National Fred Day is celebrated every June 29. It isn’t a commonly observed holiday by any means, but we thought it would be great to celebrate all the wonderful Freds in the world. ‘Fred,’ conventionally a masculine name, is of German origin, and one of its meanings is ‘peaceful ruler.’ There have been many famous Freds throughout history and several iconic Freds in fiction, including the goofy patriarch of the Flintstone family and the hilarious Weasley twin. From the well-meaning head of Mystery Inc. to the beloved television host, Freds have captured our hearts for decades.
History of National Fred Day
Can you think of your identity without attaching your name to it? Most people can’t. The name is a central part of personhood. The concept of a name is likely as old as language. And as language developed, so did names. ‘Edward’ became ‘Ed,’ and ‘Ed’ turned into ‘Ned’ — all because language, and human communication as a whole, is unpredictably delightful.Fred, for instance, has English and German roots. It traces back to the Old English ‘Aelfraed,’ meaning ‘elf counsel,’ and is related to ‘Ealdfrith’ or ‘Alfrid,’ meaning ‘old peace.’ It’s also often used as a nickname for ‘Fredrick’ or the German ‘Friedrich.’The German language belongs to a family of languages referred to as the Indo-European language family. It’s spoken primarily in Central Europe and reportedly first began appearing in the Early Middle Ages during the time of the Holy Roman Empire. The language developed over time from Old High German to Middle High German to Early New High German. During the Habsburg Empire in the 19th century, German became the language of commerce and government. Many cities across the continent were either Germanized or recently settled and, therefore, primarily German. The following century saw German becoming a more standardized language, closer to the variation spoken today. The language only lost its cultural and political prominence after the Second World War, following the collapse of the Third Reich.
National Fred Day timeline
Kushim, the first name in history, is etched on a clay tablet.
German becomes the language of commerce.
“The Flintstones” first airs.
“Mister Rogers' Neighborhood,” hosted by Fred Rogers, premieres.
National Fred Day FAQs
How common is Fred?
In 2021, only 98 baby boys were named Fred. It ranked 1,666th in most common boys’ names.
What is the female version of Fred?
Fred can be a gender-neutral name, but ‘Frederica’ is often used as the female version.
What is Fred from Scooby Doo’s last name?
Scooby’s best friend is named Fred Jones.
National Fred Day Activities
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Thank a Fred
Do you have a funny friend named Fred in your life? Maybe your Fred is more serious yet still enjoyable to be around. Either way, thank the Freds you know for making your life more interesting.
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Look up names and their etymologies
National Fred Day may be about Freds, but why not look up other names too? We’re sure that they have histories just as exciting as Fred’s.
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Watch some “Scooby-Doo”
Watch “Scooby-Doo” films or episodes and enjoy the antics of the loveable Mystery Inc., which includes the eclectic Fred. You’ll laugh your butt off at the hilarious hijinks he and his furry best friend get up to.
5 Facts About The Flintstones
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“The Flagstones”
The series’ name was originally “The Flagstones.”
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A son
The darling Flintstones baby was supposed to be a boy.
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An iconic slogan
Alan Reed, the voice of Fred Flintstone, came up with the iconic “Yabba-dabba-doo!”
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A different Barney
Daws Butler voiced Barney Rubble for five episodes in season two while Mel Blanc, the original voice actor, recovered from a near-fatal car crash.
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Unlikely sponsors
Winston Cigarettes sponsored the show.
Why We Love National Fred Day
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Freds are fabulous
There have been so many wonderful Freds in history and fiction. We think celebrating them is a great idea!
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Who doesn’t like “The Flintstones?”
“The Flintstones” has been a part of many of our lives. Who doesn’t love them? We have a soft spot for Fred Flinstone, the show’s loud but loveable dad.
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Names can be fossils
National Fred Day honors names, which are often like fossils. They’re relics of the past, preserving old forms of a language no longer spoken!
National Fred Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | June 29 | Thursday |
| 2024 | June 29 | Saturday |
| 2025 | June 29 | Sunday |
| 2026 | June 29 | Monday |
| 2027 | June 29 | Tuesday |
