Frankey
A diminutive form of the name Frank, derived from the Old Frankish name Franko.
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the first name Frankey. It is a predominantly male name (96.5% of registrations). The average person named Frankey today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Frankey births was 1953 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Frankey. 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
116
~ 1 in 2,954,779 Americans
Peak year
1953
13 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
2010 SSA rank
#12,892
Tracked since 1929
Gender
Gender distribution for Frankey
Frankey leans heavily male at 96.5% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Frankey as a male name
- Ranked #12,892 in 2010
- 5 male births in 2010
- Peak: 1953 (13 births)
Frankey as a female name
- Ranked #14,161 in 1994
- 5 female births in 1994
- Peak: 1994 (5 births)
Popularity
Frankey: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Frankey from the 1920s through to the 2010s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 52 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Frankey 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 Frankey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Frankey
The name Frankey is a diminutive or pet form derived from the given name Francis. Francis is a masculine name of English, French, and German origin, ultimately stemming from the Latin name Franciscus. The Latin name Franciscus is thought to have derived from the Germanic name Frankō, which means "free" or "Frankish."
The name Francis gained widespread popularity and recognition due to its association with St. Francis of Assisi, the celebrated Italian friar, preacher, and founder of the Franciscan Order. St. Francis, born in 1181 or 1182, was canonized in 1228, and his life and teachings had a profound impact on Christianity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Frankey as a diminutive form of Francis dates back to the late 16th century. In literature, the name appears in Shakespeare's play "The Merry Wives of Windsor," where a character named Frankey Ford is mentioned.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Frankey as their given name. One example is Frankey Baugh (1776-1834), an American pioneer and soldier who fought in the War of 1812. Another is Frankey Donato (1902-1959), an American musician and bandleader known for his contributions to the swing era.
In the realm of sports, Frankey Coleman (1904-1984) was an American basketball player and coach, best known for his tenure as the head coach of the Phillips 66ers, a prominent amateur team in the 1930s and 1940s.
The name Frankey also found its way into the art world, with Frankey Barnswell (1881-1945), an American painter and illustrator, known for her depictions of scenes from the American South.
Lastly, Frankey Green (1953-2005) was a British actor and comedian, recognized for his work in television and theater, particularly his collaborations with the renowned playwright Alan Bleasdale.
While these are just a few examples, the name Frankey has been present throughout various periods and cultures, often as a diminutive or affectionate form of the more widely used name Francis, a name with deep historical and religious significance.
People
Frankey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Frankey 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
Frankey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Frankey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 116 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Frankey 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 2,954,779 US residents.
Is Frankey a common name?
We classify Frankey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 66.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 144 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Frankey most popular?
The single biggest year for Frankey was 1953, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Frankey is about 55 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Frankey a male name?
Yes, 96.5% of people registered as Frankey in the SSA data are male. 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.