Frankie

Originally a diminutive of Frank, Francis, or Frances, derived from the Germanic tribal name of the Franks. American parents began writing it directly onto birth certificates in the late nineteenth century rather than treating it as domestic shorthand. It has functioned as an evenly balanced unisex name for more than a century.

A Frankie arrives with rolled sleeves and little patience for long formalities. The name suggests someone who was either playing junior league baseball in 1959 or attending daycare this morning. It refuses to disclose gender on paper. The overall impression is practical, familiar, and slightly suspicious of stiff collars.