Patra
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "leaf" or "feather".
Name Census estimates that about 408 living Americans carry the first name Patra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Patra today is around 49 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Patra births was 1994 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Patra. 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
408
~ 1 in 840,084 Americans
Peak year
1994
34 babies that year
Average age
49
years old
2004 SSA rank
#15,591
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Patra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Patra from the 1910s through to the 2000s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 133 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
Patra 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 Patra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Patras live
Origin
Meaning and history of Patra
The name Patra has its origins in the Sanskrit language, originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "patra," which means "leaf" or "feather." The name's earliest recorded use dates back to ancient Hindu texts and scriptures, where it was often associated with nature, growth, and beauty.
One of the most notable historical references to the name Patra can be found in the Hindu epic Mahabharata. In this ancient text, Patra is mentioned as the name of a warrior who fought alongside the Pandava princes during the great Kurukshetra War. This reference highlights the name's association with bravery and strength in ancient Indian culture.
The name Patra also holds significance in Buddhist philosophy, where it is associated with the concept of impermanence and the transitory nature of life. In some Buddhist texts, the name is used as a metaphor for the fleeting nature of existence, likening it to the brief lifespan of a leaf.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Patra. One of the earliest recorded examples is Patra Gupta (320-380 CE), an Indian philosopher and mathematician who made significant contributions to the development of the Hindu numeral system and the concept of zero.
Another famous Patra was Patra Sahni (1909-1992), an Indian archaeologist and paleobotanist who made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of plant fossils and played a crucial role in uncovering the ancient Indus Valley Civilization.
In the realm of literature, Patra Acharya (1936-1998) was a renowned Nepali poet and writer, known for her poignant works that explored themes of social injustice, feminism, and the human condition.
Moving to the world of sports, Patra Maugham (1928-2008) was a British athlete and Olympian who competed in the high jump event at the 1952 and 1956 Olympic Games.
Finally, in the field of art, Patra Pratimadevi (1961-present) is a celebrated Indian sculptor and installation artist, known for her innovative use of traditional materials and techniques to explore contemporary themes and narratives.
People
Patra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Patra 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
Patra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Patra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 408 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Patra 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 840,084 US residents.
Is Patra a common name?
We classify Patra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 82.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 517 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Patra most popular?
The single biggest year for Patra was 1994, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Patra is about 49 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Patra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Patra 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.