Franklin

“Freeholder; landowner of free, non-noble status” — Middle English origin

Boy's name · #359 in the US (2025) · Timeless

Few names move less than Franklin — on the books since 1880, #359 in 2025, and dependable in between. Roughly 142,000 boys share it. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records. Frankie is a short form of Franklin. About 750 boys a year are given Frankie as their full name.

Around the world: about 1 in 760 boys in New Zealand (2025) · about 1 in 1,700 boys in England & Wales (2025) · about 1 in 3,400 boys in Canada (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 38 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Franklins

Franklin Delano Roosevelt — president of the United States from 1933 to 1945 (1882–1945)
Franklin Pierce — president of the United States from 1853 to 1857
Franklin J. Schaffner — American film director (1920–1989)
Franklin Chang-Díaz — Costa Rican-American astronaut and physicist
Franklin Jonas — American actor

In stories & tradition

Franklin (Uncle Ben) — Earth-616
Franklin Richards — Earth-616
Franklin Clinton — Grand Theft Auto HD universe

What Franklins become

Among 781 notable people named Franklin:

Lawyers & judges appear 2.5× more often than among typical names — e.g. Franklin Thomas Backus, American lawyer and politician (1813–1870).

Similar names: Marvin · Francis · Edwin · Alvin · Melvin · Forrest

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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