Fread
The C programming language provides many standard library functions for file input and output. These functions make up the bulk of the C standard library header <stdio.h>. The functionality descends from a "portable I/O package" written by Mike Lesk at Bell Labs in the early 1970s, and officially became part of the Unix operating system in Version 7.
Meaning & Origin of Fread
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
The C programming language provides many standard library functions for file input and output. These functions make up the bulk of the C standard library header <stdio.h>. The functionality descends from a "portable I/O package" written by Mike Lesk at Bell Labs in the early 1970s, and officially became part of the Unix operating system in Version 7.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Fread
Fread first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1904, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1928, when 23 Freads were born — ranking #1,568 that year. As of 2026, Fread ranks #3,799 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 328 Freads have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Fread
Phonetically similar names — useful when Fread is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fread
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About the name Fread
Fread is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1904 and has accumulated 328 births in the dataset. Fread's peak popularity came in 1928 when it ranked #1,568. Use the chart and map above to compare Fread's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1928 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "F" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.