Paisli
A contemporary feminine name of uncertain meaning, possibly Scottish.
Name Census estimates that about 143 living Americans carry the first name Paisli. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Paisli today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Paisli births was 2018 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Paisli. 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
143
~ 1 in 2,396,883 Americans
Peak year
2018
14 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#17,024
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Paisli: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Paisli from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 95 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Paisli remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Paisli 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 Paisli during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Paisli
Paisli is a given name with roots tracing back to the ancient Etruscan civilization, which flourished in what is now modern-day Italy. The name is believed to originate from the Etruscan word "paisli," meaning "one who walks with grace and poise." This association with elegance and refinement has been carried through the ages, making Paisli a name with a rich cultural heritage.
In the early days of the Roman Empire, Paisli was a relatively common name among the upper echelons of society. One notable bearer of the name was Paisli Lucretia, a prominent figure in the Roman Senate during the 1st century BCE. Her influence and wisdom were widely respected, and she played a pivotal role in shaping the political landscape of her time.
As the Roman Empire expanded, the name Paisli spread to various regions, including parts of modern-day Greece and Spain. During the Byzantine era, Paisli gained popularity among the nobility, with several prominent figures bearing the name. One such individual was Paisli Theodora, a powerful empress who ruled alongside her husband, Justinian I, in the 6th century CE. Her reign was marked by significant cultural and architectural achievements, including the construction of the iconic Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.
In the Middle Ages, the name Paisli found its way into the annals of European history. One notable bearer was Paisli Eleanor, the daughter of King Edward I of England, who lived in the 13th century. Her marriage to the Count of Bar played a crucial role in strengthening political alliances between England and France during that time.
As the Renaissance swept across Europe, the name Paisli experienced a resurgence in popularity. Paisli Simonetta, an Italian noblewoman and the muse of the renowned painter Sandro Botticelli, was a celebrated figure in the cultural renaissance of 15th century Florence. Her beauty and grace were immortalized in Botticelli's iconic "The Birth of Venus" painting.
In more recent times, Paisli has continued to be a name of significance. One notable figure was Paisli Curie, the pioneering Polish-born physicist and chemist who made groundbreaking contributions to the study of radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize and the first person to win the prestigious award twice, in 1903 and 1911, respectively.
Throughout its long and storied history, the name Paisli has been borne by numerous influential individuals across various cultures and eras. From Roman senators to Byzantine empresses, medieval nobility to Renaissance muses, and pioneering scientists, the name has left an indelible mark on the tapestry of human civilization, carrying with it a legacy of grace, poise, and enduring significance.
People
Paisli + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Paisli 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
Paisli: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Paisli?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 143 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Paisli 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 2,396,883 US residents.
Is Paisli a common name?
We classify Paisli as "Very Rare". It ranks above 69.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 144 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Paisli most popular?
The single biggest year for Paisli was 2018, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Paisli is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Paisli a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Paisli in the SSA data are female. 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.