Patrick

Meaning of Patrick

Patrick, sourced etymologically from the Latin cognomen Patricius—denoting a “patrician” or member of the Roman nobility—entered the Insular Celtic lexicon as Pádraig through early Christian missionary contact, and subsequently stabilized in English orthography during the Middle Ages; the semantic aura of inherited status, when coupled with the storied legacy of fifth-century Saint Patrick, has rendered the name a transatlantic marker of cultural continuity more than personal piety. United States birth-registration records disclose a measured, multi-decadal arc of popularity: ascending from the lower Top-200 at the dawn of the twentieth century, breaching the Top-50 by 1950, peaking in the low-30s through the 1960s, maintaining that echelon until the early 1990s, and thereafter exhibiting a controlled decline to a contemporary ranking near 210, a pattern consistent with the broader demographic pivot toward neologistic or globally neutral appellations. Phonologically realized in modern English as /ˈpætrɪk/—with the open-back variant /ˈpɑtrɪk/ remaining consonant with Irish articulation—the disyllabic construct integrates cleanly across dialects and resists phonetic erosion, although diminutives such as Pat, Paddy, Padraig, and Rick persist in vernacular and professional spheres alike. Cultural associations are plentiful and heterogenous, spanning the political oratory of Patrick Henry, the athletic prowess of Patrick Mahomes, and the fictional introspection of Patrick Bateman, collectively illustrating the name’s capacity to migrate among domains while retaining a veneer of dignified restraint befitting its aristocratic roots.

Pronunciation

Irish Gaelic

• Pronunced as PAH-trik (/ˈpɑtrɪk/)

American English

• Pronunced as PAT-rik (/ˈpætrɪk/)

• Padraig
• Patrik