Patricia
Girl name · #1335 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Patricia? In official American birth records, Patricia has been tracked continuously since 1884, giving it 141 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 167 baby girls were named Patricia, placing it at #1335 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #802, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,778 girls born in 2025 was named Patricia.
Babies named Patricia per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 141-year story
Patricia first appears in the Social Security records in 1884, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1951, when 56,446 girls were named Patricia — good for #3 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Patricia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Patricia in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Patricia is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Patricia will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Patricia is most common
Geography matters for names, and Patricia is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Patricia is most common in NC (0.2 per 1,000), TX (0.1 per 1,000), FL (0.1 per 1,000), CA (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 Patricia is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Patricia
Patricia carries a whole family of nicknames and spellings — names that will feel like the same name in a classroom.
PatriciaPatPattyTrish
Names like Patricia
Statistically, parents drawn to Patricia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Marcia, Cynthia, Paulette, Pamela, and Sandra.
MarciaCynthiaPaulettePamelaSandraBarbaraTheresaKathleen
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Patricia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 167 | #1334 |
| 2024 | 179 | #1292 |
| 2023 | 203 | #1179 |
| 2022 | 222 | #1114 |
| 2021 | 212 | #1153 |
| 2020 | 217 | #1116 |
| 2019 | 281 | #939 |
| 2018 | 299 | #899 |
| 2017 | 308 | #883 |
| 2016 | 387 | #736 |
| 2015 | 351 | #802 |
| 2014 | 380 | #738 |
| 2013 | 419 | #676 |
| 2012 | 396 | #710 |
| 2011 | 431 | #658 |
| 2010 | 479 | #617 |
| 2009 | 565 | #534 |
| 2008 | 630 | #498 |
| 2007 | 728 | #441 |
| 2006 | 776 | #411 |
| 2005 | 880 | #356 |
| 2004 | 998 | #317 |
| 2003 | 1,011 | #307 |
| 2002 | 1,115 | #280 |
| 2001 | 1,224 | #260 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Patricia?
In official American birth records, the name Patricia first appeared in 1884 (over 141 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Patricia a popular girl name?
Patricia ranked #1335 among girls in 2025 with 167 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #802.
When was the name Patricia most popular?
Patricia peaked in 1951, when 56,446 American girls received the name (ranked #3 that year). Since 1951 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Patricia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,778 newborn American girls was named Patricia. 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.