Frank

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Frank

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Frank, like Francis, means “free.” The Franks were a Germanic tribe in Western Europe who's name meant “free.” Their name gave rise to the word and surname Franklin, or “freeman.” The Franks eventually settled in what is now called France. In England (about 1200), Francis arose as a nickname for a Frenchman.

History:
Francis first appeared as a nickname about 1200. It first appeared as a first name in 1494 with a man named Francis Calthrope of Norwich. It remained uncommon until the 16th century, declined in the 17th and 18th centuries, and was revived in the 19th. Frank first appeared in the 16th century, and was quite common in the late 19th century.
Please see Francis for additional information.

Pronunciation: frank.

Diminutives: Frankie.

Alternates:
French: Franck.

Feminine: Frances.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Frank Richard Stockton (1834-1902)
American writer.
Frank Heyling Furness (1839-1912)
American architect.
Frank Duveneck (1848-1919)
American painter.
L. Frank Baum (1856-1919)
American writer.
Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)
American architect.
Frank Bridge (1879-1941)
English composer.
Frank King (1883-1969)
American cartoonist.
Frank Dobson (1888-1963)
English sculptor.
Frank Martin (1890-1974)
Swiss composer.
Frank Waters (1902-1995)
American writer.
Frank Sargeson (1903-1982)
New Zealand writer.
Frank John Yankovic (1915-1998)
American polka musician.
Frank Yerby (1916-1991)
American novelist.
Frank Herbert (1920-1986)
American novelist.
Frank O’Hara (1926-1966)
American poet.
Frank Gehry (1929-)
American architect.
Frank Stella (1936-)
American painter.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Frank Hamilton Cushing (1857-1900)
American ethnographer.
Frank Albert Fetter (1863-1949)
American economist.
Frank Gouldsmith Speck (1881-1950)
American anthropologist..
Frank H. Knight (1885-1972)
American economist.

Miscellaneous:
Frank Abney Hastings (1794-1828)
British naval officer who fought in the Greek War for Independence.
Frank I. Cobb (1869-1923)
American journalist.
Frank Gotch (1878-1917)
American wrestler.
Frank Edward Woolley (1887-1978)
Canadian cricket player.
Frank Nitti (1896-1943)
American gangster.
Frank Frisch (1898-1973)
American baseball player.
Frank Parker (1916-1997)
American tennis player.
Frank Borman (1928-)
American astronaut.
Frank Robinson (1935-)
American baseball player and manager.

Political Figures:
Sir Frank Swettenham (1850-1946)
British colonial officer of Malay Peninsula.
Frank B. Kellogg (1856-1937)
American Secretary of State. Negotiated the Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928. Winner of the 1928 Nobel Peace Prize.

Religious Figures:
Saint Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)
Founder of the Franciscan order.
Saint Francis of Paola (1416-1507)
Founder of the Minim Friars.
Saint Francis Xavier (Spanish: San Francisco Javier) (1506-1552)
One of the first Jesuits. A missionary to India and Japan.
Saint Francis of Sales (1567-1622)
Bishop of Geneva.

Royalty:
Francis I, Duke of Brittany (1414-1450)
Fought with England.
Francis II, Duke of Brittany (1425-1488)
Attempted to keep Brittany out of French hands.
King Francis I of France (1494-1547)
Called Francis of Angouleme (French: François D’Angouleme).
Francis (Francesco) I, Duke of Tuscany (1541-1587)
Part of the Medici family.
King Francis II of France (1544-1560)
Ruled from 1559 to 1560.
Francis I, Duke of Lorraine, Grand Duke of Tuscany (1768-1835)
Holy Roman Emperor. Wife of Maria Theresa.
Francis I, Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary (1768-1835)
The last Holy Roman Emperor (as Francis II).
Francis I, King of the Two Sicilies (1777-1830)
Began as a liberal, ended as a reactionary.
Francis II, King of the Two Sicilies (1836-1894)
Deposed.
Franz Ferdinand (Francis Ferdinand) (1863-1914)
Heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination touched off World War I.
Franz Joseph (Francis Joseph), Emperor of Austria (1830-1916)
Formed the Austrian-Hungarian Empire.
Francis Joseph (Franz Josef) II, Prince of Liechtenstein (1906-1989)
Built up his country into one of the wealthiest in Europe.

Scientists:
Frank Stephen Baldwin (1838-1925)
Invented the Monroe calculator.
Frank M. Chapman (1864-1945)
American ornithologist.
Sir Frank Dyson (1868-1939)
British astronomer.
Frank Conrad (1874-1941)
American electrical engineer. Helped establish the first commercial radio station.
Frank Waters (1924-)
American geophysicist.

Singers and Entertainers:
Frank Craven (1880-1945)
American actor.
Frank Borzage (1893-1962)
American filmmaker.
Frank Capra (1897-1991)
American filmmaker.
Frank Launder (1906-1997)
British filmmaker.
Frank Daniel (1926-1996)
American writer.
Frank Perry (1930-1995)
American filmmaker.
Frank Zappa (1940-1993)
American songwriter.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.581 % named Frank
0.023 % named Frankie

Popularity of Frank:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 26th most popular.
1850: 9th most popular.
1875: 7th most popular.
1880: 7th most popular.
1881: 7th most popular.
1882: 6th most popular.
1883: 7th most popular.
1884: 6th most popular.
1885: 7th most popular.
1886: 7th most popular.
1887: 6th most popular.
1888: 7th most popular.
1889: 7th most popular.
1890: 7th most popular.
1891: 7th most popular.
1892: 7th most popular.
1893: 7th most popular.
1894: 7th most popular.
1895: 7th most popular.
1896: 6th most popular.
1897: 7th most popular.
1898: 7th most popular.
1899: 7th most popular.
1900: 7th most popular.
1901: 7th most popular.
1902: 8th most popular.
1903: 8th most popular.
1904: 8th most popular.
1905: 7th most popular.
1906: 8th most popular.
1907: 8th most popular.
1908: 8th most popular.
1909: 8th most popular.
1910: 9th most popular.
1911: 8th most popular.
1912: 8th most popular.
1913: 8th most popular.
1914: 8th most popular.
1915: 9th most popular.
1916: 9th most popular.
1917: 9th most popular.
1918: 9th most popular.
1911: 9th most popular.
1920-1930: 12th most popular.
1920: 10th most popular.
1921: 9th most popular.
1922: 10th most popular.
1923: 9th most popular.
1930-1940: 16th most popular.
1940-1950: 21st most popular.
1950-1960: 34th most popular.
1960-1970: 44th most popular.
1970-1980: 65th most popular.
1980-1990: 91st most popular.
1990: 115th most popular.
1991: 123rd most popular.
1992: 129th most popular.
1993: 142nd most popular.
1994: 148th most popular.
1995: 158th most popular.
1996: 160th most popular.
1997: 171st most popular.
1998: 178th most popular.
1999: 186th most popular.
2000: 209th most popular.
2001: 214th most popular.
2002: 218th most popular.
2003: 228th most popular.

In the United States...
1900-1950: N/A
1951: 187th most popular.
1960: 118th most popular.
1970: 110th most popular.
1978: 185th most popular.
1980-2000: N/A

Popularity of Frankie, for males:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: N/A
1910-1920: 909th most popular.
1920-1930: 602nd most popular.
1930-1940: 326th most popular.
1940-1950: 274th most popular.
1950-1960: 285th most popular.
1960-1970: 308th most popular.
1970-1980: 355th most popular.
1980-1990: 468th most popular.
1990: 497th most popular.
1991: 531st most popular.
1992: 558th most popular.
1993: 540th most popular.
1994: 589th most popular.
1995: 603rd most popular.
1996: 611th most popular.
1997: 619th most popular.
1998: 657th most popular.
1999: 647th most popular.
2000: 693rd most popular.
2001: 756th most popular.
2002: 735th most popular.
2003: 794th most popular.

Popularity of Franck:
Popularity (for newborns):
In France...
1900-1910: N/A
1911: 186th most popular.
1920: 186th most popular.
1930: 166th most popular.
1940: 136th most popular.
1950: 117th most popular.
1960: 52nd most popular.
1970: 9th most popular.
1980: 34th most popular.
1990: 83rd most popular.
1999: 148th most popular.
2000: N/A