Priest
One who officiates at religious services or ceremonies.
Name Census estimates that about 525 living Americans carry the first name Priest. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Priest today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Priest births was 2019 (50 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Priest. 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
525
~ 1 in 652,865 Americans
Peak year
2019
50 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,148
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Priest: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Priest from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 166 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
Priest 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 Priest during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Priests live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Texas, Illinois, Ohio recorded the most babies named Priest, while Michigan, Ohio, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Priest
The given name Priest originated as an occupational surname in the English language, referring to someone who served as a cleric or minister in a Christian church. It likely derived from the Old English word "preost," which itself stemmed from the Latin "presbyter" and Greek "presbyteros," meaning "elder."
In ancient times, the name may have been used as a title or descriptor for religious leaders rather than a personal name. Its earliest recorded use as a given name is difficult to pinpoint, but it likely emerged during the Middle Ages as occupational surnames became more common.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the first name Priest was Priest Weston, an English puritan minister who lived from 1601 to 1659. He served as a minister in various parishes and was known for his religious writings.
Another historical figure with the name was Priest Opitts, a Native American of the Pequot tribe who lived in the 17th century. He was a prominent leader and diplomat during the Pequot War, which took place in present-day Connecticut.
In the 18th century, Priest Potter was a notable American patriot and soldier during the American Revolutionary War. He fought in several battles and was known for his bravery and dedication to the cause of independence.
Priest Brigham, born in 1801, was an early leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was a close associate of Joseph Smith and played a significant role in the establishment of the LDS Church in Utah.
Priest Richardson, born in 1873, was an American baseball player who played in the Negro leagues in the early 20th century. He was a skilled outfielder and is remembered as one of the pioneers of the Negro leagues.
While the name Priest has been used throughout history, it has remained relatively uncommon as a given name in modern times. However, its historical significance and connections to religious and occupational roots make it a unique and intriguing name choice.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Priest
People
Priest + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Priest 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
Priest: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Priest?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 525 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Priest 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 652,865 US residents.
Is Priest a common name?
We classify Priest as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 537 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Priest most popular?
The single biggest year for Priest was 2019, when 50 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Priest is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Priest a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Priest in the SSA data are male. 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.