Fred
A short version of Frederick, Alfred, or Wilfred, also used as a formal male given name.
Every Fred since 1880 — 345,684 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Fred
Fred is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,936 in 2025 with 80 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 345,684 American babies have been named Fred. Its peak came in 1924, when 6,566 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Fred stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Fred 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 | — | — | 80 | #1,936 |
| 2024 | — | — | 99 | #1,690 |
| 2023 | — | — | 98 | #1,712 |
| 2022 | — | — | 83 | #1,895 |
| 2021 | — | — | 98 | #1,679 |
| 2020 | — | — | 83 | #1,802 |
| 2019 | — | — | 98 | #1,654 |
| 2018 | — | — | 99 | #1,642 |
| 2017 | — | — | 105 | #1,558 |
| 2016 | — | — | 109 | #1,535 |
| 2015 | — | — | 101 | #1,591 |
| 2014 | — | — | 111 | #1,468 |
| 2013 | — | — | 102 | #1,551 |
| 2012 | — | — | 106 | #1,517 |
| 2011 | — | — | 105 | #1,517 |
| 2010 | — | — | 107 | #1,520 |
| 2009 | — | — | 121 | #1,404 |
| 2008 | — | — | 133 | #1,308 |
| 2007 | — | — | 143 | #1,232 |
| 2006 | — | — | 175 | #1,039 |
| 2005 | — | — | 148 | #1,115 |
| 2004 | — | — | 161 | #1,020 |
| 2003 | — | — | 152 | #1,037 |
| 2002 | — | — | 187 | #875 |
| 2001 | — | — | 182 | #875 |
| 2000 | — | — | 157 | #965 |
| 1995 | — | — | 245 | #674 |
| 1990 | — | — | 385 | #498 |
| 1985 | — | — | 463 | #385 |
| 1980 | 7 | #8,429 | 585 | #324 |
| 1975 | 5 | #9,531 | 840 | #248 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,560 | 1,503 | #183 |
| 1965 | 6 | #6,030 | 2,146 | #141 |
| 1960 | 14 | #3,413 | 3,396 | #117 |
| 1955 | 15 | #3,016 | 3,502 | #97 |
| 1950 | 14 | #2,816 | 4,195 | #84 |
| 1945 | 10 | #2,982 | 5,118 | #51 |
| 1940 | 31 | #1,360 | 5,581 | #40 |
| 1935 | 32 | #1,281 | 5,493 | #34 |
| 1930 | 52 | #1,023 | 6,049 | #32 |
| 1925 | 37 | #1,304 | 6,205 | #33 |
| 1920 | 47 | #1,092 | 6,298 | #33 |
| 1915 | 38 | #1,103 | 5,778 | #26 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,832 | 1,587 | #22 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,052 | 1,284 | #18 |
| 1900 | 14 | #1,026 | 1,646 | #17 |
| 1895 | 15 | #829 | 1,483 | #15 |
| 1890 | 14 | #738 | 1,506 | #15 |
| 1885 | 8 | #813 | 1,562 | #14 |
| 1880 | 9 | #602 | 1,569 | #15 |
Famous people named Fred
- Fred Astaire Actor · 1899–1987
- Fred Hoyle Astronomer · 1915–2001
- Fred Zinnemann Film director · 1907–1997
- Fred Trump Businessperson · 1905–1999
- Fred Perry Tennis player · 1909–1995
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Fred mean?
A short version of Frederick, Alfred, or Wilfred, also used as a formal male given name.
How popular is the name Fred in 2025?
Fred ranked #1,936 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 80 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Fred?
345,684 babies have been named Fred in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Fred most popular?
Fred peaked in 1924, when 6,566 newborns received the name.
Is Fred a boy or girl name?
Fred is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Fred rising or falling?
Fred has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Fred?
Well-known people named Fred include Fred Astaire (actor), Fred Hoyle (astronomer), Fred Zinnemann (film director).