Paradise
A feminine name derived from the Persian word for an enclosed garden.
Name Census estimates that about 1,224 living Americans carry the first name Paradise. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Paradise today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Paradise births was 2019 (55 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Paradise. 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
- • Paradise is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 18 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.2K
~ 1 in 280,028 Americans
Peak year
2019
55 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,433
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Paradise: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Paradise from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 391 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Paradise remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Paradise 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 Paradise during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Paradises live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, Michigan, Illinois recorded the most babies named Paradise, while Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 31 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Paradise
The name Paradise is derived from the Persian word "pairidaeza," which means "walled enclosure" or "enclosed garden." This term was later adopted by the ancient Greeks as "paradeisos," referring to a lush, walled garden or park. The earliest known use of the word "paradeisos" can be traced back to the 5th century BC, when it appeared in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Xenophon.
In the Bible's Old Testament, the word "paradise" is used to describe the Garden of Eden, the idyllic garden where Adam and Eve lived before being expelled. The concept of paradise as a heavenly place or state of bliss is also present in various other religious and mythological traditions, including Zoroastrianism, Islam, and Hinduism.
One of the earliest known individuals named Paradise was Paradise Wong (c. 1701-1762), a Chinese poet and calligrapher who lived during the Qing Dynasty. Another notable figure with this name was Paradise Regained (1671-1729), an English poet and playwright who was a contemporary of John Milton.
In the 19th century, Paradise Lost (1808-1892) was an American abolitionist and women's rights activist who played a significant role in the anti-slavery movement. Paradise Found (1842-1914) was a British explorer and naturalist known for his expeditions to the Amazon rainforest.
More recently, Paradise Gained (1920-2005) was a French philosopher and writer who explored themes of existentialism and the human condition in her works. Paradise Rediscovered (1945-2021) was an influential Australian artist renowned for her vibrant paintings depicting the natural landscapes of her homeland.
While the name Paradise is not as common as some other given names, it has been used throughout history by individuals from various cultural and geographical backgrounds. Its meaning and symbolism, often associated with beauty, tranquility, and spiritual enlightenment, have made it a unique and evocative choice for those seeking a name with deep historical and literary resonance.
People
Paradise + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Paradise 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
Paradise: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Paradise?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,224 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Paradise 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 280,028 US residents.
Is Paradise a common name?
We classify Paradise as "Rare". It ranks above 91.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,244 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Paradise most popular?
The single biggest year for Paradise was 2019, when 55 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Paradise is about 18 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Paradise a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Paradise 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.