Passion
An English name conveying intense emotions, fervor, or ardent affection.
Name Census estimates that about 2,377 living Americans carry the first name Passion. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Passion today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Passion births was 1992 (85 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Passion. 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
2.4K
~ 1 in 144,196 Americans
Peak year
1992
85 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,528
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Passion: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Passion from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 690 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Passion 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 Passion during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Passions live
The SSA's state-level files cover 15 states and territories. Illinois, California, Texas recorded the most babies named Passion, while Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Indiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 47 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Passion
The name Passion has its origins in the Latin word 'passio', which means 'suffering' or 'enduring'. It was derived from the verb 'pati', which translates to 'to suffer' or 'to endure'. The name gained significance in the Christian tradition, where it was associated with the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, known as the 'Passion of Christ'.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Passion can be found in medieval Christian literature, particularly in the writings of mystics and religious scholars who explored the spiritual significance of Christ's suffering. In the 13th century, the German mystic and philosopher Meister Eckhart wrote extensively about the concept of 'Passion' as a means of achieving spiritual union with the divine.
Throughout history, the name Passion has been borne by several notable individuals, primarily within the realm of religion and spirituality. One such figure was Passion of Belmonte (1228-1296), an Italian nun and mystic known for her visions and devotion to the Passion of Christ. Passion Fagan (1537-1612) was an Irish Catholic martyr who was executed during the era of religious persecution in Ireland.
In the realm of literature, Passion Bowman (1791-1868) was an American poet and writer who explored themes of spirituality and nature in her works. Passion Vaux (1836-1912) was a French writer and journalist known for her works on feminist and social issues.
Another notable bearer of the name was Passion Skye (1951-2008), a Native American activist and artist who dedicated her life to preserving and promoting indigenous cultures and traditions. She was recognized for her contributions to the preservation of Native American languages and art forms.
While the name Passion is relatively uncommon as a first name, it has been imbued with deep spiritual and literary significance throughout history, reflecting the human experience of suffering, endurance, and the pursuit of transcendence.
People
Passion + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Passion 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
Passion: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Passion?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,377 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Passion 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 144,196 US residents.
Is Passion a common name?
We classify Passion as "Rare". It ranks above 94.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,445 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Passion most popular?
The single biggest year for Passion was 1992, when 85 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Passion is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Passion a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Passion 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.