Fred

Meaning & Origin

Meaning: Peaceful Ruler; Counselor

Background: The name Fred originates from the Old High German name 'Friduwald,' meaning 'peaceful ruler.' The name evolved into various forms in Germanic languages and was later adopted into English as Fred, often serving as a diminutive of Frederick, which retains similar meanings related to counsel and peace.

At a glance

Quick stats based on the history of this name.

Lifetime rank
#99
Total births
345,605
Most popular decade
1920s (189,648 births)
10-year trend
↓ Falling (-215 ranks)
Years in Top 100
76
First recorded year
1880

Gender usage

99.4% male 0.6% female

Stats by gender

Male

First year
1880
First year births
1,569
First year rank
#15
Peak year
1924
Peak year births
6,532
Peak rank
#32
Most recent year
2024
Recent year births
99
Recent rank
#1,680

Female

First year
1880
First year births
9
First year rank
#580
Peak year
1928
Peak year births
64
Peak rank
#924
Most recent year
1989
Recent year births
6
Recent rank
#10,846

Births over time

Number of babies given this name each year.

Rank over time

Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).

Related links