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Name Lineage

    The first name Pat

    A unisex name.

    Pronounced /pæt/ 1 syllable Unisex Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    Various origins: * Borrowed from Yucatec Maya Pat. This surname is mostly found in Yucatán. * Borrowed from Khmer.

    Pat is a short form of

    .

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Pat last appeared in the official list in 2023, given to 3 boys. It peaked in 2021, with 4 births (#3,990).

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    16
    babies named Pat, 1996–2025
    #4,991
    rank in 2023
    2021
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Pat with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Pat at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2014, 5 boys born in the United States were named Pat, the 13,524th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1941, when 1,900 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    66,855
    babies named Pat since 1880
    #13,524
    rank in 2014
    1941
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Pat in other languages

    Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary

    Paťa
    Slovak, also Paťo

    Famous people named Pat

    101 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Pat Nixon
      First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974
    • Pat Hingle
      American actor (1924–2009)
    • Pat Buchanan
      American politician and commentator, born 1938
    • Pat Benatar
      American singer, born 1953
    • Pat Carroll
      American actress (1927–2022)
    • Pat Riley
      American basketball player, coach and executive, born 1945
    • Pat Barker
      British writer, born 1943
    • Pat Robertson
      American media mogul and minister (1930–2023)
    • Pat Cash
      Australian tennis player (born 1965)
    • Pat Fraley
      American voice-over actor, born 1949
    • Pat Smear
      American musician and actor, born 1959
    • Pat Garrett
      American sheriff (1850–1908)

    Questions

    What does the name Pat mean?
    Various origins: * Borrowed from Yucatec Maya Pat. This surname is mostly found in Yucatán. * Borrowed from Khmer.
    How popular is the name Pat?
    In 2023, 3 boys born in England and Wales were named Pat, ranking 4,991st. Its peak was 2021, with 4 births.
    Is Pat a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 66,855 US babies named Pat since 1880, 60% were girls and 40% boys.
    When was Pat most popular?
    1941 in the United States, when 1,900 babies were named Pat, its highest rank at 134th.
    How do you pronounce Pat?
    Pat is /pæt/, one syllable.
    Is Pat also a surname?
    Yes. Pat is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.