Frank

Frank derives from the name of the Germanic tribal confederation the Franks, whose own name may come from a Proto-Germanic root meaning spear, possibly referring to the francisca, the throwing axe characteristic of Frankish warriors. The Franks gave their name to the kingdom of France and became so dominant in medieval Europe that their tribal name came to mean free man or freeman in many languages. The name was widely used throughout medieval Europe and experienced a strong revival in the English-speaking world during the 19th century, partly as an independent name and partly as a short form of Francis or Franklin. Related forms include Franco, Francesco, Frans, and François.