Fraida
A feminine name of Yiddish origin meaning "joy" or "rejoicing".
Name Census estimates that about 552 living Americans carry the first name Fraida. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Fraida today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Fraida births was 2021 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Fraida. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
552
~ 1 in 620,932 Americans
Peak year
2021
36 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,580
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Fraida: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Fraida from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 172 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Fraida by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Fraida during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Fraidas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Fraida
The name Fraida has its origins in the Yiddish language, which was spoken by Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe. It is a feminine form of the Hebrew name Ephraim, which means "fruitful" or "productive." The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, as Jewish communities in Europe adopted Yiddish and began using variants of Hebrew names.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Fraida can be found in the 16th century. Fraida Shlomo, a Jewish woman from the town of Krakow in modern-day Poland, is mentioned in historical records from the year 1542. She was a prominent figure in the local Jewish community and is noted for her charitable works and support of Jewish education.
In the 17th century, Fraida Rebeca, a Jewish woman from Amsterdam, Netherlands, gained recognition for her writings and poetry. Born in 1620, she was part of the thriving Sephardic Jewish community in the city and her works provided insight into the cultural and religious life of Jews during that period.
During the 18th century, Fraida Sarah, a Jewish woman from the town of Vilna (now Vilnius, Lithuania), was known for her expertise in Jewish law and Talmudic studies. Born in 1712, she was highly regarded for her knowledge and often consulted by rabbis and scholars on matters of religious interpretation.
In the 19th century, Fraida Leah, a Jewish woman from the town of Berdychiv in modern-day Ukraine, was renowned for her philanthropic efforts. Born in 1823, she dedicated her life to supporting the local Jewish community, establishing schools, and providing aid to the poor and needy.
Another notable figure from this period was Fraida Rachel, a Jewish woman from the city of Prague in what is now the Czech Republic. Born in 1865, she was a prominent educator and advocate for women's rights, working to improve access to education and opportunities for Jewish women in the region.
While the name Fraida has its roots in the Yiddish language and Jewish culture, it has also been used by non-Jewish communities over time, particularly in areas with significant Jewish populations or influence. However, its historical significance and cultural connections remain deeply rooted in the Jewish diaspora of Central and Eastern Europe.
People
Fraida + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Fraida as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with F
Other first names starting with F with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Fraida: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Fraida?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 552 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Fraida going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 620,932 US residents.
Is Fraida a common name?
We classify Fraida as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 560 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Fraida most popular?
The single biggest year for Fraida was 2021, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Fraida is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Fraida a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Fraida in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.