Franklin
From Middle English frankelein (“freeholder”), see franklin.
Every Franklin since 1880 — 142,506 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Franklin
Franklin is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #359 in 2025 with 909 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 142,506 American babies have been named Franklin. Its peak came in 1933, when 5,387 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Franklin stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Franklin year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 909 | #359 |
| 2024 | 13 | #8,117 | 841 | #388 |
| 2023 | 6 | #14,014 | 784 | #408 |
| 2022 | 10 | #9,938 | 788 | #407 |
| 2021 | 6 | #14,063 | 801 | #395 |
| 2020 | 8 | #11,437 | 718 | #414 |
| 2019 | 11 | #9,331 | 739 | #422 |
| 2018 | 8 | #11,778 | 693 | #436 |
| 2017 | 7 | #13,184 | 710 | #437 |
| 2016 | — | — | 745 | #423 |
| 2015 | — | — | 690 | #445 |
| 2014 | 5 | #17,413 | 664 | #449 |
| 2013 | — | — | 551 | #497 |
| 2012 | — | — | 495 | #529 |
| 2011 | 5 | #17,671 | 520 | #500 |
| 2010 | — | — | 510 | #505 |
| 2009 | — | — | 511 | #529 |
| 2008 | — | — | 589 | #469 |
| 2007 | — | — | 580 | #469 |
| 2006 | — | — | 622 | #438 |
| 2005 | — | — | 567 | #451 |
| 2004 | 5 | #16,977 | 508 | #488 |
| 2003 | — | — | 539 | #466 |
| 2002 | — | — | 507 | #470 |
| 2001 | — | — | 534 | #452 |
| 2000 | — | — | 530 | #448 |
| 1995 | — | — | 662 | #363 |
| 1990 | 9 | #8,716 | 852 | #296 |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,802 | 812 | #264 |
| 1980 | 11 | #6,037 | 879 | #253 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,529 | 864 | #238 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,559 | 1,219 | #208 |
| 1965 | 11 | #4,028 | 1,368 | #185 |
| 1960 | 11 | #3,993 | 1,537 | #194 |
| 1955 | 6 | #5,411 | 1,764 | #163 |
| 1950 | 8 | #4,073 | 1,624 | #153 |
| 1945 | 11 | #2,796 | 1,896 | #119 |
| 1940 | 11 | #2,624 | 2,391 | #87 |
| 1935 | 17 | #1,951 | 2,611 | #71 |
| 1930 | 9 | #3,153 | 1,078 | #149 |
| 1925 | 7 | #4,167 | 1,294 | #134 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,136 | 1,451 | #119 |
| 1915 | — | — | 1,001 | #132 |
| 1910 | — | — | 176 | #170 |
| 1905 | — | — | 98 | #187 |
| 1900 | — | — | 137 | #151 |
| 1895 | — | — | 103 | #150 |
| 1890 | — | — | 90 | #157 |
| 1885 | — | — | 117 | #118 |
| 1880 | — | — | 120 | #112 |
Famous people named Franklin
- Franklin D. Roosevelt Politician · 1882–1945
- Franklin Pierce Politician · 1804–1869
- Franklin J. Schaffner Film director · 1920–1989
- Franklin Clarence Mars Businessperson · 1883–1934
- Franklin Chang Díaz Astronaut · b. 1950
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Franklin mean?
From Middle English frankelein (“freeholder”), see franklin.
How popular is the name Franklin in 2025?
Franklin ranked #359 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 909 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Franklin?
142,506 babies have been named Franklin in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Franklin most popular?
Franklin peaked in 1933, when 5,387 newborns received the name.
Is Franklin a boy or girl name?
Franklin is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Franklin rising or falling?
Franklin is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Franklin?
Well-known people named Franklin include Franklin D. Roosevelt (politician), Franklin Pierce (politician), Franklin J. Schaffner (film director).