Padraic
A masculine Irish given name derived from the Latin name Patricius, meaning "noble".
Name Census estimates that about 919 living Americans carry the first name Padraic. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Padraic today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Padraic births was 1982 (36 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Padraic. 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
1982
36 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,636
Tracked since 1955
Popularity
Padraic: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Padraic from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 232 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Padraic 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 Padraic during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Padraics live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. New York, California, Massachusetts recorded the most babies named Padraic, while New Jersey, Illinois, Pennsylvania recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Padraic
Padraic is a masculine given name that originated in Ireland as the Irish Gaelic form of the Latin name Patricius, meaning "noble" or "patrician." It is derived from the Old Irish word "patraic," which was borrowed from the Latin "Patricius."
The name gained widespread recognition and popularity due to its association with Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who lived in the 5th century. Saint Patrick, known as Padraic in Irish, played a pivotal role in spreading Christianity throughout Ireland and is celebrated annually on Saint Patrick's Day.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Padraic can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle of medieval Irish history, which dates back to the 15th century. The name appears in various other Irish manuscripts and historical records throughout the centuries.
Notable individuals who bore the name Padraic include Padraic Colum (1881-1972), an Irish poet, novelist, and playwright who played a significant role in the Irish literary revival. Another prominent figure was Padraic Pearse (1879-1916), a leader of the Irish Republican Brotherhood and a key figure in the Easter Rising of 1916, which sought to establish an independent Irish republic.
Padraic O'Conaire (1882-1928) was an Irish writer and journalist who made significant contributions to the Irish language and literature. Padraic Fallon (1905-1974) was an Irish poet and novelist known for his works that celebrated the beauty of rural Ireland.
Additionally, Padraic MacPiarais (1879-1912) was an Irish language scholar and educator who played a crucial role in the revival of the Irish language and the establishment of Irish-language schools in Ireland.
Throughout history, the name Padraic has maintained a strong connection to Irish culture and identity, reflecting the enduring influence of Saint Patrick and the rich heritage of the Irish people.
People
Padraic + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Padraic 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
Padraic: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Padraic?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 919 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Padraic 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 Padraic a common name?
We classify Padraic 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, 973 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Padraic most popular?
The single biggest year for Padraic was 1982, when 36 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Padraic is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Padraic a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Padraic 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.