Total births
1,338
Girls' name · since 1979
Pa
Pa has 1,338 recorded births since 1979 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1992 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 1,338
- total births
- 1979–2006
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 53%
- born in that decade
Pa sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 1,338 recorded since 1979.
Pa has 1,338 recorded births among girls since 1979, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, though it falls outside today's most-used girls names, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1979 to 2006.
- 1,338 total births
- 1979–2006 years on record
- 1990s peak decade
- 53% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
1,338 girls have been named Pa since 1979, peaking in the 1990s, last recorded in 2006.
- 1,338
- total births
- 1979–2006
- years on record
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 53%
- born in that decade
1990s
Peak decade
53% of everyone ever named Pa was born in this single decade.
1992
Single peak year
103 babies were named Pa in 1992 - its busiest year on record.
Pa's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Pa's SSA record in two at 1993 and the more recent half accounts for 38% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 62%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 2006, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1992 peak of 103, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Pa at a glance
Last recorded 2006Peak year
1992
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1979
Pa popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1979–2006
- Peak year (1992)
- 103
- Annual births at peak, across 28 years of records
Pa popularity over time - boys
5 total births recorded since 1990 (Pa as boys' name)
Pa by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Pa's strongest decade.
710 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 53% of all-time use.
Pa births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 10
1970s
10 births
- 1980s
1980s
535 births
- 1990s
1990s
710 births
- 2000s 83
2000s
83 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 710 births (53% of all-time use).
How Pa compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Pa's total volume
Pa vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Pa by state
Where Pa concentrates geographically, total births since 1979
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 511 | 38.2% |
| #2 | Minnesota | | 312 | 23.3% |
| #3 | Wisconsin | | 268 | 20.0% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 5 | 0.4% |
California share of Pa's total US births 38.2%
Even split
511 of 1,338 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Pa? ▼
1,338 babies have been named Pa since 1979. It was last recorded in 2006. The peak year was 1992 with 103 births.
When was Pa most popular? ▼
Pa was most popular in the 1990s decade with 710 total births. The single peak year was 1992.
Where is Pa most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Pa are California (511 births), Minnesota (312 births), Wisconsin (268 births).
How long has the name Pa been used? ▼
Pa has been recorded in Social Security data since 1979, spanning 28 years of data through 2006.
What names are similar to Pa? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Patricia, Pamela, Paula, Pauline, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Pa's data
- Pa's decade-level peak was the 1990s (710 total births); usage has since declined to 83 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Pas (511 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Pa
Nearby Names Like Pa
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Pa
Patricia Girl
#1293 1,573,623 births
Pamela Girl
#2150 595,076 births
Paula Girl
#752 280,856 births
Pauline Girl
#3459 226,404 births
Paige Girl
#378 146,734 births
Compare Pa side by side: Pa vs Patricia Pa vs Pamela Pa vs Paula
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1979–2006 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Pa: Baby Name Since 1979 - 1,338 Births, Peak 1992." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/pa. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Pa draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.