Fritz

Fritz is a masculine given name of German origin, commonly a diminutive of Friedrich. It is used as a standalone given name and, less commonly, as a surname. The name has appeared in various cultures and has been borne by several notable people and fictional characters.

Notable people with the given name include the filmmaker Fritz Lang (1880–1976), the chemist Fritz Haber (1868–1934) who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for synthesizing ammonia, the violinist Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962), and the science-fiction writer Fritz Leiber (1910–1992). A German serial killer, Fritz Haarmann (1879–1925), is also associated with the name in historical records.

In popular culture, Fritz the Cat is a comic character created by Robert Crumb, which was adapted into a 1972 animated film.

Technology and brands: Fritz! is a brand used by AVM for its home networking products, notably the Fritz!Box series of routers and related software. In computing, Fritz is also the name of a chess program and engine associated with ChessBase, widely used for analysis and online play.

Etymology and usage: Derived from Friedrich, the name combines elements meaning peace and ruler; Fritz is common in German-speaking regions and among descendants of German-speaking communities worldwide.