Fremont is named after Fremont, Nebraska, the hometown of two of its founders, L. H. Griffith and E. Blewett. Sometimes referred to as "The People's Republic of Fremont," and at one time a center of the counterculture, Fremont has somewhat gentrified in recent years. The neighborhood remains home to a controversial statue of Lenin salvaged from Slovakia by a local art lover who was teaching in the area at the time. In addition to Lenin is the Fremont Troll, an 18-foot tall concrete sculpture of a troll situated under the north end of the Aurora Bridge. In addition, signs throughout Fremont give such helpful advice as "Set your watch ahead five minutes", "Set your watch back five minutes" and "Throw your watch away."

The Fremont Arts Council sponsors several highly attended annual events including the Summer Solstice Parade & Pageant and Troll-a-ween.

Also important to Fremont is the B.F. Day Elementary School and B.F. Day Playground, two separate entities. B.F. Day is the longest continually operating school in the Seattle school district, having been founded in 1892.

With increased information technology development, Fremont has become the world headquarters of Getty Images as well as Adobe Systems' Seattle offices, Cutter & Buck's corporate headquarters, and home to Hale's Ales brewery. Google also opened offices there in 2006.