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Frederick

German
"peaceful ruler"
Sophie Kihm
By Sophie Kihm
Updated Mon Sep 02 2024

Frederick Origin and Meaning

The name Frederick is a boy's name of German origin meaning "peaceful ruler".

Frederick, and friendlier nickname Fred, seemed almost to have disappeared, leaving just the memory of Freds past such as Astaire, Mr. Rogers and Flintstone. But today's parents are beginning to recognize it as a strong classic and one of the top royal baby boy names.

Previously, Frederick had taken on a rather forbidding, foreign, military air, reminiscent of Frederick the Great, the enlightened king of Prussia who laid the foundations of the powerful Prussian empire.

For African-Americans, Frederick can be seen as a hero name, honoring Frederick Douglass, who rose from slavery to power as a political activist.

Frederick appears as a character in Shakespeare's As You Like It and the novels of, among others, Jane Austen and Henry James. The name is often streamlined to Frederic and even Fredric. And if you don't like Fred or Freddie (though we do), another nickname is Fritz.

Federico is the appealing Italian and Spanish form, as in renowned poet Federico Garcia Lorca.

# 506 in the US

Frederick Rank in US Top 1000

# 168 on Nameberry

Frederick Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Frederick Popularity

Famous People Named Frederick

  • Frederick IIII, Holy Roman Emperors
  • Frederick IKing of Prussia
  • Frederick II the GreatKing of Prussia
  • Frederick III (Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl)German Emperor
  • Frederick William IIV, Kings of Prussia
  • Frederick IVI, Kings of Denmark
  • Frederick VII (Frederik Carl Christian)King of Denmark
  • Frederick VIII (Christian Frederik Vilhelm Carl)King of Denmark
  • Frederick IX (Christian Frederik Franz Michael Carl Valdemar Georg)King of Denmark
  • Frederick I William CharlesKing of Württemberg
  • Frederick Charles Louis ConstantinePrince of Hesse; elected King of Finland
  • FrederickKing of Sweden
  • Frederick Law OlmstedAmerican journalist/designer
  • Frederick DouglassAmerican abolitionist and author
  • Frederick Austerlitzbirth name of actor/dancer Fred Astaire
  • Frederick Carlton LewisAmerican track & field athlete
  • Frederick Gardner CottrellAmerican inventor
  • Frederick BantingCanadian physician (insulin)
  • Frederick AugustusPrince of Great Britain; Duke of York and Albany; son of George III
  • Frederick IV, Electors Palatine
  • Frederick LouisPrince of Wales; son of George II; father of George III
  • FrederickPrince of Prussia (Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Christoph); son of Crown Prince Frederick of Germany
  • Frederick of OrangeNassau (Willem Frederik Karel), Prince of the Netherlands; son of William I
  • Frederick William George AdolphusPrince of Hesse,Kassel
  • Frederick Charles AugustusPrince of Württemberg
  • Frederick WilliamPrince of Great Britain; son of Frederick Louis, Prince of Wales
  • Frederick ForsythEnglish novelist
  • Frederick Sewards "Fred" TruemanEnglish cricketer
  • Frederick HollowsAustralian ophthalmologist
  • Frederick Pei Liphysician (Li,Fraumeni syndrome)
  • Frederik MagleDanish composer
  • Frederick Woodward SkiffAmerican writer & book collector
  • Frederick VarleyCanadian painter
  • Burrhus Frederick SkinnerAmerican psychology theorist
  • Frederick HeyligerUS Army's WW2 Easy Company captain
  • Frederick Dewey "Sonic" Smithguitarist for band MC5
  • (Frederick) Dierks BentleyAmerican country music singer
  • Frederick Heschel Bialik Stone (b. 2008)son of actress Mayim Bialik
  • Frederick Easton Klein (b. 2016)son of actor Chris Klein

Frederick in Pop Culture

  • Frederick Gaylord CraneFrasier's son on "Cheers"&"Frasier"
  • Frederick Wentworthcharacter in Austen's 'Persuasion'
  • Frederick "Fred" Andrewscharacter in Archie Comics Universe
  • Frederick Lorencharacter in "House on Haunted Hill"
  • Frederickfarmer in "Animal Farm" by George Orwell
  • Frederick "Fred" Flintstonecharacter on "The Flintstones"
  • Frederick "Fred" Jonescharacter on "Scooby,Doo"
  • FrederickMaryland (city and county)
  • Frederick's of Hollywoodlingerie retail chain
  • Frederick HaleMargaret Hale's brother in North and South
  • Frederick "Fred" Weasleycharacter from Harry Potter series
  • Frederick Chiltoncharacter in Hannibal
  • Frederick "Freddie" McClairfrom British show "Skins"
  • Frederick J. "Fred" Dukesalso known as Blob, from Marvel Universe
  • Frederickusurping Duke in Shakespeare's "As You Like It"
  • King Frederickcharacter in animated movie "Barbie as Rapunzel"

Frederick in Nameberry Blog Posts