Patience
Girl name · #1295 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Patience? In official American birth records, Patience has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Patience is currently the #1295 girl name in the United States — 172 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1068, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,465 girls born in 2025 was named Patience.
Babies named Patience per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Patience first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2006, when 508 girls were named Patience — good for #577 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Patience against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Patience in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Patience is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Patience will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Patience is most common
Geography matters for names, and Patience is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Patience is most common in SC (0.5 per 1,000), GA (0.3 per 1,000), FL (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Patience is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Patience
Statistically, parents drawn to Patience tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kaydence, Essence, Cadence, Kadence, and Nathalie.
KaydenceEssenceCadenceKadenceNathalieAnneliesePrincessMaryjane
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Patience | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 172 | #1295 |
| 2024 | 174 | #1317 |
| 2023 | 198 | #1205 |
| 2022 | 203 | #1183 |
| 2021 | 231 | #1081 |
| 2020 | 229 | #1078 |
| 2019 | 236 | #1069 |
| 2018 | 213 | #1145 |
| 2017 | 181 | #1299 |
| 2016 | 206 | #1203 |
| 2015 | 246 | #1068 |
| 2014 | 273 | #977 |
| 2013 | 291 | #886 |
| 2012 | 316 | #844 |
| 2011 | 315 | #837 |
| 2010 | 341 | #803 |
| 2009 | 383 | #746 |
| 2008 | 384 | #765 |
| 2007 | 454 | #653 |
| 2006 | 508 | #577 |
| 2005 | 472 | #603 |
| 2004 | 293 | #840 |
| 2003 | 277 | #866 |
| 2002 | 264 | #867 |
| 2001 | 242 | #923 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Patience?
In official American birth records, the name Patience first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 7 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Patience a popular girl name?
Patience ranked #1295 among girls in 2025 with 172 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1068.
When was the name Patience most popular?
Patience peaked in 2006, when 508 American girls received the name (ranked #577 that year). Since 2006 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Patience?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,465 newborn American girls was named Patience. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.