Fred
Boy name · #1932 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Fred? In official American birth records, Fred has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Fred ranks #1932 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 80 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1588, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 22,500 boys born in 2025 was named Fred.
The 145-year story
Fred first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 1,569 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 6,532 boys were named Fred — good for #32 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Fred per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Fred against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Fred in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Fred is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Fred will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Fred is most common
State-level data for Fred is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Nicknames & related forms of Fred
Fred belongs to the Frederick family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Frederick family went to about 1,051 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #324, versus #1932 for Fred alone.
Names like Fred
Statistically, parents drawn to Fred tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Floyd, Alfred, Wilfred, Boyd, and Lloyd.
FloydAlfredWilfredBoydLloydArnoldEarlBernard
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Fred | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 80 | #1932 |
| 2024 | 99 | #1685 |
| 2023 | 98 | #1711 |
| 2022 | 83 | #1892 |
| 2021 | 98 | #1678 |
| 2020 | 83 | #1798 |
| 2019 | 98 | #1652 |
| 2018 | 99 | #1638 |
| 2017 | 105 | #1554 |
| 2016 | 109 | #1532 |
| 2015 | 101 | #1588 |
| 2014 | 111 | #1465 |
| 2013 | 102 | #1546 |
| 2012 | 106 | #1514 |
| 2011 | 105 | #1516 |
| 2010 | 107 | #1517 |
| 2009 | 121 | #1403 |
| 2008 | 133 | #1303 |
| 2007 | 143 | #1229 |
| 2006 | 175 | #1038 |
| 2005 | 148 | #1112 |
| 2004 | 161 | #1016 |
| 2003 | 152 | #1037 |
| 2002 | 187 | #875 |
| 2001 | 182 | #875 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Fred?
In official American birth records, the name Fred first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 1,569 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Fred a popular boy name?
Fred ranked #1932 among boys in 2025 with 80 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1588.
When was the name Fred most popular?
Fred peaked in 1924, when 6,532 American boys received the name (ranked #32 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Fred?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 22,500 newborn American boys was named Fred. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.