Pace
A Latin name meaning peace or calmness.
Name Census estimates that about 919 living Americans carry the first name Pace. It is a predominantly male name (93.8% of registrations). The average person named Pace today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pace births was 2024 (51 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pace. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
919
~ 1 in 372,964 Americans
Peak year
2024
51 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,614
Tracked since 1917
Gender
Gender distribution for Pace
Pace leans heavily male at 93.8% of total registrations, but 58 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Pace as a male name
- Ranked #2,614 in 2024
- 51 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (51 births)
Pace as a female name
- Ranked #11,924 in 2023
- 8 female births in 2023
- Peak: 2022 (8 births)
Popularity
Pace: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pace from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 371 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Pace remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pace by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Pace during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Paces live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Texas, Georgia, Florida recorded the most babies named Pace, while Utah, New York, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 25 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Pace
The name Pace originated from the Latin word "pax," which means "peace." It has been used as a given name since ancient Roman times, symbolizing tranquility, serenity, and harmony. The name's roots can be traced back to the late antiquity period, around the 4th to 6th centuries CE.
In Italy, the name Pace has a long and rich history. It was commonly used during the medieval era and gained popularity in the Renaissance period. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name dates back to the 13th century, when a Franciscan friar named Pace da Faenza lived and worked in the Italian city of Faenza.
The name Pace has also been found in various religious and historical texts. In the Bible, the phrase "Pax Vobiscum" (Latin for "Peace be with you") is frequently used as a greeting and blessing. Additionally, the name appears in the writings of several ancient Roman philosophers and authors, including Cicero and Seneca.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Pace. One of the earliest was Pace da Ferrara (1425-1514), an Italian sculptor and architect who worked on numerous ecclesiastical buildings during the Renaissance. Another prominent individual was Pace da Certaldo (1325-1369), an Italian merchant and diplomat who served as an ambassador for the Republic of Florence.
In the 16th century, Pace Bianco (1510-1592) was a renowned Italian philosopher and theologian who taught at the University of Padua. He was known for his works on logic and metaphysics, and his contributions to the development of humanistic thought.
Pace Latini (1634-1707) was an Italian painter and architect active during the Baroque period. He is particularly renowned for his fresco work in churches and palaces throughout Italy, including the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome.
Another notable figure was Pace Pastorel (1865-1928), an Italian sculptor and medalist who created numerous public monuments and memorials in Italy and the United States. His works can be found in cities like Rome, New York, and Washington, D.C.
These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who have carried the name Pace. While its usage has varied over time and across different regions, the name has maintained its symbolism of peace and tranquility, reflecting the values and aspirations of those who bore it.
People
Pace + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pace as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pace: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pace?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 919 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pace going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 372,964 US residents.
Is Pace a common name?
We classify Pace as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 936 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pace most popular?
The single biggest year for Pace was 2024, when 51 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pace is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pace a male name?
Yes, 93.8% of people registered as Pace in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.