Frank

Frank derives from the Old High German Franko, the name of the Germanic Frankish tribe that conquered Gaul and gave France its name. The tribal name likely meant 'free' or referred to the throwing axe (framea) they used in battle. Through the Latin Franciscus and the medieval English adoption of Frankish names, Frank became a standalone given name in English. The English adjective 'frank' (meaning candid) comes from the same root, as Frankish freemen had the right to speak openly.

Frank has been one of the defining masculine names of English-speaking culture for well over a century. In Britain it was enormously popular through the Victorian and Edwardian eras and remained a top choice well into the mid-20th century, carried by working-class and middle-class families alike with equal affection. Its double meaning, the tribal name and the English adjective for candour, gave it an unusual moral weight; to name a boy Frank was almost to express a hope for his character. In British literature and culture the name has attached itself to men of plain-speaking integrity: the salt-of-the-earth tradesman, the honest soldier, the reliable friend. Frank Sinatra gave the name enormous transatlantic glamour, while in Britain figures such as the comedian Frank Skinner kept it grounded and warm. Today, as short vintage names enjoy a strong revival, Frank has returned to favour with younger parents who value its directness and lack of affectation.