Baby Name of the Day: Fletcher

The baby name Fletcher combines polished style with a subtle virtue vibe.

Thanks to Abigail for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME FLETCHER MEAN?

Lots of surnames become first names.

And many of those surnames started out as job titles.

That’s the case for Fletcher. Like many occupational surnames, it’s not immediately obvious to 21st century English speakers just what a fletcher might’ve done for a living.

It means “maker of arrows.” Back in the day, arrows were very necessary, both for hunting and for war. 

The Middle English occupation name comes from the French word fleche, meaning arrow. In Old French, the job title was flechier. It comes from Frankish or Germanic roots. 

FAMOUS FLETCHERS

It was a common(ish) job, and thus a familiar surname.

The name appears on the map, too, in at least a dozen locations in the United States, including California’s Fletcher Peak, part of the Sierra Nevada range in Yosemite National Park. 

It was named for Arthur G. Fletcher. Speaking of occupations, his was interesting: Fletcher served as deputy fish commissions for the California State Board of Fish Commissioners. He was responsible for stocking fish in all the bodies of water in Yosemite. A grateful public thanked him for his service with the name of the peak.

MUTINY

As a given name, a real-life mutineer might’ve inspired parents as his story was told and re-told. 

In the year 1789, there really was a mutiny on the HMS Bounty, led by a man named Fletcher Christian. He led a group of crew members to overthrow Captain Bligh. The details are debated and remain unclear all these years later, but Hollywood has embraced various takes on the tale.

• In 1935, Clark Gable played the Fletcher Christian in the first big screen version of Mutiny on the Bounty. It won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
• Marlon Brando took on Gable’s role in a 1962 remake, also Oscar-nominated. (And also noteworthy for the film’s record-busting budget.) 
• In 1984, a slightly different re-telling titled simply The Bounty starred Mel Gibson as Christian and Anthony Hopkins as Bligh.

FLETCH

While we’re at the movies, Gregory Mcdonald wrote a dozen books about investigative journalist turned detective Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher. 

During the 1980s, Chevy Chase starred in two successful Fletch movies.

In 2022, Jon Hamm took on the role. Despite positive reviews, there are no talks of additional Fletch films, at lesat not right now. 

There’s also the Flynn-Fletcher brothers, at the heart of long-running animated series Phineas and Ferb.

FLETCHER AS A VIRTUE NAME

But the reason the baby name Fletch resonates for parents now? 

Probably because of the image of an arrow-maker prizing accuracy. An arrow finds its mark. It suggests goals achieved. 

It might be the reason Archer, too, has risen in use in recent years. 

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME FLETCHER?

According to the US Social Security Administration (SSA), the baby name Fletcher ranked #564 as of 2024.

Way back in the year 1900, Fletcher ranked #284. 

It was a Top 1000 staple from 1880 into the 1970s. After 1971, the name left the rankings, only to return briefly in 1985/86.

That coincides with the Chevy Chase movie, Fletch.

But the 21st century, with our polished surname names like Everett and Landon, plus ends-in-R favorites like Carter and Oliver, has opened the door wide for Fletchers’ return. 

The name has gained steadily in use for more than twenty years. 

ARCHER’S BROTHER

All of this makes the baby name Fletcher an appealing option. 

Archer feels maybe just the tiniest bit sharper. After all, we still have archery, even if it’s more of an Olympic sport than a survival skill. 

Fletcher sounds capable and put-together. It’s a fun name, too – fun to say, and easy to imagine Fletcher with a grin. 

At the moment, it’s also nicely uncommon, outside of the current Top 500. And yet, it’s immediately recognizable, easy to spell and pronounce. Combined with an appealing meaning, that might make this the perfect name for a son. 

What do you think of the baby name Fletcher?