Frankl

Frankl is a surname of Germanic origin, commonly found in Austria, Germany, and other parts of Europe, as well as among Ashkenazi communities. The name is generally linked to the given name Frank or to the ethnonym of the Franks, and it has variants such as Frankel and Frankle. As a family name, it appears in diverse contexts across Central Europe and the diaspora.

The best-known bearer of the name is Viktor E. Frankl (1905–1997), an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust. He founded logotherapy, a school of psychotherapy that emphasizes meaning as the central human motivational force. Frankl argued that people can endure suffering and make purposeful choices by identifying meaning in work, relationships, and attitude toward unavoidable circumstances. His most famous work, Man’s Search for Meaning (1946), blends reflections on his concentration camp experiences with an outline of logotherapeutic principles and has influenced psychology, counseling, and self-help discourse.

Legacy and influence: Frankl’s ideas have shaped existential and humanistic approaches to therapy and resilience-building. Logotherapy remains a subject of study in clinical psychology and philosophy, with institutions and scholars continuing to explore its applications in counseling, education, and personal development. The surname Frankl continues to be used by individuals and families in Europe and around the world, with Viktor Frankl’s contributions representing the name’s most enduring association in popular and scholarly contexts.