Porchia
Feminine variation of the Italian word meaning "little pig".
Name Census estimates that about 502 living Americans carry the first name Porchia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Porchia today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Porchia births was 1989 (52 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Porchia. 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
502
~ 1 in 682,778 Americans
Peak year
1989
52 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2000 SSA rank
#14,559
Tracked since 1965
Popularity
Porchia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Porchia from the 1960s through to the 2000s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 263 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Porchia 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 Porchia during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Porchias live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Georgia, Michigan, Illinois recorded the most babies named Porchia, while Texas, North Carolina, Mississippi recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Porchia
The name Porchia is thought to have its origins in the Latin language, derived from the word "porcus," which means "pig" or "swine." It is believed to have initially been a surname or a nickname given to individuals who worked with pigs or lived in areas known for pig farming.
During the Middle Ages, the name Porchia was relatively uncommon, but it did appear in some historical records and documents from regions where Latin was spoken. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the 12th century, when a woman named Porchia de Villanova was mentioned in a legal document from the Italian city of Genoa.
In the 14th century, a Franciscan friar named Porchia da Civitanova gained recognition for his religious writings and sermons. He was born in the town of Civitanova, located in the Marche region of Italy, and his works were influential in promoting the values of the Franciscan order.
The name Porchia also appears in several literary works from the Renaissance period. In the 16th century, an Italian poet and philosopher named Porchia del Vasto wrote a collection of aphorisms titled "Thoughts and Sayings," which explored themes of morality, virtue, and the human condition.
In the 18th century, a French noblewoman named Porchia de La Rochefoucauld was known for her philanthropic efforts and support for the arts. She hosted salons in Paris, where intellectuals and artists would gather to discuss literature, philosophy, and cultural topics.
Another notable figure with the name Porchia was Porchia Nefertari, an Egyptian queen who lived during the 19th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, around the 13th century BCE. She was the wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II and played a significant role in religious and ceremonial activities during her husband's reign.
While the name Porchia has remained relatively uncommon throughout history, it has been carried by individuals from various backgrounds and professions, ranging from religious figures and poets to noblewomen and queens. Despite its unusual origins, the name has persisted across different cultures and time periods, reflecting the diversity of human experiences and histories.
People
Porchia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Porchia 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
Porchia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Porchia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 502 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Porchia 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 682,778 US residents.
Is Porchia a common name?
We classify Porchia as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 528 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Porchia most popular?
The single biggest year for Porchia was 1989, when 52 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Porchia is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Porchia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Porchia 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.