UK boy's name
Frederik
A masculine Scandinavian name derived from the Germanic elements "frid" (peace) and "ric" (powerful, ruler).
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Frederik is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Frederik popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1199, with 23 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2018, with 24 births.
This profile covers 393 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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.
The latest count is about 96% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 390 living people in the UK are called Frederik. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Frederik ranked #1199 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 23 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2018, when 24 boys were registered as Frederik.
- • About 390 living people in the UK are estimated to have Frederik as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#1199
2024
Births in 2024
23
Latest year
Peak year
2018
24 births
Estimated living
390
2026
Meaning
What does Frederik mean?
Frederik is a masculine given name of Germanic origin, derived from the Old High German name Fridurīh, which is a compound of the words "frid" (meaning peace) and "rīc" (meaning ruler or powerful). The name can also be traced back to the Proto-Germanic root "frijōn" (to love, to free) and the Proto-Germanic word "rīkijaz" (ruler, powerful).
The name Frederik has been in use since the early Middle Ages and was popular among the nobility and ruling classes of various Germanic tribes and kingdoms. It gained widespread popularity across Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, particularly in regions with strong Germanic cultural influences, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and England.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Frederik can be found in the "Nibelungenlied," an epic poem from the 13th century that mentions a character named Friderich. The name also appears in various historical records and chronicles from the Middle Ages, often referring to prominent rulers, noblemen, and clergymen.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Frederik. One of the most famous is Frederik I (1471-1530), also known as Frederick the Wise, who was the Elector of Saxony and a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation. Another notable Frederik was Frederik II (1534-1588), also known as Frederick II of Denmark and Norway, who reigned as the King of Denmark and Norway during the 16th century.
Other notable individuals with the name Frederik include Frederik III (1609-1670), the King of Denmark and Norway who introduced the absolute monarchy in Denmark, and Frederik V (1723-1766), the King of Denmark and Norway during the Age of Enlightenment. Frederik VI (1768-1839) was also a King of Denmark and Norway during the Napoleonic Wars and the subsequent period of national romanticism.
In the realm of arts and literature, Frederik Pohl (1919-2013) was an influential American science fiction writer, while Frederik de Groot (1913-1989) was a Dutch painter known for his abstract expressionist works.
The name Frederik has been used across various cultures and has undergone various spelling variations over time, such as Friedrich, Frederick, Frederic, and Frédéric. Despite these variations, the name has retained its Germanic origins and continues to be used in various parts of the world, particularly in regions with strong Germanic cultural influences.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Frederik over time
The chart below shows babies named Frederik registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Frederik, the clearest high point is 2018. The latest England and Wales figure is 23 births in 2024, compared with 24 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Frederik by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Frederik 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #1360 | 98 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1580 | 158 | 10 |
| 2000s | #1646 | 113 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1842 | 24 | 4 |
Related
Names similar to Frederik
- Freddie 46,945
- Finley 42,410
- Frederick 19,866
- Finlay 17,879
- Frankie 17,528
- Finn 14,413
- Felix 14,361
- Fraser 6,470
- Flynn 6,170
- Frank 5,992
- Filip 5,876
- Francis 5,744
FAQ
Frederik: questions and answers
How popular is the name Frederik in the UK right now?
In 2024, Frederik was ranked #1199 for boys in England and Wales, with 23 births registered.
When was Frederik most popular?
The peak year on record was 2018, with 24 babies registered as Frederik in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Frederik?
A masculine Scandinavian name derived from the Germanic elements "frid" (peace) and "ric" (powerful, ruler).
How many people are called Frederik in the UK?
A total of 393 babies have been registered as Frederik across the 29 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.