How to say it
FRED · rick
ˈfrɛd.rɪk
Masculine
Frederick
Peaceful ruler
What it means
Germanic, from frid ('peace') plus ric ('ruler'), so 'peaceful ruler.'
Frederick joins the Germanic frid, 'peace,' to ric, 'ruler': a ruler who keeps the peace. Holy Roman Emperors and Prussian kings bore it, and the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass gave it American moral weight. It is riding the great-grandfather revival alongside Theodore and Arthur. Fred, Freddie, and the German Fritz are the shorts.
How to spell Frederick
The standard spelling is Frederick. Common variants include Frederik, Friedrich, Federico, but Frederick is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #33 in 1880, currently #435 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Fred, Freddie, and Fritz all come from it.
- Pop culture
Frederick Douglass; Frederick the Great of Prussia.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Frederick Douglass American abolitionist, orator, and writer
- Frederick the Great 18th-century king of Prussia
Spelling variants
- Frederik
- Friedrich
- Federico
Names with the same feeling
See Frederick from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Frederick mean?
- Germanic, from frid ('peace') plus ric ('ruler'), so 'peaceful ruler.'
- What does Frederick mean in Germanic?
- In Germanic, Frederick means "Peaceful ruler." Frederick joins the Germanic frid, 'peace,' to ric, 'ruler': a ruler who keeps the peace. Holy Roman Emperors and Prussian kings bore it, and the great abolitionist Frederick Douglass gave it American moral weight. It is riding the great-grandfather revival alongside Theodore and Arthur. Fred, Freddie, and the German Fritz are the shorts.
- How do you pronounce Frederick?
- Frederick is pronounced ˈfrɛd.rɪk. Say it as FRED-rick, with the stress on the "fred" syllable.
- How do you spell Frederick?
- The standard spelling is Frederick. Common spelling variants include Frederik, Friedrich, Federico.
- Is Frederick a boy or girl name?
- Frederick is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Frederick?
- Frederick ranked #435 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.