Paquita
A feminine Spanish diminutive form of the name "Francisca", meaning "little French woman".
Name Census estimates that about 155 living Americans carry the first name Paquita. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Paquita today is around 56 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Paquita births was 1973 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Paquita. 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
155
~ 1 in 2,211,318 Americans
Peak year
1973
14 babies that year
Average age
56
years old
1983 SSA rank
#8,713
Tracked since 1935
Popularity
Paquita: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Paquita from the 1930s through to the 1980s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 82 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Paquita remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Paquita 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 Paquita 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 Paquita
The name Paquita is a Spanish diminutive form of the name Francisca, which is ultimately derived from the Latin name Franciscus, meaning "Frenchman." The name Franciscus itself is believed to have originated as a nickname for someone from France or a Frenchman.
The name Paquita gained popularity in Spain during the Middle Ages, particularly after the 13th century. It was often used as a nickname or pet form of Francisca, which was a more formal and commonly used name at the time. The diminutive form Paquita added a sense of endearment and familiarity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Paquita can be found in the works of Spanish playwright and poet Lope de Vega, who lived from 1562 to 1635. In his play "El mejor alcalde, el rey" (The Best Mayor, the King), one of the female characters is named Paquita.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Paquita. One prominent example is Paquita Rich (1786-1851), a British actress and dancer known for her performances in pantomimes and ballets during the early 19th century.
Another notable Paquita was Paquita la del Barrio (born Francisca Viveros Barrios in 1947), a Mexican singer and actress who rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s with her traditional Mexican folk songs and ranchera music.
In the world of literature, Paquita Madriguera (1900-1965) was a Spanish poet and novelist who wrote works that explored themes of feminism, social injustice, and the experiences of women in Spain during the early 20th century.
The name Paquita also appears in classical music. Paquita, a ballet choreographed by Marius Petipa, premiered in 1846 and has remained a staple in the repertoire of many ballet companies around the world.
Another notable figure was Paquita la del Barrio (1926-2004), a flamenco dancer and choreographer from Spain who helped popularize and preserve the art of flamenco dance through her performances and teachings.
While these are just a few examples, the name Paquita has been used throughout history in various cultural and artistic contexts, reflecting its Spanish roots and enduring popularity as a diminutive form of Francisca.
People
Paquita + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Paquita 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
Paquita: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Paquita?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 155 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Paquita 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 2,211,318 US residents.
Is Paquita a common name?
We classify Paquita as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 188 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Paquita most popular?
The single biggest year for Paquita was 1973, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Paquita is about 56 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Paquita a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Paquita 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.