UK girl's name
Femke
A feminine given name of Dutch origin meaning "little girl".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2010. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Femke is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Femke popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2010 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4012, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 5 births.
This profile covers 22 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 1998 to 2010. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Femke is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 22 living people in the UK are called Femke. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2011 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Femke ranked #4012 for girls in England and Wales in 2010, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 5 girls were registered as Femke.
- • About 22 living people in the UK are estimated to have Femke as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4012
2010
Births in 2010
5
Latest year
Peak year
2010
5 births
Estimated living
22
2026
Meaning
What does Femke mean?
The name Femke has its origins in the Dutch language and culture, tracing back to the 16th century. It is a diminutive form of the Germanic name Wilfrida, which is composed of the elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire," and "frid" meaning "peace." The name Wilfrida itself is derived from the Old Frisian name Wilfrethon.
In its earliest recorded use, Femke appeared as a variant spelling of the name Femmeken, which was a popular name among Dutch women during the Renaissance period. This diminutive form was often used as a term of endearment or affection.
One of the earliest known references to the name Femke can be found in the works of the Dutch writer and poet Joost van den Vondel (1587-1679), who used the name in his plays and poetry. Vondel's works played a significant role in shaping and popularizing the Dutch language during the Golden Age of Dutch literature.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Femke. One such figure was Femke Halsema (born 1966), a Dutch politician and former leader of the GreenLeft party in the Netherlands. Another was Femke Heeren (born 1977), a Dutch professional cyclist who competed in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.
In the world of art, Femke Hiemstra (born 1981) is a renowned Dutch painter and installation artist known for her vibrant and thought-provoking works. Femke Uterwijk (born 1989) is a Dutch professional tennis player who has achieved notable success on the WTA Tour.
Femke Kok (born 1987) is a Dutch journalist and television presenter who has worked for various media outlets, including the Netherlands Public Broadcasting system.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have carried the name Femke, each contributing to their respective fields and leaving a lasting impact.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Femke over time
The chart below shows babies named Femke registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1998 to 2010. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Femke, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2010, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Femke by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Femke was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4012 | 5 | 1 |
| 2000s | #4905 | 9 | 3 |
| 1990s | #3184 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Femke
- Freya 50,564
- Florence 32,908
- Francesca 18,752
- Faith 14,325
- Fatima 11,112
- Faye 8,999
- Felicity 8,554
- Frankie 6,977
- Ffion 6,115
- Flora 3,499
- Frances 3,417
- Fatimah 3,065
FAQ
Femke: questions and answers
How popular is the name Femke in the UK right now?
In 2010, Femke was ranked #4012 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Femke most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 5 babies registered as Femke in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Femke?
A feminine given name of Dutch origin meaning "little girl".
How many people are called Femke in the UK?
A total of 22 babies have been registered as Femke across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.