The original name for Quakers is “The Religious Society for Friends of the Truth.” Over time this was often shortened to Religious Society of Friends and later to “Friends” for the sake of brevity. Early detractors used the term “Quakers” as a pejorative reference to the fact that Friends who were moved to stand and speak Truth during Meeting for Worship would often appear to tremble or “quake” with the power of the experience. Whether as a matter of convenience, distinction, or as a way of living their faith by eliminating the power of this pejorative by co-opting it, “Friends” and “Quakers” often use these terms interchangeably.

Today there are about 300,000 Quakers in the world.  The largest number are in Kenya, where Quaker missionaries went in the early twentieth century. Most Quakers in Kenya and in the western part of the US employ pastors, while Friends in the eastern US are more often of the original silent Meeting kind.

Quakers are not just persons in black hats and bonnets, as seen on the Quaker Oats box.  William Penn, who founded Pennsylvania; former Presidents Richard Nixon and Herbert Hoover; and American poet Walt Whitman—are well-know American Quakers. There are also famous Quakers such as Judi Dench, Charlie Gibson, James Dean, Ben Kingsley, Joan Baez, Bonnie Raitt, and Johns Hopkins who founded the University named after him. Quakers have been successful in business, such as Cadbury made chocolates in England. 

People today are drawn to Quakerism for their concern for peace and justice, for environmental concerns, for their long-standing equality between women and men, and for their unadorned way of worship and living.  Quakers have long been involved in working for better conditions in mental hospitals, prisons, and work with Native Americans.

Quakers built schools wherever they moved. Today there are 85 schools in 22 states that are members of Friends Council on Education,with over 20,000 students enrolled. Friends School of Wilmington is a member of Friends Council.