Patricia

Meaning of Patricia

Patricia is the feminine form of the Latin Patricius, “noble” or “of the patrician class,” and it entered English usage through early Christian tradition, where St. Patrick’s legacy lent the root name considerable prestige. In the United States, Patricia emerged quietly in the late 19th century, accelerated during the inter-war years, and achieved peak visibility between 1940 and 1965, when it hovered within the national Top 10 and became a default on playground roll calls. Subsequent decades saw a steady statistical recession—today it ranks in the mid-700s—yet the name retains residual familiarity through cultural touchstones such as novelist Patricia Highsmith, actress Patricia Clarkson, and the ever-present diminutives Patty, Patsy, and Trish. Phonetically rendered as puh-TRISH-uh (/pə.ˈtrɪ.ʃə/), it balances a soft onset with a crisp central consonant, a profile that many parents now regard as gently vintage rather than dated. Because Patricia originated as a title of rank, it still carries an implicit register of formality, making it a plausible choice for families seeking a time-tested alternative to current favorites like Olivia or Charlotte without venturing into obscurity.