Named after the Dominican friars, who wore black and had a priory here.
The name first occurs in records of 1317. 'Friar' comes from Latin frater, brother; 'black' refers to the black outer garment, or cappa, worn by the Dominicans. They moved their priory here from near Holborn in about 1276, and it was dissolved in 1538 under Henry VIII. The main-line station next door was called St Paul's until 1937.