Though not the top of the doggie name charts, Frankie nevertheless remains a popular, spunky choice for dogs that are hyper, adventurous and hate sleep more than they love barking at cars. Perfect for a pooch that loves to have fun more than stay clean, it’s interesting to find that such a “go get ‘em” name actually comes from two very different origins.
Frank
The oldest of the two origins, Frank was a Germanic name used to describe members of the eponymous tribe. Settling in France and the Netherlands during the 3rd and 4th centuries, the name itself actually came from the term used describe the type of spears that this group of people carried around with them. In time, the name found its way over to England back in 1066 with the Normans made their way north on a successful conquering trip.
Francis
The second of the two and the youngest, Francis didn’t actually show up until the 1300s. Taken from the Late Latin Franciscus, or “Frenchman”, Saint Francis of Assisi used this as a moniker taken from a childhood nickname of Francesco. As history shows, Francis would go on to found the Franciscan order of friars and devote his life to helping the poor. A figurehead even long after his death, his name lived on, now a popular choice for children of all levels of income in honor of Francis’ great deeds.
It was during this time in the medieval period when the nickname Frankie began to emerge. While it was often confused as to which of the two origins it was pulled from, it was definitely a nickname that killed two birds with one stone. Though still not a popular proper first name, it has proven to be an enduring affectionate nickname.
Perfect for any pooch due to it not being too formal and not being too casual, it remains a favorite for the majority of smaller breeds, and that makes sense. After all, most want their Bull Mastiffs to have a scary, imposing name, not a cute, energetic one. Jack Russells, Papillons and Dachsunds are only a few of the smaller breeds that often wind up as a Frankie. In addition, though great for either males or females, it tends to be used much more commonly for the boy pups of the world.
Fun, feisty and all around fantastic, Frankie is a solid choice for any pup that loves adventure and can never seem to play enough. Brought to us from the Germans and the Italians, it’s a name with two sides that came together to create an almost perfect union. Whether you’re a fan of naming your pooch after historical Francis’, like Francis Bacon, or famous Frankie’s, like Frankie Valli, it’s a perfect choice for your perfect pet.
