From Middle English Frank, partially from Old English Franca (“a Frank”); and partially from Old French Franc, and/or Latin Francus (“a Frank”), from Frankish *Franko (“a Frank”); both maybe from Proto-Germanic *frankô (“javelin”). Cognate with Old High German Franko (“a Frank”), Old English franca (“spear, javelin”). Compare Saxon, ultimately a derivative of Proto-Germanic *sahsą (“knife, dagger”). Doublet of franc, frank, and farang.
Meanings
One of the Franks, a Germanic federation that inhabited parts of what are now France, the Low Countries and Germany.
grc Φράγγος (one of the Franks) · gl franco (one of the Franks) · sq frâng (one of the Franks) · pt franco (one of the Franks) · sa फिरङ्गिन् (one of the Franks) · cy Ffranc (one of the Franks) · hy ֆրանկ (one of the Franks) · ca franc (one of the Franks) · ru франк (one of the Franks) · tr Frenk (one of the Franks) · la Francus (one of the Franks) · ja フランク人 (one of the Franks) · el Φράγκος (one of the Franks) · cmn 法蘭克人 /法兰克人 (one of the Franks) · ko 프랑크인 (one of the Franks) · ar إِفْرَنْجِيّ (one of the Franks) · nb franker (one of the Franks) · is franki (one of the Franks) · sv frank (one of the Franks) · fi frankki (one of the Franks) · de Franke (one of the Franks) · mr फ्रँक (one of the Franks) · es franco (one of the Franks) · fr Franque (one of the Franks) · sq frëng (one of the Franks) · nl Frank (one of the Franks) · eo franko (one of the Franks) · fr Franc (one of the Franks) · ka ფრანკი (one of the Franks) · ga Franc (one of the Franks) · da franker (one of the Franks) · nn frankar (one of the Franks) · bn ফ্রাংক (one of the Franks) · ja フランク族 (one of the Franks) · de Fränkin (one of the Franks)
The surname derives from the medieval tribal name. The given name is also a form of Francis, with formal given name status since the 19th century.
Meanings
A male given name from the Germanic languages.
Mrs. Ford. How now, sweet Frank! why art thou melancholy? c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
A diminutive of the male given name Francis.
But Frank Fairbanks, a retired public administrator, had to sheepishly acknowledge that he had grass. “Unfortunately, like many of our central Phoenix neighbors, we have a green lawn which consumes more water than xeriscape,” he told the paper. 2011 April 9, Marc Lacey, “Spraying to Make Yards Green ... but With Paint, Not Water”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 12 Nov 2020:
Your name is Francis, is it?
Frank, sir.
Your name is Francis. There was never a St. Frank. That's a name for gangsters and politicians. 1996, Frank McCourt, chapter VII, in Angela's Ashes, HarperCollins, →ISBN, page 197:
A surname transferred from the nickname.
A place name: ▸ A community in Crowsnest Pass municipality, south-west Alberta, Canada.
A place name: ▸ An unincorporated community in Avery County, North Carolina, United States.
A place name: ▸ A census-designated place in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States.
haw Palani (male given name) · ru Фрэнк (male given name) · th ฟรังค์ (male given name) · bg Франк (surname) · ja フランク (male given name) · sv Frank (male given name) · no Frank (male given name) · ka ფრენკი (male given name) · el Φρανκ (male given name) · es Franco (male given name) · cmn 弗蘭克 /弗兰克 (surname) · fr Franck (male given name) · is Frank (male given name) · yi פֿראַנק (surname) · pt Chico (diminutive) · mr फ्रँक (male given name) · nl Frank (male given name) · de Frank (male given name) · cmn 弗蘭克 /弗兰克 (male given name) · gl Franco (male given name) · ko 프랭크 (male given name) · ar فْرَنْك (male given name) · he פְרַנְק (male given name) · fr Frank (male given name) · pt Franco (male given name) · ru Франк (male given name) · hy ֆրանկ (male given name) · bg Франк (male given name) · sk Fero (diminutive) · ceb Prangkoy (diminutive) · mr फ्रँक (surname) · gv Frank (male given name) · fa فرانک (male given name) · fr François (male given name) · pt Frank (male given name) · ka ფრანკი (male given name) · da Frank (male given name) · it Franco (male given name) · gl Franco (surname) · ko 프랑크 (male given name)