Franklin
FRANK-lin
A surname-turned-given name meaning “free landholder,” now strongly associated with independence and statesmanlike character.
Meaning
Franklin began as an English surname for a free landowner, from Old French franc plus the -lin suffix, and later became a given name. In the excerpt, it appears as part of a list of names showing the strong influence of classical and other naming fashions, but the excerpt does not give a direct etymology for Franklin itself.
Origin
Old FrenchGermanicEnglishmasculine
Fun fact
Franklin was famously borne by Benjamin Franklin, helping make it one of the best-known surname-derived given names in English.
Confidence: mixed. Sources: History of Christian Names.