At a glance
- In short
- Frank is a one-syllable firecracker—born from the medieval Franks who lent their name to France and the Latin “Francus,” both whispering the same promise: “free man.”
- U.S. rank 2025
- #513 of boy names
- Babies in 2025
- 584 (0.032% of boys)
- Trend
- Slipping #428 in 2020 to #513 in 2025
- Peak
- #6 in 1880–1892 and 1895
- First recorded
- 1880
Meaning of Frank
Frank is a one-syllable firecracker—born from the medieval Franks who lent their name to France and the Latin “Francus,” both whispering the same promise: “free man.” He strides onto the stage like a trumpet blast in a salsa band, bold, uncluttered, impossible to ignore, yet as familiar as fresh bread. History has stamped his passport with legends: architect Frank Lloyd Wright sketching horizons, crooner Frank Sinatra wrapping the moon in velvet, and modern maestro Frank Ocean surfing new sound waves. Because “frank” also means honest, the name carries a built-in handshake of trust—ideal for a little caballero destined to speak his mind. Though its chart position has eased from the top ranks, Frank keeps a steady rhythm in American nurseries, proving classics never miss a beat. For parents seeking a moniker that’s spirited, straightforward, and eternally libre, Frank delivers—all gusto, no garnish.
How to pronounce Frank
English
- Pronounced FRANK /fræŋk/
Popularity of Frank in the U.S.
Frank was the #513 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 584 babies. It peaked at #6 in 1880–1892 and 1895. It has been in the top 1,000 since 1880.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1880–2025 146 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 584 | 513 | ▼ 45 |
| 2024 | 658 | 468 | ▲ 1 |
| 2023 | 650 | 469 | ▼ 29 |
| 2022 | 708 | 440 | ▲ 5 |
| 2021 | 691 | 445 | ▼ 17 |
| 2020 | 694 | 428 | ▼ 25 |
| 2019 | 773 | 403 | ▼ 11 |
| 2018 | 807 | 392 | ▼ 19 |
| 2017 | 890 | 373 | ▼ 20 |
| 2016 | 957 | 353 | ▲ 2 |
| 2015 | 945 | 355 | ▼ 19 |
| 2014 | 991 | 336 | ▼ 9 |
| 2013 | 1,007 | 327 | ▼ 7 |
| 2012 | 985 | 320 | ▼ 12 |
| 2011 | 1,048 | 308 | ▼ 6 |
| 2010 | 1,077 | 302 | ▼ 11 |
| 2009 | 1,138 | 291 | ▼ 13 |
| 2008 | 1,228 | 278 | ▼ 16 |
| 2007 | 1,333 | 262 | ▼ 16 |
| 2006 | 1,401 | 246 | ▼ 15 |
| 2005 | 1,480 | 231 | ▼ 1 |
| 2004 | 1,466 | 230 | – |
| 2003 | 1,500 | 230 | ▼ 14 |
| 2002 | 1,587 | 216 | ▼ 2 |
| 2001 | 1,634 | 214 | ▼ 5 |
| 2000 | 1,708 | 209 | ▼ 22 |
| 1999 | 1,855 | 187 | ▼ 10 |
| 1998 | 1,889 | 177 | ▼ 9 |
| 1997 | 2,023 | 168 | ▼ 6 |
| 1996 | 2,149 | 162 | ▼ 5 |
| 1995 | 2,247 | 157 | ▼ 16 |
| 1994 | 2,479 | 141 | ▼ 7 |
| 1993 | 2,503 | 134 | ▼ 9 |
| 1992 | 2,756 | 125 | ▼ 9 |
| 1991 | 2,881 | 116 | ▼ 7 |
| 1990 | 3,188 | 109 | – |
| 1989 | 3,049 | 109 | ▼ 10 |
| 1988 | 3,271 | 99 | ▼ 2 |
| 1987 | 3,123 | 97 | ▼ 6 |
| 1986 | 3,178 | 91 | ▼ 1 |
| 1985 | 3,302 | 90 | ▼ 4 |
| 1984 | 3,330 | 86 | – |
| 1983 | 3,361 | 86 | ▼ 5 |
| 1982 | 3,604 | 81 | ▲ 1 |
| 1981 | 3,638 | 82 | ▼ 1 |
| 1980 | 3,734 | 81 | ▼ 3 |
| 1979 | 3,928 | 78 | ▼ 1 |
| 1978 | 3,775 | 77 | ▼ 6 |
| 1977 | 3,894 | 71 | ▼ 3 |
| 1976 | 3,899 | 68 | ▼ 2 |
| 1975 | 4,212 | 66 | ▼ 1 |
| 1974 | 4,365 | 65 | ▼ 4 |
| 1973 | 4,785 | 61 | ▼ 5 |
| 1972 | 5,165 | 56 | ▼ 2 |
| 1971 | 6,089 | 54 | ▼ 6 |
| 1970 | 6,805 | 48 | ▼ 1 |
| 1969 | 6,917 | 47 | ▲ 2 |
| 1968 | 6,897 | 49 | ▼ 4 |
| 1967 | 7,426 | 45 | ▼ 2 |
| 1966 | 7,787 | 43 | – |
| 1965 | 8,319 | 43 | ▼ 2 |
| 1964 | 9,333 | 41 | – |
| 1963 | 9,527 | 41 | ▲ 1 |
| 1962 | 9,761 | 42 | ▼ 1 |
| 1961 | 10,433 | 41 | ▼ 1 |
| 1960 | 10,755 | 40 | ▲ 2 |
| 1959 | 10,942 | 42 | ▼ 4 |
| 1958 | 11,325 | 38 | – |
| 1957 | 11,268 | 38 | – |
| 1956 | 11,151 | 38 | ▼ 4 |
| 1955 | 11,109 | 34 | ▲ 2 |
| 1954 | 10,995 | 36 | ▼ 3 |
| 1953 | 11,180 | 33 | ▼ 1 |
| 1952 | 11,268 | 32 | ▼ 1 |
| 1951 | 11,477 | 31 | ▼ 2 |
| 1950 | 11,606 | 29 | ▼ 2 |
| 1949 | 11,960 | 27 | ▼ 2 |
| 1948 | 12,698 | 25 | ▼ 2 |
| 1947 | 13,994 | 23 | ▼ 1 |
| 1946 | 12,667 | 22 | ▼ 1 |
| 1945 | 10,874 | 21 | – |
| 1944 | 11,340 | 21 | – |
| 1943 | 12,246 | 21 | – |
| 1942 | 12,248 | 21 | – |
| 1941 | 10,795 | 21 | ▼ 1 |
| 1940 | 10,595 | 20 | – |
| 1939 | 9,991 | 20 | ▼ 2 |
| 1938 | 10,260 | 18 | – |
| 1937 | 10,127 | 18 | ▼ 2 |
| 1936 | 10,186 | 16 | – |
| 1935 | 10,420 | 16 | – |
| 1934 | 10,640 | 16 | – |
| 1933 | 10,962 | 16 | ▼ 1 |
| 1932 | 11,497 | 15 | ▲ 1 |
| 1931 | 11,472 | 16 | ▼ 3 |
| 1930 | 12,535 | 13 | ▼ 1 |
| 1929 | 12,966 | 12 | – |
| 1928 | 13,570 | 12 | – |
| 1927 | 14,377 | 12 | – |
| 1926 | 14,493 | 12 | – |
| 1925 | 15,329 | 12 | – |
| 1924 | 16,044 | 12 | ▼ 1 |
| 1923 | 15,903 | 11 | ▼ 1 |
| 1922 | 16,013 | 10 | ▼ 1 |
| 1921 | 16,705 | 9 | – |
| 1920 | 16,430 | 9 | – |
| 1919 | 15,701 | 9 | – |
| 1918 | 17,018 | 9 | – |
| 1917 | 15,768 | 9 | – |
| 1916 | 15,291 | 9 | – |
| 1915 | 15,006 | 9 | – |
| 1914 | 12,002 | 9 | – |
| 1913 | 9,237 | 9 | – |
| 1912 | 7,912 | 9 | ▼ 1 |
| 1911 | 4,314 | 8 | – |
| 1910 | 3,768 | 8 | – |
| 1909 | 3,244 | 8 | – |
| 1908 | 3,146 | 8 | – |
| 1907 | 2,943 | 8 | – |
| 1906 | 2,798 | 8 | – |
| 1905 | 2,837 | 8 | – |
| 1904 | 2,799 | 8 | – |
| 1903 | 2,644 | 8 | – |
| 1902 | 2,756 | 8 | – |
| 1901 | 2,402 | 8 | – |
| 1900 | 3,477 | 8 | – |
| 1899 | 2,550 | 8 | – |
| 1898 | 2,925 | 8 | ▼ 1 |
| 1897 | 2,726 | 7 | – |
| 1896 | 2,845 | 7 | ▼ 1 |
| 1895 | 3,012 | 6 | ▲ 1 |
| 1894 | 2,863 | 7 | – |
| 1893 | 2,917 | 7 | ▼ 1 |
| 1892 | 3,150 | 6 | – |
| 1891 | 2,652 | 6 | – |
| 1890 | 3,078 | 6 | – |
| 1889 | 2,975 | 6 | – |
| 1888 | 3,459 | 6 | – |
| 1887 | 2,883 | 6 | – |
| 1886 | 3,127 | 6 | – |
| 1885 | 3,067 | 6 | – |
| 1884 | 3,218 | 6 | – |
| 1883 | 2,986 | 6 | – |
| 1882 | 3,176 | 6 | – |
| 1881 | 2,834 | 6 | – |
| 1880 | 3,242 | 6 | – |
Frank by state
Frank ranks #206 in Maine (2025).
Rank by state 29 states
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Maine | 206 | 6 |
| New Jersey | 244 | 39 |
| Connecticut | 249 | 13 |
| Nevada | 299 | 10 |
| New York | 314 | 58 |
| Minnesota | 338 | 17 |
| Florida | 384 | 50 |
| Illinois | 400 | 27 |
| Arizona | 432 | 17 |
| Michigan | 487 | 17 |
| Louisiana | 487 | 9 |
| Pennsylvania | 506 | 19 |
| Massachusetts | 507 | 9 |
| Utah | 515 | 8 |
| Virginia | 525 | 14 |
| Oregon | 529 | 6 |
| California | 531 | 58 |
| Missouri | 559 | 10 |
| Wisconsin | 570 | 8 |
| Maryland | 571 | 8 |
| Tennessee | 592 | 12 |
| Texas | 612 | 50 |
| Ohio | 627 | 15 |
| Georgia | 650 | 15 |
| North Carolina | 678 | 13 |
| Colorado | 680 | 7 |
| Washington | 737 | 8 |
| Alabama | 765 | 5 |
| Indiana | 949 | 5 |
Notable people named Frank
- Frank Sinatra — Francis Albert Sinatra was a legendary American singer and actor, renowned as one of the 20th century's most popular entertainers with 150 million records sold worldwide.
- Frank Zappa was an innovative American musician and satirist renowned for his eclectic, experimental, and virtuosic compositions across multiple genres.
- Frank Lampard, now managing Coventry City, is celebrated as one of football's greatest midfielders, holding the Premier League record for most goals by a midfielder.
- Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. was a groundbreaking American architect who championed organic architecture and created iconic structures such as Fallingwater.
- Frank Gore — Franklin Gore Sr. is a former NFL running back who ranks third in career rushing yards and holds the record for most games played at his position.
More people named Frank 9 more
- Frank Borman commanded Apollo 8, the first mission to orbit the Moon.
- Frank Miller is an American comic book creator, screenwriter, and director famous for iconic works such as The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City, and 300.
- Frank Capra was an Italian-American filmmaker whose rags-to-riches life and award-winning career embodied the American Dream.
- Frank Abagnale is a former con artist turned security consultant, best known for his autobiography "Catch Me If You Can," which inspired a famous film.
- Frank Ocean is an award-winning American singer-songwriter who pioneered alternative R&B and has both his albums featured among Rolling Stone's greatest of all time.
- Frank Owen Gehry is a Canadian-American architect and designer whose buildings, including his Santa Monica residence, are famous attractions.
- Frank "the Big Hurt" Thomas is a legendary MLB hitter celebrated for his record-setting seven-season performance and two MVP awards.
- Frank Robinson, known as "the Judge," was a celebrated MLB outfielder and the first Black manager in baseball history.
- Sir Frank P. Lowy is an Australian-Israeli businessman who chaired Westfield Corporation until its acquisition by Unibail-Rodamco in 2018.