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The short answer
Franklin is a masculine name used in English and Portuguese. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From an English surname that was derived from Middle English frankelin ‘freeman’. A famous bearer of the surname was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher." It ranked #359 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from an English surname that was derived from Middle English frankelin ‘freeman’. A famous bearer of the surname was Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), an American statesman, inventor, scientist and philosopher. The entry lists its usage as English, Portuguese (Brazilian).
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Franklin ranked #359 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #359 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Franklin in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Franklin mean?
Franklin means "freeman", according to Behind the Name.
Is Franklin a popular name?
Franklin ranked #359 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Franklin a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Franklin appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Franklin — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
