Frank

Diminutive of Francis or Franklin
"Frenchman or free man"

Frank Origin and Meaning

The name Frank is a boy's name of German origin meaning "Frenchman or free man".

A Top 10 name from the 1880s until the 1920s, Frank has been falling for decades but last year reversed course for the first time in a century, edging up the popularity list a few notches. And Frank still has a certain warm, friendly real-guy grandpa flavor that could come back into style, like other such choices as Jake and Jack.

Maybe thanks to Sinatra, it's become a new hipster favorite with such couples as Diana Krall and Elvis Costello. Along with Sinatra, Frank has a wide variety of interesting namesakes, including architects Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry, artist Frank Stella, director Frank Capra, musician Frank Zappa, and Muppeteer/director Frank Oz, to name a few. Musician Frank Ocean was born Christopher Breaux.

It's worth noting that despite its long decline, Frank has always remained in the Top 500 for boys. Also, the newly-cool girls' nickname-name Frankie may have given brother Frank a style boost.

# 439 in the US

Frank Rank in US Top 1000

# 440 on Nameberry

Frank Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Frank Popularity

Famous People Named Frank

  • Frank FabraColombian footballer
  • Francis Albert "Frank" SinatraAmerican singer and actor
  • Frank Anthony WilczekAmerican physicist & Nobel prize winner
  • (Lyman) Frank BaumAmerican children's novelist
  • Frank Joslyn BaumAmerican novelist & film producer; son of L. Frank Baum
  • Frank Billings Kellogg45th U.S. Secretary of State
  • Frank Macfarlane BurnetAustralian virologist and Nobel Prize winner
  • Frank Sherwood RowlandAmerican chemist and Nobel Prize winner
  • Frank Vincent ZappaAmerican musician
  • Frank LangellaAmerican actor
  • Frank Edwin Wright IIIaka Tre Cool, American musician of Green Day
  • Frank Anthony IeroAmerican musician of My Chemical Romance and The Cellabration
  • Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux)American singer,songwriter
  • Frank William ZomboAmerican football player
  • Franklin Delano "Frank" GoreAmerican football player
  • Frank Tayo OmiyaleAmerican football player
  • Frank "Grey Wolf" SalsedoNative American actor
  • Francis Edward "Frank" TurnerEnglish singer,songwriter
  • Frank Black aka Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IVAmerican singer,songwriter of Black Francis and The Pixies
  • Frank Frederick Borman Jr.American astronaut
  • Jonah Frank Kingson of journalists Dana Bash and John King
  • Frank FritzAmerican antiquer and TV personality ("American Pickers")
  • Frank DillaneEnglish actor
  • Frank Harlan James Costello (b. 2006)son of English musician Elvis Costello and Canadian jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall
  • Frank Gioiaaka CrankthatFrank, American YouTuber

Frank in Pop Culture

  • Frank Reynoldscharacter on FXX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"
  • Francis "Frank" Underwoodcharacter on Netflix's "House of Cards"
  • Frank Zhangson of Mars in the Heroes of Olympus series
  • Frank Hardyone of the Hardy Boys, brother of Joe Hardy
  • Frank Sunderlandcharacter in the game "Silent Hill 4"
  • Frank Colridgecharacter in the game "Silent Hill: Downpour"
  • Frank Breitkopfcharacter on CBS' "Criminal Minds"
  • Frank Baronecharacter on CBS' "Everybody Loves Raymond"
  • Frank Blossomcharacter from ITV's "The Worst Witch"
  • Frank Jacksoncharacter in movie "Big Fat Liar"
  • Frank Hargatemain character in G. A. Henty's "By Sheer Pluck"
  • Frankcharacter in movie "The Invention of Lying"
  • Frank 'Grimey' Grimesone,time character on "The Simpsons"
  • Frank Jamesoncharacter in novelette "Beguiling" by Liam Holt
  • Frank1st King of Narnia in 'The Magician's Nephew' by C.S. Lewis
  • Francis "Frank" Delfinocharacter on ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder"
  • Frank Wheatleycharacter in the film "Sling Blade"
  • Frank Sahwitcharacter from 'Ace Attorney'
  • Frank Reagancharacter on CBS' "Blue Bloods"
  • Frank Kennedycharacter from "Gone with the Wind"
  • Frank Wyattmain character in G. A. Henty's "Through Russian Snows"
  • Frank LongbottomNeville Longbottom's father in the Harry Potter Series
  • Frank Castle A.K.A. The Punishercharacter from Marvel Comics
  • Vernon Francis "Frank" Gallaghermain character on Showtime's "Shameless"
  • Frank Vanderboomcharacter in Rusty Lake: Roots
  • Frank Heffleya character from Diary of a Wimpy Kid
  • Frank Lambertcharacter on ABC TGIF sitcom "Step by Step"
  • Frank Columbomain character on the crime drama series "Columbo" from Wikipedia it says about the character of Columbo that:
  • "Columbo's first name has never officially been identifiedalthough the name "Frank Columbo" has been visible on pieces of identification throughout the show's history."
  • Frank Drebinmain character in "The Naked Gun" Film series, played by Leslie Nielsen
  • Frank Crossmain character in the 1988 Christmas Comedy Film "Scrooged"