Paislie
A feminine name of Scottish origin meaning "church", "palace", or "large level area".
Name Census estimates that about 476 living Americans carry the first name Paislie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Paislie today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Paislie births was 2015 (51 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Paislie. 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
476
~ 1 in 720,072 Americans
Peak year
2015
51 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,486
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Paislie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Paislie 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 350 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Paislie 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 Paislie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Paislies live
Origin
Meaning and history of Paislie
The given name Paislie has its origins in the Scottish Gaelic language and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Scottish town of Paisley, located in Renfrewshire. The town's name is believed to come from the Brittonic word "bas leag," meaning "basilica" or "church."
Paislie was initially used as a surname for people hailing from the town of Paisley. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Scottish Parliament records from 1585, referring to a person named "John Paislie." Over time, the surname gradually transitioned into being used as a given name.
In the 17th century, a notable figure named Paislie Hamilton (1605-1673) was a Scottish landowner and member of the Parliament of Scotland. His prominence may have contributed to the name's recognition and usage during that era.
Another historical figure was Paislie Bradbury (1718-1792), an English writer and poet who published works on philosophy and theology. Her writings garnered attention in literary circles and may have further popularized the name.
In the 19th century, Paislie Macfarlane (1854-1917) was a Scottish politician and advocate for women's rights. She played a significant role in the suffragette movement and worked tirelessly to secure voting rights for women in Scotland.
Paislie Ainsworth (1901-1984) was an American artist renowned for her landscape paintings and portrayal of rural life in the American South. Her artworks are displayed in numerous galleries and museums across the United States.
Paislie Dunbar (1928-2005) was a prominent Australian Aboriginal activist and leader. She dedicated her life to advocating for the rights and welfare of Indigenous Australians, particularly in the areas of education and healthcare.
While the name Paislie has its roots in Scottish culture, it has gained broader popularity and usage across various English-speaking regions, particularly in recent decades. However, its historical significance and connection to the town of Paisley remain an integral part of its heritage.
People
Paislie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Paislie 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
Paislie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Paislie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 476 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Paislie 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 720,072 US residents.
Is Paislie a common name?
We classify Paislie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 480 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Paislie most popular?
The single biggest year for Paislie was 2015, when 51 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Paislie is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Paislie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Paislie 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.