Gender Masculine
Usage English
Pronounced Pron. FREHD-ə-rik, FREHD-rik  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

English form of an Old German name meaning "peaceful ruler", derived from fridu "peace" and rih "ruler, king". This name has long been common in continental Germanic-speaking regions, being borne by rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, Germany, Austria, Scandinavia, and Prussia. Notables among these rulers include the 12th-century Holy Roman emperor and crusader Frederick I Barbarossa, the 13th-century emperor and patron of the arts Frederick II, and the 18th-century Frederick II of Prussia, known as Frederick the Great.

The Normans brought the name to England in the 11th century but it quickly died out. It was reintroduced by the German House of Hanover when they inherited the British throne in the 18th century. A famous bearer was Frederick Douglass (1818-1895), an American ex-slave who became a leading advocate of abolition.

Related Names

DiminutivesFred, Freddie, Freddy
Feminine FormsFrederica, Rica
Other Languages & CulturesFrederic(Catalan) Bedřich(Czech) Frederik(Danish) Frederik, Fred, Freddy, Freek, Frits, Rik(Dutch) Priidik, Priit(Estonian) Fredrik, Veeti(Finnish) Frédéric, Fred, Freddy(French) Friedrich, Fiete, Fred, Fritz(German) Friduric(Germanic) Frigyes(Hungarian) Friðrik(Icelandic) Federico, Federigo, Fredo(Italian) Fricis, Frīdrihs(Latvian) Fredrik, Fred(Norwegian) Frederic(Occitan) Friþurīks(Old Germanic) Fryderyk(Polish) Frederico, Fred(Portuguese) Friderik(Slovene) Federico(Spanish) Fredrik, Fred(Swedish)
User SubmissionFrédérick

Popularity

People think this name is

classic   mature   formal   upper class   natural   wholesome   strong   refined   strange   complex   serious  

Images

Frederick I Barbarossa from a manuscript (1188)Frederick I Barbarossa from a manuscript (1188)

Categories

Entry updated December 7, 2022