Pal
A masculine name of Hindi origin meaning "protector" or "friend".
Name Census estimates that about 151 living Americans carry the first name Pal. It is a predominantly male name (92.6% of registrations). The average person named Pal today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pal births was 1961 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pal. 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
151
~ 1 in 2,269,896 Americans
Peak year
1961
12 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
2014 SSA rank
#13,516
Tracked since 1917
Gender
Gender distribution for Pal
Pal leans heavily male at 92.6% of total registrations, but 15 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Pal as a male name
- Ranked #13,516 in 2014
- 5 male births in 2014
- Peak: 1961 (12 births)
Pal as a female name
- Ranked #17,028 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2007 (5 births)
Popularity
Pal: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pal from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 58 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
Pal 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 Pal during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Pals live
Origin
Meaning and history of Pal
The name Pal has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that originated in the Indian subcontinent. In Sanskrit, the word "pal" means "to nourish" or "to nurture." It is believed that the name Pal emerged as a given name during the medieval period in India, around the 6th to 12th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Pal can be found in Hindu texts and scriptures, such as the Puranas and the Mahabharata. In these ancient texts, Pal is mentioned as a name of various characters, both divine and mortal. The name was particularly popular among the warrior class, as it symbolized strength and protection.
During the medieval period in India, the name Pal was widely adopted by rulers and nobles from various dynasties. One of the most prominent figures bearing this name was Pal Raja, who ruled the Pala Empire in the eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent from the 8th to the 12th century. The Pala Empire was known for its patronage of Buddhist art and architecture, and many monuments and temples from this era can still be found in the regions of Bengal and Bihar.
Another notable figure with the name Pal was Pal Naik, a 17th-century Maratha warrior and military leader who played a crucial role in the expansion of the Maratha Empire under the leadership of Shivaji. Pal Naik is remembered for his bravery and strategic military tactics in various battles against the Mughal Empire.
In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook Pal Kavitray, a renowned Bengali poet and scholar who lived during the 18th century. His works, which included poetry, plays, and translations, were highly influential in the literary circles of Bengal and contributed significantly to the development of Bengali literature.
Another notable figure with the name Pal was Pal Singh Bundelkhand, a 19th-century Indian ruler and military leader from the Bundelkhand region. He is remembered for his resistance against the British East India Company and his efforts to protect the sovereignty of his kingdom.
Throughout history, the name Pal has been associated with strength, nurturing, and protection, reflecting its Sanskrit roots. While it originated in the Indian subcontinent, the name has since spread to various parts of the world, transcending cultural and linguistic boundaries.
People
Pal + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pal 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
Pal: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pal?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 151 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pal 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 2,269,896 US residents.
Is Pal a common name?
We classify Pal as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 202 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pal most popular?
The single biggest year for Pal was 1961, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pal is about 47 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pal a male name?
Yes, 92.6% of people registered as Pal 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.