Given name & surname
Patricia
“of noble descent”·“patrician”·“a nobleman; patrician”
In German use, Patricia is a variant of Trisha. In Latin use, Trisha carries the interpretation “of noble descent.” In English use, Patricia is a feminine form of Patrick. Interpretations include “patrician” and “a nobleman; patrician” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Patricia carries the interpretation “of noble descent.” In German use, Patricia is a variant of Trisha. In Latin use, Trisha carries the interpretation “of noble descent.” In English use, Patricia is a feminine form of Patrick. Interpretations include “patrician” and “a nobleman; patrician” (Latin). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English use, Patricia is used as a feminine counterpart of Patrick.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1884. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Patricia through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,578,584
- 4,961 boys · 1,573,623 girls
- Most popular year
- 1951
- 56,574 babies
- 2025
- 167
- #1,336 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −34%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 167 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,336 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 34.1% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 56,446 in 1951. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (24). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,189,825 as a first name in 2020; 904 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Patricia’s family of names
In English usage, Patricia has a diminutive in Patsy. In English usage, Patricia is a feminine form of Patrick. In German usage, Patricia has a related form in Tricia.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Patricia has relatives in 23 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Englishwhere Patricia comes from · 13 names
Nicknames & forms 31
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Trishadiminutive · Tagalog, ceb
- Patsyclipped form · English
- Trixiediminutive · English
- Patricevariant · English
- Triciadiminutive · English, German
- Pattidiminutive · English
- Pattydiminutive · English
- Ppatricialikely variant
Show 23 moreShow fewer
- Pattricialikely variant
- Patrricialikely variant
- Patriccialikely variant
- Patsiediminutive · English
- Pattiediminutive · English
- Patidiminutive · Spanish, French
- Trisdiminutive · English
- Trishdiminutive · English
- Patriziavariant · German, Italian
- Patdiminutive · English, French
- Patrisiavariant
- Patryciavariant
- Patrishavariant
- Tichadiminutive · French
- Patydiminutive · French
- Patringdiminutive · ceb
- Patridiminutive · Spanish
- Padraiginvariant
- Patoushkadiminutive · French
- Patoudiminutive · French
- Patochediminutive · French
- Patodiminutive · French
- Patichediminutive · French
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 15
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Patricia
- Patti SmithAmerican singer, songwriter, author and poet (born 1946)
- Patricia NealAmerican stage and film actress (1926-2010)
- Patricia ArquetteAmerican actress (born 1968)
- Patricia HighsmithAmerican novelist and short story writer (1921–1995)
- Patricia KaasFrench singerborn 1966
- Patricia ClarksonAmerican actressborn 1959
- Patricia CornwellAmerican novelist, journalist, biographerborn 1956
- Patty MurrayUnited States Senator from Washington since 2013born 1950
- Patty HearstAmerican kidnapping victimborn 1954
Characters named Patricia: Patty Bouvier (character on The Simpsons).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
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