Fred

Fred - A very unique male name

Fred appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #22. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Fred and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Fred? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Fred. The baby boy name Fred was given to 37 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1928 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 39,629 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Fred peaked in popularity 116 years ago in 1910 on position 22.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Fred, 1-5?

Fred is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Fred is currently topping the baby name charts in Pennsylvania at position #1,138 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,704.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Fred is where you live.

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Fred origin and meaning

Short form of Frederick (Germanic)

A short form of Frederick, from Germanic frid, 'peace', and ric, 'ruler' — 'peaceful ruler'

Fred is Frederick's everyday short form, and for a century it was a name in its own right — peaking in 1924 with over 6,500 births. It then became the archetypal grandfather name, but it has ticked up since 2020 as short vintage names return.

Attested etymology

Fred is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Fred, pop culture references for the name Fred and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Fred

We've found the following names that sound similar to Fred, sorted by popularity.

Freddie / Freddy / Ford / Fredy / Fredi / Farid / Fareed / Ferdie / Farhad / Fredie /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Fred

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Fred a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Fred?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

FRED · /frɛd/

Around the world

• Fred (German) — Used as-is as a short form in German.

Spellings and nicknames

• Frederick — The full name.
• Freddie — The -ie diminutive spelling, also a name in its own right.

Nicknames: Fred

Famous bearers

• Fred Astaire — American dancer and film star, born Frederick Austerlitz and famous under the name Fred Astaire (1899–1987) Historical
• Fred Rogers — American children's television host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (1928–2003) Contemporary

Style

Short formNickname nameClassicVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Parents choosing Fred now are ahead of the vintage curve — a friendly, unbothered name due a revival, and rising since 2020.

Worth knowing

• Some still hear it as purely a grandfather or cartoon name (Fred Flintstone).