Fred is a name of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German word 'Frithfrd' which means peaceful ruler. It was popularized during medieval times and has since been used widely in English-speaking countries. Fred can be spelled in various ways, such as Frederick, Federico, or Frédéric, but it is most commonly associated with its shorter form, Fred. The name gained significant popularity through figures like Frederick the Great of Prussia and Frederick Douglass, an American abolitionist. In popular culture, Fred has been used in many notable characters, such as Fred Flintstone from the animated series 'The Flintstones' and Fred Weasley from the Harry Potter series. Despite its traditional roots, Fred is a name that remains timeless and versatile.
The name Fred experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the specified time period. Between 1880 and 1950, there were consistently more than five births per year, with peaks in the late 1880s (up to 15 births in 1888) and early 1920s (up to 64 births in 1928). However, after 1950, the number of annual births named Fred dropped significantly, with some years having fewer than five births. The total number of births named Fred over this period was 2029.