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Home › Baby Names Directory › Frederica

Frederica

♀ Girl

Pronounced fred-uh-REE-kuh /ˌfrɛd.əˈriː.kə/Medium

Meaning: Frederica is the Latinate feminine of Frederick, from Germanic frid, 'peace', and ric, 'ruler, power', giving 'peaceful ruler'; a stately eighteenth- and nineteenth-century name that has since become rare.Medium

In 30 seconds: Frederica is the graceful feminine of Frederick — Germanic for 'peaceful ruler' — with a courtly, old-world ring (said 'fred-uh-REE-kuh').
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Origin MediumGermanic
MeaningFrederica is the Latinate feminine of Frederick, from Germanic frid, 'peace', and ric, 'ruler, power', giving 'peaceful ruler'; a stately eighteenth- and nineteenth-century name that has since become rare.
U.S. rank (2023)#15968 ↗ Rising
2023 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1960
Total births (all-time)≈ 2,353

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196018832023

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Frederica is the feminine of Frederick, built from Germanic frid, 'peace', and ric, 'ruler, power' — 'peaceful ruler'. Borne by princesses and celebrated in an operetta of the name, it carried a courtly elegance, and the modern mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade keeps a living link to it.

Frederica has a long slender American history from the 1880s, cresting around 1960 and remaining uncommon throughout — only a few dozen girls a year. It reads as a grand, old-fashioned name; a candidate for the vintage revival, though not yet widely back.

Did you know? Frederica has royal and operatic associations — it names an opera by Franz Lehar — and was long a dignified choice for daughters in families with a Frederick to honor.
Overall data confidence 70%
Behind the Name — Frederica — feminine of Frederick, 'peaceful ruler'

Variations

FrederickaFrederikaFederica

Nicknames

FreddieRicaErica

Famous Bearers

  • ★Frederica von Stade (1945–present)
    American operatic mezzo-soprano, one of the most admired singers of her generation.

If you like Frederica…

Federica— the Italian form of the same feminine name
Frederick— the parent name carrying 'peaceful ruler'
Alberta— a like stately Germanic feminine of the era
Adalina— another Germanic name
Amilia— the same classic feel

Explore names like Frederica

By themevintageclassicgermanic

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Frederica mean?

Frederica is the feminine of Frederick, from Germanic roots meaning 'peaceful ruler'.

How do you pronounce Frederica?

It's said fred-uh-REE-kuh /ˌfrɛd.əˈriː.kə/ — four syllables, stress on the third.

Is Frederica a boy or girl name?

Frederica is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Frederica?

Frederica is rare and old-fashioned — a stately feminine of Frederick borne by only a few dozen girls a year at its peak.

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