Find out how popular the first name Franklyn has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Franklyn by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Franklyn is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 96% of people named Franklyn being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 17 male babies and 5 female babies born with the name Franklyn.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 5 baby girls were named Franklyn in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Franklyn

The name Franklyn originated from the medieval Germanic name Franko, which was derived from the Germanic tribe known as the Franks. The Franks were a group of Germanic peoples who settled in the region now known as France during the 5th century AD. The name Franko itself means "free" or "truthful" in the Frankish language.

The name Franklyn emerged as an English variant of the Germanic Franko, with the addition of the suffix "-lyn" which was commonly used in medieval times to form diminutive or affectionate forms of names. This variant spelling first appeared in the 12th century and was particularly popular among the Norman nobility in England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Franklyn can be found in the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, written in the late 14th century. In this literary work, the character of the Franklin is described as a prosperous and hospitable landowner from the county of Norfolk.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Franklyn. One of the most famous was Franklyn D. Roosevelt (1882-1945), the 32nd President of the United States, who led the country through the Great Depression and World War II. Another notable Franklyn was Franklyn Ajaye (1949-2011), a Ghanaian writer and academic who is credited with coining the term "Afrocentricity."

Other notable individuals with the name Franklyn include Franklyn Kilome (born 1995), a Mexican professional baseball pitcher; Franklyn Farnum (1878-1961), an American actor and director during the silent film era; and Franklyn Seales (born 1942), an American actor and activist known for his work in the Black Panther Party.

While the name Franklyn has its roots in the Germanic language and culture, it has since become a part of the English-speaking world and has been adopted by various cultures over time. Despite its ancient origins, the name continues to be used and cherished by many families today.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Franklyn was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Franklyn, please contact us.

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