Fred
Boy name · #1932 in 2025 · Uniqueness 72/100
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, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Fred against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Fred in class?
Fred scores 72 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. 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
Geography matters for names, and Fred is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Freds were CA (8), NY (8), PA (6), FL (5), OH (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
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
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. It scores 72/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.