Franklin is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Franklin means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Franklin across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Franklin has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Franklin is a boy name of Old English origin meaning “free landholder”. originally a surname.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 142,506 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 2,415 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 17 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 9 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 16 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Franklin per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1933 (5,387/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 2017 (175/yr) · Scotland peaked in 2019 (5/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2019 (4/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 2014 (3/yr).
Franklin has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1933, when it ranked #69 nationally (given to 5,387 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1930s.
Franklyn · Franklen · Frankline · Franklynn · Francklin · Franclin
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