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Franklin

Today's name: Franklin


Pronunciation: FRANK-lyn

Potential nicknames: Frank, Franky/Frankie, Lin

Origin: Middle English, meaning "free landholder," referring to a free man who owned land in the feudal system and was not of noble birth. The name was derived from franc, the French word for "free." Franklin is not related to Frank and Franco.

Popularity: In 2011 there were 513 baby boys named Franklin, ranking at #504, and in 2010 there were 508 baby boys named Franklin, its ranking moved to #503. In comparison, there were 45 baby boys named Franklyn, 1,062 named Frank, 252 named Franco, 5 named Frankey, 271 named Frankie, 15 named Franko, and 58 Franky in 2010.

Fun fact: (1) Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Franklin Pierce. (2) Inventor/philosopher/scientist Benjamin Franklin. (3) Singer Aretha Franklin. (4) Chaucer's The Franklin's Tale, part of The Canterbury Tales, in which the name Franklin is actually the literal word for "free landowner." (5) The Franklin tree, franklinia alatamaha, was named for Benjamin Franklin.
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Comments

  1. EmilyDecember 2, 2011 at 6:17 PM

    I really like Franklin, especially for nickname possibility of Frankie. This is a big family name for me so I consider him a huge contender for a middle name.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Meredith peppersMay 29, 2012 at 9:59 PM

    Franklin means. Aggressive. Brave. Cheerful. Dignified. Erect. Forceful. Generous. Habitual. Inclined. Joyful. Kind. Lover. Masculine. Naturalist. Optimistic. Progressive. Quiet. Rock. Steady. Ten. Universal. Valiant. Wise. Xtreme. Zen.
    Franklin means life! My life...

    ReplyDelete

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