Pat Unisex

Popularity: — · Trend: → Stable

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: Pat /pæt/

Origin: English; Irish

Meaning: English: noble; Irish: derived from Patrick

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Pat is often considered a diminutive of Patricia, which has its roots in the Latin name Patricius, meaning "noble" or "nobleman." The name Patricia was adopted into Early Christian usage, becoming popular in various forms across Europe. In the 4th century, Saint Patricia was venerated, further embedding the name within Christian tradition.

The name Patricia made its way into English through Old French, where it was adapted as "Patrice" before evolving into its modern form. This transition reflects the broader linguistic influences of Latin on the development of names in the English language.

Throughout history, the name Patricia and its diminutive Pat have been associated with various notable figures. In the medieval period, Patricia was used among the nobility, reflecting its meaning of nobility.

The name gained further prominence in the 20th century, particularly in English-speaking countries, due in part to literary and cultural references. For instance, Patricia Highsmith, an influential American novelist, contributed to the name's recognition in the literary world during the mid-20th century.

Culturally, the name Pat has been embraced for its simplicity and versatility, often used in various contexts, including literature and popular culture. The name is sometimes associated with qualities of strength and resilience, reflecting the noble connotations of its origins.

Additionally, Pat has been used as a unisex name, further broadening its appeal. The enduring nature of the name can be attributed to its historical significance and the positive attributes associated with its meaning, allowing it to resonate across different cultures and eras.

Famous people named Pat

In this section, you will find notable people named Pat. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Pat who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Pat who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Pat Benatar is a singer best known for Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Love Is a Battlefield, and We Belong.

Pat Sajak is a television personality best known for hosting Wheel of Fortune.

Pat Summitt is a basketball coach best known for her tenure at the University of Tennessee and winning eight NCAA championships.

Pat Morita is an actor best known for his role as Mr. Miyagi in The Karate Kid series and as Arnold in Happy Days.

Fictional characters named Pat

The following list of fictional characters named Pat is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Pat is a fictional character from the novel and film The Crying Game. They are a key figure in the story, known for their complex identity and significant impact on the protagonist's journey.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Pat, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

PaulaPamPennyPiperPatsy

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Pat. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

PatricePaigePattiPoppyPazPennyPatsyPiper

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Pat was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Pat has ranked as high as #246 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Illinois, New York, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Pat has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Pat is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Pat was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Pat.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2014 5 5 0
2013 5 5 0
2006 11 11 0
2005 6 6 0
2003 5 5 0
2002 5 5 0
2000 6 6 0
1998 7 7 0
1997 6 6 0
1995 14 14 0
1994 9 9 0
1993 8 8 0
1992 21 21 0
1991 32 26 6
1990 20 20 0
1989 24 18 6
1988 21 21 0
1987 26 20 6
1986 30 20 10
1985 27 21 6
1984 28 21 7
1983 36 24 12
1982 36 26 10
1981 32 32 0
1980 36 26 10
1979 45 32 13
1978 53 38 15
1977 58 42 16
1976 65 50 15
1975 78 61 17
1974 81 53 28
1973 117 87 30
1972 121 94 27
1971 185 139 46
1970 226 191 35
1969 268 227 41
1968 352 289 63
1967 433 355 78
1966 517 411 106
1965 680 518 162
1964 1,022 749 273
1963 1,049 738 311
1962 1,314 830 484
1961 1,540 929 611
1960 1,755 1,000 755
1959 1,950 948 1,002
1958 1,886 844 1,042
1957 1,449 634 815
1956 853 418 435
1955 688 329 359
1954 605 314 291
1953 553 306 247
1952 628 328 300
1951 640 315 325
1950 824 384 440
1949 1,163 496 667
1948 1,845 596 1,249
1947 2,544 720 1,824
1946 2,494 623 1,871
1945 2,012 492 1,520
1944 2,087 495 1,592
1943 2,359 519 1,840
1942 2,358 534 1,824
1941 2,430 530 1,900
1940 2,345 482 1,863
1939 2,105 446 1,659
1938 1,953 420 1,533
1937 2,012 483 1,529
1936 1,765 421 1,344
1935 1,785 458 1,327
1934 1,676 472 1,204
1933 1,526 380 1,146
1932 1,510 449 1,061
1931 1,333 407 926
1930 1,107 373 734
1929 960 363 597
1928 817 360 457
1927 694 287 407
1926 635 297 338
1925 493 295 198
1924 398 240 158
1923 339 227 112
1922 325 229 96
1921 298 223 75
1920 282 204 78
1919 257 180 77
1918 285 215 70
1917 237 185 52
1916 240 177 63
1915 212 166 46
1914 173 128 45
1913 120 90 30
1912 106 75 31
1911 70 49 21
1910 77 58 19
1909 57 42 15
1908 49 36 13
1907 44 33 11
1906 42 35 7
1905 41 35 6
1904 41 35 6
1903 41 33 8
1902 42 35 7
1901 32 32 0
1900 50 50 0
1899 27 27 0
1898 27 20 7
1897 37 32 5
1896 27 27 0
1895 36 36 0
1894 28 28 0
1893 27 27 0
1892 24 24 0
1891 16 16 0
1890 29 29 0
1889 19 19 0
1888 30 30 0
1887 19 19 0
1886 23 23 0
1885 23 23 0
1884 26 26 0
1883 20 20 0
1882 28 28 0
1881 20 20 0
1880 12 12 0

Top States for Pat (1992)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
NY 6
100%