Prestine
An English name derived from the word "pristine", suggesting purity or immaculateness.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Prestine. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Prestine today is around 79 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Prestine births was 1927 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Prestine. 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
- • The typical person named Prestine is about 79 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Prestines were born before 1957.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Prestine. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
1927
5 babies that year
Average age
79
years old
1952 SSA rank
#6,213
Tracked since 1927
Popularity
Prestine: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Prestine from the 1920s through to the 1950s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Prestine 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 Prestine 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 Prestine
The name Prestine originates from the Latin word "praestans," which means "excellent" or "outstanding." It emerged during the late Roman period, around the 3rd or 4th century AD, as a way to express admiration and respect for an individual's remarkable qualities or achievements.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Prestine can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus, who documented the life of a prominent military commander named Prestine Valens, who lived in the 4th century AD. Valens was known for his bravery and strategic prowess on the battlefield, earning him the honorific "Prestine" from his soldiers and contemporaries.
In the 6th century AD, a Christian martyr named Prestine of Avranches was venerated in the region of Normandy, France, for her unwavering faith and sacrifice. Her name appeared in several hagiographies (writings about the lives of saints) and local church records, further solidifying the name's association with admirable virtues.
During the Middle Ages, the name Prestine gained popularity among the nobility and wealthy merchant classes, who often bestowed it upon their children as a symbol of their aspirations for their offspring's future success and distinction. One notable bearer of the name was Prestine di Salviati, a wealthy Florentine banker and patron of the arts, who lived in the 15th century and commissioned works from renowned artists like Botticelli and Ghirlandaio.
In the 16th century, the name Prestine appeared in the literary works of the English playwright William Shakespeare, who used it for a minor character in his play "The Taming of the Shrew." This literary reference helped to further disseminate the name across Europe and beyond.
Another famous historical figure named Prestine was the Italian architect and engineer Prestine Fontana, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Fontana was responsible for designing and constructing several notable buildings in Rome, including the Palazzo Nuovo and the Lateran Palace, and his name became synonymous with architectural excellence.
Throughout the centuries, the name Prestine has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, and leaders, each contributing to the rich tapestry of its historical significance and enduring appeal.
People
Prestine + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Prestine 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
Prestine: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Prestine?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Prestine 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Prestine a common name?
We classify Prestine as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 15 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Prestine most popular?
The single biggest year for Prestine was 1927, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Prestine is about 79 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Prestine a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Prestine 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.