Freida
A feminine name of Germanic origin meaning "peaceful ruler".
Name Census estimates that about 4,018 living Americans carry the first name Freida. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Freida today is around 63 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Freida births was 1947 (224 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Freida. 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
4.0K
~ 1 in 85,305 Americans
Peak year
1947
224 babies that year
Average age
63
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,694
Tracked since 1884
Popularity
Freida: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Freida from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 1,839 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Freida 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 Freida during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Freidas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 34 states and territories. New York, North Carolina, Texas recorded the most babies named Freida, while New Mexico, Connecticut, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 193 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Freida
The name Freida is derived from the Old German word "fridu," which means "peace." It has its roots in the Germanic languages and can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The name was popular among the Germanic tribes during the 5th to 8th centuries AD.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Freida can be found in the Nibelungenlied, a medieval German epic poem dating back to around 1200 AD. In the poem, Freida is mentioned as a minor character, though her exact role is unclear.
During the Middle Ages, the name Freida was relatively common among the nobility and upper classes in Germanic regions, particularly in what is now Germany and Austria. It was often associated with ideals of peace, harmony, and tranquility.
One notable historical figure who bore the name Freida was Freida of Isenburg (c. 1285-1324), a German noblewoman and countess from the House of Isenburg-Büdingen. She was known for her involvement in various political and territorial disputes of the time.
Another prominent individual with the name Freida was Freida of Saxe-Lauenburg (1510-1585), a German princess and abbess who served as the Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg Abbey from 1554 to 1585. She played a significant role in the religious and cultural life of the abbey during the Reformation period.
In the 17th century, Freida Paulmann (1634-1703) was a German painter and illustrator known for her detailed botanical illustrations and still-life paintings. Her works were highly regarded during her lifetime and are now preserved in various art collections.
Moving into the 19th century, Freida Brion (1801-1865) was a German writer and feminist activist who advocated for women's rights and education. She published several works on these topics and was an influential figure in the early feminist movement in Germany.
One of the most famous individuals named Freida in more recent history was Freida Kahlo (1907-1954), the renowned Mexican artist known for her vibrant self-portraits and depictions of Mexican culture and identity. Her unique artistic style and personal life have made her an iconic figure in the art world.
While the name Freida was more commonly used in Germanic regions throughout history, its meaning and association with peace and harmony have given it a timeless quality that has allowed it to transcend cultural boundaries and continue to be used in various parts of the world.
People
Freida + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Freida 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
Freida: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Freida?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4,018 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Freida 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 85,305 US residents.
Is Freida a common name?
We classify Freida as "Rare". It ranks above 96% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10,775 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Freida most popular?
The single biggest year for Freida was 1947, when 224 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Freida is about 63 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Freida a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Freida 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.