Pansie
A flower name derived from the French word pensée, meaning "thought".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Pansie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pansie today is around 86 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pansie births was 1918 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pansie. 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.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Pansie is about 86 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pansies were born before 1950.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Pansie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1918
10 babies that year
Average age
86
years old
1948 SSA rank
#5,824
Tracked since 1906
Popularity
Pansie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pansie from the 1900s through to the 1940s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 29 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Pansie remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pansie 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 Pansie 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 Pansie
The name Pansie is a feminine given name derived from the French word "pensée," meaning "thought" or "pansy" (the flower). It is believed to have originated in the late 16th or early 17th century, during the Renaissance period in Europe.
The pansy flower, with its distinct and vibrant colors, was a popular motif in art and literature during the Renaissance. The name Pansie may have been inspired by the flower's symbolic association with loving thoughts or romantic affection. It was sometimes used as a poetic term of endearment or as a nickname for a beloved woman.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Pansie can be found in the works of English poet and playwright William Shakespeare. In his play "Hamlet," written around 1602, there is a character named Pansie, though it is a minor role.
The name Pansie gained some popularity in England and other parts of Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Notable individuals who bore this name include Pansie Hart Hendee (1855-1935), an American author and playwright known for her books on domestic life and etiquette.
Another notable bearer of the name was Pansie Abbott (1884-1982), a British artist and painter who was part of the Newlyn School of artists in Cornwall. She was known for her landscapes and seascapes depicting the Cornish countryside.
In the literary world, Pansie Munro (1895-1975) was a Scottish author and poet who wrote several collections of poetry, including "The Chequered Dance" and "The Fugitive Voice."
Pansie Voilleque (1888-1964) was a French-born American artist and sculptor known for her works in bronze and terracotta. She spent much of her career in New York City and was a member of various art organizations.
Another notable bearer of the name was Pansie Kendall (1887-1967), an American actress and vaudeville performer who appeared in several Broadway productions in the early 20th century.
While the name Pansie was more popular in the past, it has become relatively uncommon in modern times. However, its unique and floral origins make it a distinctive and charming choice for those seeking a name with a touch of historical and literary significance.
People
Pansie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pansie 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
Pansie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pansie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pansie 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Pansie a common name?
We classify Pansie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 78 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pansie most popular?
The single biggest year for Pansie was 1918, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pansie is about 86 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pansie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pansie 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.