Ripuarian Franks

Ripuarian Franks (Latin: Ripuarii) is a distinction of the Frankish people made by a number of writers in the Latin language of the first several centuries of the Christian Era. It is generally conceded that, the lack of any reference whatever to the Franks under that name in any major or minor source, dating to before the Christian Era suggests the "Franks" and "Francia" are innovations dating to no earlier than the first few centuries of that era.

Once the term "Franks" appeared, authors of the Roman Empire made a general distinction between Salii, "Salian Franks," and Ripuarii or Riparii, "Ripuarian Franks," which are Latin language terms probably, but not certainly, referring to unknown Germanic originals. They are not known in this case. Before they were called "Franks," the Romans referred to them as Germani, "Germans." Strabo explains that "in the language of the Romans" "germani" means "genuine." Although genuine overlaps on the meaning of frank, there is no evidence etymological or otherwise to connect Frank with German.