The first name Patience
A girl’s name.
Pronounced /ˈpeɪʃəns/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
From patience, a virtue name first used by Puritans in the sixteenth century.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 6 girls were named Patience, making it the 3,705th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2006, with 31 births (#928).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Patience with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Patience at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 172 girls born in the United States were named Patience, the 1,297th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2006, when 508 were.
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.
Famous people named Patience
4 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Patience DabanyGabonese musician, born 1937
- Patience JonathanFormer First Lady of Nigeria and permanent secretary in Bayelsa, born 1957
- Patience ClevelandAmerican actress (1931-2004)
- Patience WrightAmerican sculptor of wax figures (1725–1786)
Questions
- What does the name Patience mean?
- From patience, a virtue name first used by Puritans in the sixteenth century.
- How popular is the name Patience?
- In 2025, 6 girls born in England and Wales were named Patience, ranking 3,705th. Its peak was 2006, with 31 births.
- Is Patience a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 12,469 US babies named Patience since 1880 were girls.
- When was Patience most popular?
- 2006 in the United States, when 508 babies were named Patience, its highest rank at 578th.
- How do you pronounce Patience?
- Patience is /ˈpeɪʃəns/, 2 syllables.