Franklin Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Franklin is predominantly used for boys. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Franklin?
Franklin is spelled F-R-A-N-K-L-I-N. The name has 8 letters.
Franklin at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for boys
- Meaning
- Franklin derives from the Middle English term for a free landowner, originally referring to a social class of freeholders rather than serfs.
- Origin
- Franklin is commonly associated with Middle English origins, where the term denoted a freeholder or a landowner without noble rank.
- Pronunciation
- FRANK-lin · 2 syllables
Franklin Popularity in 2025
Rank#359
Recorded Births909
- Boys usage rose 29 places to #359 and recorded 68 more births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Franklin Mean?
Franklin derives from the Middle English term for a free landowner, originally referring to a social class of freeholders rather than serfs.
Origin: Franklin is commonly associated with Middle English origins, where the term denoted a freeholder or a landowner without noble rank.
How Do You Pronounce Franklin?
PronunciationFRANK-lin
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Franklin?
- History
- The name Franklin was historically used as a surname and later adopted as a given name; it was used in medieval England to describe a social class of free landowners.
Franklin Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2011 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Boys | 909 | #359 |
| 2024 | Girls | 13 | #7,967 |
| 2024 | Boys | 841 | #388 |
| 2023 | Girls | 6 | #13,462 |
| 2023 | Boys | 784 | #408 |
| 2022 | Girls | 10 | #9,680 |
| 2022 | Boys | 788 | #407 |
| 2021 | Girls | 6 | #13,464 |
| 2021 | Boys | 801 | #395 |
| 2020 | Girls | 8 | #11,090 |
| 2020 | Boys | 718 | #414 |
| 2019 | Girls | 11 | #9,112 |
| 2019 | Boys | 739 | #422 |
| 2018 | Girls | 8 | #11,427 |
| 2018 | Boys | 693 | #436 |
| 2017 | Girls | 7 | #12,713 |
| 2017 | Boys | 710 | #437 |
| 2016 | Boys | 745 | #423 |
| 2015 | Boys | 690 | #444 |
| 2014 | Girls | 5 | #16,513 |
| 2014 | Boys | 664 | #449 |
| 2013 | Boys | 551 | #497 |
| 2012 | Boys | 495 | #529 |
| 2011 | Girls | 5 | #16,764 |
When Was Franklin Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1933 · Boys
5,363 recorded births
National rank #33
1934 · Boys
4,156 recorded births
National rank #46
1936 · Boys
2,939 recorded births
National rank #64
1932 · Boys
2,754 recorded births
National rank #66
Where Franklin Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Boys
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| SD | #145 | 9 |
| WI | #192 | 32 |
| OR | #198 | 21 |
| MN | #202 | 32 |
| MO | #230 | 31 |
| TN | #233 | 38 |
| ME | #234 | 5 |
| MI | #235 | 43 |