Unisex name · since 1897

Pat

Pat has 40,123 recorded births since 1897 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1941 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

40,123
total births
1897–1991
years on record
1940s
peak decade
40%
born in that decade

40,123 girls have been named Pat since 1897, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Pat has been recorded 40,123 times among girls since 1897, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1940s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1897 to 1991.

  • 40,123 total births
  • 1897–1991 years on record
  • 1940s peak decade
  • 40% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

40,123 girls have been named Pat since 1897, peaking in the 1940s, last recorded in 1991.

40,123
total births
1897–1991
years on record
1940s
peak decade
40%
born in that decade
1940s
Peak decade

40% of everyone ever named Pat was born in this single decade.

1941
Single peak year

1,900 babies were named Pat in 1941 - its busiest year on record.

Pat's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Splitting Pat's full recorded timeline at 1944, 43% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 57% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1897, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1941 peak of 1,900 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.

Pat at a glance

Last recorded 1991

Total births

40,123

Since 1897

95 years of records

Peak year

1941

1,900 births that year

Strongest decade: 1940s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 1991

Active since

1897

Recorded for 95 years

Last year on file: 1991

Pat popularity over time - girls

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1897–1991

Last recorded 1991
Peak year (1941)
1,900
Annual births at peak, across 95 years of records
-50005001,0001,5002,000 189719121924193619481960197219851991 6

Pat popularity over time - boys

26,732 total births recorded since 1880 (Pat as boys' name)

Unisex variant - 26,732 births
-50005001,0001,500 188018961912192819441960197619922014 5

Pat by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1940s was Pat's strongest decade.

16,150 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 40% of all-time use.

Pat births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1940s at 16,150 births (40% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

How Pat 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 Pat's total volume

Pat vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Pat vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%2%4%6%8% 406080100120140160 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year Pat
Pat vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Pat by state

Where Pat concentrates geographically, total births since 1897

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Pat
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 California
5,016 12.5%
#2 Illinois
3,199 8.0%
#3 Texas
2,547 6.3%
#4 Ohio
2,413 6.0%
#5 Michigan
2,158 5.4%
#6 New York
1,670 4.2%
#7 Missouri
1,635 4.1%
#8 Oklahoma
1,341 3.3%
California share of Pat's total US births 12.5%
Even split

5,016 of 40,123 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 47 reporting states.

Pat appears in 47 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Pat? ▼
Pat has been given to 40,123 babies in the U.S. since 1897, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1991. 1,900 babies were born in 1941, its single highest year.
When was Pat most popular? ▼
Pat was most popular in the 1940s decade with 16,150 total births. The single peak year was 1941.
Where is Pat most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Pat are California (5,016 births), Illinois (3,199 births), Texas (2,547 births).
Is Pat a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Pat is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 40,123 births, and as a boy's name it has 26,732 births.
How long has the name Pat been used? ▼
Records for Pat go back to 1897, giving 95 years of history through 1991.
What names are similar to Pat? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Patricia, Patsy, Patty, Patti, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Pat's data

  • Pat's decade-level peak was the 1940s (16,150 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • California records the most Pats (5,016 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 Pat

Nearby Names Like Pat

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Pat

Patricia Girl
#1293 1,573,623 births
Patsy Girl
#6644 119,448 births
Patty Girl
#12170 62,452 births
Patti Girl
44,711 births
Patrice Girl
#9606 34,083 births

Compare Pat side by side: Pat vs Patricia Pat vs Patsy Pat vs Patty

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Tricia
40,134 births · Peak 1971
Nikki #3407
40,109 births · Peak 1972
Margarita #1811
40,219 births · Peak 1957
Leigh #3405
40,242 births · Peak 1969
Trisha #2826
40,302 births · Peak 1979
Charlie #140
40,359 births · Peak 2022
Sienna #139
39,877 births · Peak 2025
Hallie #149
40,376 births · Peak 2025

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, 1897–1991 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Pat: Baby Name Since 1897 - 40,123 Births, Peak 1941." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/pat/. 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 Pat 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.