1955.
- More than 345 thousand babies named Fred: U.S. records list 345,685 babies given the name Fred from 1880 through 2025. Even 2,029 girls received the name Fred - about 1 girl for every 169 boys.
What Does the Name Fred Mean?
Fred is an English short form of Frederick, a name of Germanic origin. It comes from elements reconstructed as friþu-, meaning "peace," and rīk-, meaning "ruler" or "power." The literal compound sense is "peaceful ruler," and Fred inherits that meaning as a clipped form. Fred is also used as a short form of other names that contain the syllable Fred, such as Alfred and Wilfred, but those names have separate origins and do not give Fred its usual meaning.
Fred Name History & Origins
The full name behind Fred is Frederick, from a Germanic compound reconstructed as Friþurīks, built from friþu- "peace" and rīk- "ruler, king." Old High German shows forms such as Fridurih and Friderih; Old Norse had Friðrikr. The name is found across medieval Europe in forms such as Old French Frederic and Italian and Spanish Federico. English Frederick derives from these continental forms.
In German-speaking lands, the full name was borne by Holy Roman Emperors, including Frederick I Barbarossa and Frederick II, and later by Prussian kings, notably Frederick the Great. These royal uses kept the name prominent in central Europe. In England, the full name was relatively uncommon before the 18th century, when German royal connections made it more familiar.
Fred itself is a familiar shortened form. It appears in English as a pet form of Frederick and by the 19th century was also used as an independent given name. It could likewise serve as a short form for other names containing the syllable Fred, such as Alfred, Wilfred, and Manfred, but the usual source is Frederick. The name has appeared in literature and popular culture - for example, Fred Vincy in George Eliot's Middlemarch and Fred Flintstone in the animated series The Flintstones - uses that reflect the name's established currency rather than its origin.
How Popular is the Name Fred?
Fred remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1955. Its highest annual birth count was in 1924, and people born that year turn 102 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | #11,294 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #5,030 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1982 | #9,593 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #7,627 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #8,429 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #10,699 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1978 | #10,259 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #6,507 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1976 | #9,759 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1975 | #9,531 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1974 | #8,010 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #4,440 | 13 | 0.0009% |
| 1972 | #7,575 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #4,379 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1970 | #6,559 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #3,511 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1968 | #4,072 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1967 | #2,998 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1966 | #5,008 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1965 | #6,031 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #5,154 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1963 | #3,383 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1962 | #3,485 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1961 | #3,846 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1960 | #3,411 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1959 | #4,118 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1958 | #2,899 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1957 | #2,593 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1956 | #3,998 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1955 | #3,016 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1954 | #3,807 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1953 | #3,335 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1952 | #2,436 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1951 | #3,166 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1950 | #2,816 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1949 | #2,775 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1948 | #2,529 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1947 | #2,485 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1946 | #1,688 | 28 | 0.0018% |
| 1945 | #2,982 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1944 | #2,130 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1943 | #1,760 | 24 | 0.0017% |
| 1942 | #1,680 | 25 | 0.0019% |
| 1941 | #1,577 | 25 | 0.0021% |
| 1940 | #1,360 | 31 | 0.0027% |
| 1939 | #1,606 | 23 | 0.0021% |
| 1938 | #1,392 | 29 | 0.0026% |
| 1937 | #1,467 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1936 | #1,251 | 33 | 0.0032% |
| 1935 | #1,281 | 32 | 0.0031% |
| 1934 | #1,327 | 30 | 0.0029% |
| 1933 | #1,185 | 36 | 0.0036% |
| 1932 | #1,399 | 29 | 0.0027% |
| 1931 | #1,096 | 42 | 0.0039% |
| 1930 | #1,023 | 52 | 0.0046% |
| 1929 | #985 | 54 | 0.0048% |
| 1928 | #929 | 64 | 0.0055% |
| 1927 | #1,011 | 57 | 0.0048% |
| 1926 | #1,084 | 48 | 0.0040% |
| 1925 | #1,304 | 37 | 0.0030% |
| 1924 | #1,416 | 34 | 0.0027% |
| 1923 | #1,219 | 41 | 0.0034% |
| 1922 | #1,119 | 47 | 0.0039% |
| 1921 | #1,155 | 44 | 0.0036% |
| 1920 | #1,092 | 47 | 0.0039% |
| 1919 | #936 | 57 | 0.0050% |
| 1918 | #992 | 53 | 0.0046% |
| 1917 | #1,046 | 46 | 0.0043% |
| 1916 | #1,151 | 38 | 0.0036% |
| 1915 | #1,103 | 38 | 0.0039% |
| 1914 | #1,086 | 31 | 0.0041% |
| 1913 | #1,327 | 19 | 0.0030% |
| 1912 | #1,649 | 12 | 0.0022% |
| 1911 | #1,134 | 16 | 0.0038% |
| 1910 | #1,832 | 8 | 0.0020% |
| 1909 | #1,849 | 7 | 0.0020% |
| 1908 | #1,472 | 9 | 0.0027% |
| 1907 | #1,438 | 9 | 0.0028% |
| 1906 | #1,473 | 8 | 0.0027% |
| 1905 | #2,052 | 5 | 0.0017% |
| 1904 | #1,123 | 11 | 0.0040% |
| 1903 | #1,492 | 7 | 0.0027% |
| 1902 | #1,251 | 9 | 0.0034% |
| 1901 | #895 | 14 | 0.0058% |
| 1900 | #1,026 | 14 | 0.0047% |
| 1899 | #1,053 | 10 | 0.0043% |
| 1898 | #1,025 | 12 | 0.0046% |
| 1897 | #876 | 14 | 0.0060% |
| 1896 | #851 | 15 | 0.0063% |
| 1895 | #829 | 15 | 0.0064% |
| 1894 | #1,022 | 10 | 0.0045% |
| 1893 | #1,041 | 9 | 0.0042% |
| 1892 | #840 | 13 | 0.0061% |
| 1891 | #765 | 13 | 0.0070% |
| 1890 | #738 | 14 | 0.0074% |
| 1889 | #698 | 14 | 0.0078% |
| 1888 | #672 | 15 | 0.0084% |
| 1887 | #711 | 11 | 0.0075% |
| 1886 | #795 | 9 | 0.0062% |
| 1885 | #813 | 8 | 0.0060% |
| 1884 | #700 | 10 | 0.0078% |
| 1883 | #628 | 10 | 0.0089% |
| 1882 | #648 | 9 | 0.0083% |
| 1881 | #597 | 9 | 0.0098% |
| 1880 | #602 | 9 | 0.0099% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,936 | 80 | 0.0047% |
| 2024 | #1,686 | 99 | 0.0058% |
| 2023 | #1,709 | 98 | 0.0057% |
| 2022 | #1,894 | 83 | 0.0048% |
| 2021 | #1,678 | 98 | 0.0056% |
| 2020 | #1,802 | 83 | 0.0048% |
| 2019 | #1,654 | 98 | 0.0055% |
| 2018 | #1,642 | 99 | 0.0055% |
| 2017 | #1,558 | 105 | 0.0057% |
| 2016 | #1,540 | 108 | 0.0057% |
| 2015 | #1,591 | 101 | 0.0053% |
| 2014 | #1,468 | 111 | 0.0058% |
| 2013 | #1,551 | 102 | 0.0054% |
| 2012 | #1,517 | 106 | 0.0056% |
| 2011 | #1,517 | 105 | 0.0055% |
| 2010 | #1,520 | 107 | 0.0056% |
| 2009 | #1,404 | 121 | 0.0061% |
| 2008 | #1,308 | 133 | 0.0065% |
| 2007 | #1,232 | 143 | 0.0069% |
| 2006 | #1,039 | 175 | 0.0085% |
| 2005 | #1,114 | 148 | 0.0074% |
| 2004 | #1,020 | 161 | 0.0081% |
| 2003 | #1,037 | 152 | 0.0077% |
| 2002 | #875 | 187 | 0.0096% |
| 2001 | #875 | 182 | 0.0094% |
| 2000 | #965 | 157 | 0.0080% |
| 1999 | #781 | 200 | 0.0104% |
| 1998 | #743 | 217 | 0.0114% |
| 1997 | #716 | 221 | 0.0117% |
| 1996 | #650 | 257 | 0.0136% |
| 1995 | #674 | 245 | 0.0129% |
| 1994 | #651 | 256 | 0.0133% |
| 1993 | #580 | 314 | 0.0160% |
| 1992 | #573 | 316 | 0.0158% |
| 1991 | #521 | 368 | 0.0182% |
| 1990 | #497 | 385 | 0.0187% |
| 1989 | #462 | 416 | 0.0208% |
| 1988 | #457 | 392 | 0.0205% |
| 1987 | #455 | 380 | 0.0204% |
| 1986 | #408 | 443 | 0.0241% |
| 1985 | #385 | 463 | 0.0251% |
| 1984 | #385 | 449 | 0.0249% |
| 1983 | #338 | 546 | 0.0305% |
| 1982 | #340 | 554 | 0.0305% |
| 1981 | #329 | 582 | 0.0325% |
| 1980 | #324 | 585 | 0.0328% |
| 1979 | #315 | 612 | 0.0355% |
| 1978 | #279 | 694 | 0.0423% |
| 1977 | #265 | 747 | 0.0455% |
| 1976 | #248 | 799 | 0.0509% |
| 1975 | #248 | 840 | 0.0538% |
| 1974 | #232 | 890 | 0.0566% |
| 1973 | #215 | 1,021 | 0.0655% |
| 1972 | #215 | 1,039 | 0.0641% |
| 1971 | #194 | 1,281 | 0.0724% |
| 1970 | #183 | 1,503 | 0.0809% |
| 1969 | #176 | 1,575 | 0.0881% |
| 1968 | #172 | 1,570 | 0.0903% |
| 1967 | #160 | 1,688 | 0.0968% |
| 1966 | #151 | 1,879 | 0.1054% |
| 1965 | #141 | 2,147 | 0.1154% |
| 1964 | #133 | 2,465 | 0.1237% |
| 1963 | #134 | 2,525 | 0.1243% |
| 1962 | #126 | 2,854 | 0.1380% |
| 1961 | #124 | 3,090 | 0.1455% |
| 1960 | #117 | 3,397 | 0.1593% |
| 1959 | #112 | 3,581 | 0.1678% |
| 1958 | #115 | 3,516 | 0.1657% |
| 1957 | #103 | 3,636 | 0.1685% |
| 1956 | #102 | 3,578 | 0.1691% |
| 1955 | #97 | 3,501 | 0.1700% |
| 1954 | #93 | 3,695 | 0.1812% |
| 1953 | #92 | 3,790 | 0.1922% |
| 1952 | #90 | 3,960 | 0.2037% |
| 1951 | #87 | 3,994 | 0.2121% |
| 1950 | #84 | 4,195 | 0.2343% |
| 1949 | #72 | 4,731 | 0.2667% |
| 1948 | #66 | 5,376 | 0.3064% |
| 1947 | #56 | 6,392 | 0.3494% |
| 1946 | #51 | 6,012 | 0.3702% |
| 1945 | #51 | 5,118 | 0.3803% |
| 1944 | #47 | 5,580 | 0.4094% |
| 1943 | #45 | 6,168 | 0.4322% |
| 1942 | #46 | 6,088 | 0.4408% |
| 1941 | #43 | 5,618 | 0.4574% |
| 1940 | #40 | 5,582 | 0.4816% |
| 1939 | #40 | 5,538 | 0.5003% |
| 1938 | #38 | 5,768 | 0.5200% |
| 1937 | #35 | 5,738 | 0.5380% |
| 1936 | #36 | 5,602 | 0.5401% |
| 1935 | #34 | 5,493 | 0.5275% |
| 1934 | #33 | 5,465 | 0.5293% |
| 1933 | #34 | 5,287 | 0.5332% |
| 1932 | #33 | 5,525 | 0.5291% |
| 1931 | #33 | 5,698 | 0.5481% |
| 1930 | #32 | 6,048 | 0.5511% |
| 1929 | #34 | 5,857 | 0.5445% |
| 1928 | #36 | 6,036 | 0.5450% |
| 1927 | #35 | 6,313 | 0.5602% |
| 1926 | #31 | 6,447 | 0.5805% |
| 1925 | #33 | 6,205 | 0.5560% |
| 1924 | #32 | 6,532 | 0.5767% |
| 1923 | #33 | 6,314 | 0.5760% |
| 1922 | #33 | 6,245 | 0.5739% |
| 1921 | #33 | 6,496 | 0.5898% |
| 1920 | #33 | 6,298 | 0.5917% |
| 1919 | #30 | 6,091 | 0.6214% |
| 1918 | #33 | 6,182 | 0.6100% |
| 1917 | #29 | 5,986 | 0.6468% |
| 1916 | #29 | 5,745 | 0.6454% |
| 1915 | #26 | 5,778 | 0.6809% |
| 1914 | #28 | 4,441 | 0.6783% |
| 1913 | #27 | 3,624 | 0.7070% |
| 1912 | #26 | 3,103 | 0.7217% |
| 1911 | #22 | 1,808 | 0.8001% |
| 1910 | #22 | 1,587 | 0.8172% |
| 1909 | #22 | 1,355 | 0.8262% |
| 1908 | #20 | 1,381 | 0.8948% |
| 1907 | #19 | 1,371 | 0.9338% |
| 1906 | #20 | 1,193 | 0.8960% |
| 1905 | #18 | 1,284 | 0.9705% |
| 1904 | #18 | 1,223 | 0.9546% |
| 1903 | #18 | 1,204 | 1.0098% |
| 1902 | #18 | 1,286 | 1.0484% |
| 1901 | #18 | 1,133 | 1.0642% |
| 1900 | #17 | 1,646 | 1.0939% |
| 1899 | #16 | 1,182 | 1.1129% |
| 1898 | #15 | 1,447 | 1.1794% |
| 1897 | #16 | 1,301 | 1.1538% |
| 1896 | #16 | 1,393 | 1.1650% |
| 1895 | #15 | 1,483 | 1.2633% |
| 1894 | #15 | 1,475 | 1.2741% |
| 1893 | #15 | 1,493 | 1.3293% |
| 1892 | #15 | 1,628 | 1.3340% |
| 1891 | #15 | 1,362 | 1.3460% |
| 1890 | #15 | 1,506 | 1.3565% |
| 1889 | #15 | 1,554 | 1.4053% |
| 1888 | #15 | 1,665 | 1.3777% |
| 1887 | #15 | 1,454 | 1.4338% |
| 1886 | #15 | 1,599 | 1.4434% |
| 1885 | #14 | 1,562 | 1.4490% |
| 1884 | #15 | 1,638 | 1.4313% |
| 1883 | #15 | 1,502 | 1.4356% |
| 1882 | #15 | 1,641 | 1.4434% |
| 1881 | #15 | 1,418 | 1.4077% |
| 1880 | #15 | 1,569 | 1.4200% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
