Freddy is of German origin, derived from the name Friedrich. It means 'peaceful ruler' and was popularized by the novels of Charles Dickens. The name Freddie has been used for both males and females, but it's traditionally more associated with men. Freddy is often considered a cute or playful variant, sometimes associated with childhood due to characters like Fred Flintstone and Freddy Krueger.
The name Freddy experienced varied popularity over the years, with peaks in the mid-1920s, late 1940s to early 1950s, and a resurgence in the late 1980s. However, it has generally been a relatively uncommon name throughout most of the century, as indicated by the consistent low numbers of births per year.