Boy Names That Start With P
These boy names that start with P come straight from US birth records: 574 different boy names starting with P were given to at least five babies in a single year. The list below starts with the 100 used most often, then splits them into names popular right now, rising names, rare finds and short or long picks.
Philip and Phillip each earned a spot among the ten classics, which shows how often parents split on a single letter. If you pick either, you will spell it out for life, so choose the version you like seeing on paper.
P has 574 boy names. The older ones, Paul and Peter, are short and simple. Newer favorites lean on surname styles ending in -er or -on, such as Parker, Porter and Paxton.
With just one beat, Paul fits neatly in front of a long last name. Patrick has a little more rhythm for a short one.
- Boy names starting with P
- 574
- Most used ever
- Paul 1,386,815 babies
- Most popular in 2017
- Parker #90 overall
- Common endings
- -on, -er, -ll
Top 100 boy names that start with P
Ranked by how many babies have been given each name since 1880. "Peak decade" is when the name was used most; "Trend" compares the ten years to 2017 with the ten years before.
| # | Name | Babies given the name | Peak decade | Rank in 2017 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul | 1,386,815 | 1950s | #225 | Steady |
| 2 | Patrick | 672,425 | 1960s | #171 | Falling |
| 3 | Peter | 574,930 | 1950s | #213 | Steady |
| 4 | Philip | 338,871 | 1950s | #424 | Steady |
| 5 | Phillip | 307,300 | 1950s | #424 | Falling |
| 6 | Preston | 111,253 | 2000s | #190 | Steady |
| 7 | Parker | 100,483 | 2010s | #90 | Rising |
| 8 | Pedro | 88,001 | 1990s | #390 | Steady |
| 9 | Perry | 74,856 | 1950s | #1,260 | Steady |
| 10 | Peyton | 47,682 | 2000s | #339 | Steady |
| 11 | Pablo | 44,036 | 2000s | #442 | Steady |
| 12 | Pete | 43,104 | 1920s | #2,303 | Steady |
| 13 | Percy | 31,399 | 1920s | #1,964 | Steady |
| 14 | Pat | 26,731 | 1960s | not given | Falling |
| 15 | Payton | 23,477 | 2000s | #793 | Falling |
| 16 | Phil | 19,953 | 1940s | #5,260 | Steady |
| 17 | Pierre | 17,631 | 1980s | #1,185 | Steady |
| 18 | Paxton | 17,457 | 2010s | #206 | Rising |
| 19 | Prince | 15,960 | 2010s | #345 | Rising |
| 20 | Porter | 15,834 | 2010s | #398 | Rising |
| 21 | Pierce | 15,685 | 2000s | #522 | Steady |
| 22 | Phoenix | 13,800 | 2010s | #267 | Rising |
| 23 | Pasquale | 9,996 | 1920s | #5,080 | Steady |
| 24 | Paris | 8,733 | 1990s | #1,946 | Steady |
| 25 | Patsy | 7,713 | 1920s | not given | Rare |
| 26 | Palmer | 7,670 | 1920s | #1,084 | Rising |
| 27 | Princeton | 5,294 | 2010s | #404 | Rising |
| 28 | Patricia | 4,962 | 1940s | not given | Falling |
| 29 | Paulo | 4,265 | 2000s | #1,988 | Steady |
| 30 | Patricio | 4,101 | 2000s | #1,907 | Steady |
| 31 | Presley | 4,048 | 2000s | #1,277 | Steady |
| 32 | Pearl | 3,920 | 1920s | not given | Rare |
| 33 | Prentice | 3,849 | 1970s | #4,432 | Steady |
| 34 | Pranav | 3,649 | 2000s | #1,292 | Steady |
| 35 | Price | 3,500 | 2000s | #2,579 | Steady |
| 36 | Porfirio | 3,435 | 1920s | #6,015 | Falling |
| 37 | Paolo | 3,234 | 2000s | #2,202 | Steady |
| 38 | Patric | 3,012 | 1990s | #10,700 | Falling |
| 39 | Pernell | 2,986 | 1960s | #6,307 | Steady |
| 40 | Philippe | 2,891 | 1980s | #4,894 | Steady |
| 41 | Pascual | 2,783 | 1990s | #2,984 | Steady |
| 42 | Prentiss | 2,684 | 1950s | #8,781 | Steady |
| 43 | Parrish | 2,594 | 1960s | #6,307 | Falling |
| 44 | Pierson | 2,392 | 2010s | #1,363 | Rising |
| 45 | Pascal | 2,264 | 1990s | #3,410 | Steady |
| 46 | Pietro | 2,109 | 1970s | #2,824 | Steady |
| 47 | Parth | 1,864 | 1990s | #3,563 | Steady |
| 48 | Phineas | 1,863 | 2010s | #1,378 | Rising |
| 49 | Parris | 1,838 | 1990s | #12,171 | Falling |
| 50 | Paulino | 1,665 | 1990s | #4,432 | Steady |
| 51 | Paden | 1,627 | 2000s | #3,563 | Steady |
| 52 | Park | 1,566 | 1920s | #6,652 | Rising |
| 53 | Prescott | 1,452 | 1990s | #2,472 | Steady |
| 54 | Parnell | 1,422 | 1960s | #8,781 | Falling |
| 55 | Powell | 1,414 | 1920s | #6,015 | Steady |
| 56 | Phillips | 1,305 | 1930s | not given | Falling |
| 57 | Perrin | 1,283 | 2000s | #2,984 | Steady |
| 58 | Pavel | 1,279 | 2000s | #2,984 | Steady |
| 59 | Prentis | 1,255 | 1940s | not given | Falling |
| 60 | Patton | 1,235 | 2010s | #2,025 | Rising |
| 61 | Pearson | 1,208 | 2000s | #2,332 | Steady |
| 62 | Payden | 1,202 | 2000s | #4,712 | Steady |
| 63 | Payne | 1,185 | 2000s | #3,969 | Falling |
| 64 | Panagiotis | 1,176 | 1970s | #4,432 | Steady |
| 65 | Placido | 1,099 | 1920s | not given | Falling |
| 66 | Pink | 1,089 | 1880s | not given | Rare |
| 67 | Payson | 1,066 | 2010s | #2,228 | Rising |
| 68 | Percell | 1,064 | 1950s | not given | Falling |
| 69 | Parks | 1,041 | 2010s | #2,579 | Rising |
| 70 | Perley | 1,020 | 1920s | not given | Rare |
| 71 | Pearce | 1,008 | 2000s | #3,864 | Steady |
| 72 | Percival | 997 | 1920s | #4,894 | Rising |
| 73 | Patryk | 976 | 2000s | #5,260 | Steady |
| 74 | Pieter | 974 | 1980s | not given | Falling |
| 75 | Purvis | 968 | 1920s | not given | Rare |
| 76 | Phong | 959 | 1980s | #7,055 | Steady |
| 77 | Padraic | 955 | 1980s | #10,700 | Steady |
| 78 | Philipp | 906 | 1990s | #5,260 | Steady |
| 79 | Pharaoh | 897 | 2010s | #1,250 | Rising |
| 80 | Pervis | 878 | 1960s | not given | Falling |
| 81 | Perfecto | 876 | 1920s | not given | Falling |
| 82 | Pinchas | 863 | 2000s | #2,984 | Steady |
| 83 | Pryce | 854 | 2010s | #3,105 | Rising |
| 84 | Parish | 850 | 1990s | #12,171 | Steady |
| 85 | Philemon | 834 | 2010s | #4,194 | Rising |
| 86 | Pleas | 831 | 1920s | not given | Rare |
| 87 | Primo | 830 | 1920s | #10,700 | Steady |
| 88 | Philbert | 797 | 1950s | not given | Steady |
| 89 | Peder | 793 | 1970s | not given | Falling |
| 90 | Purnell | 762 | 1960s | not given | Falling |
| 91 | Peterson | 749 | 1980s | #6,015 | Steady |
| 92 | Penn | 741 | 2010s | #2,177 | Rising |
| 93 | Primitivo | 740 | 1970s | not given | Falling |
| 94 | Piotr | 720 | 1990s | #12,171 | Falling |
| 95 | Padraig | 719 | 2000s | #5,743 | Steady |
| 96 | Prestin | 664 | 2000s | #6,015 | Steady |
| 97 | Prestyn | 653 | 2010s | #2,984 | Rising |
| 98 | Patrik | 646 | 1990s | #9,625 | Falling |
| 99 | Pleasant | 629 | 1920s | not given | Rare |
| 100 | Parley | 627 | 1910s | #6,652 | Rising |
Popular boy names starting with P right now
The most used P names for boys in 2017, with their national rank among all boy names.
- Parker #90
- Patrick #171
- Preston #190
- Paxton #206
- Peter #213
- Paul #225
- Phoenix #267
- Peyton #339
- Prince #345
- Pedro #390
- Porter #398
- Princeton #404
- Philip #424
- Phillip #424
- Pablo #442
- Pierce #522
- Payton #793
- Palmer #1084
- Pierre #1185
- Pharaoh #1250
- Perry #1260
- Presley #1277
- Pranav #1292
- Pierson #1363
- Phineas #1378
- Patricio #1907
- Paris #1946
- Percy #1964
- Paulo #1988
- Patton #2025
Rising boy names with P
Names used far more in the last ten years than in the ten years before.
- Princeton
- Paxton
- Prince
- Phoenix
- Porter
- Parker
Unique and rare boy names that start with P
Real names that are still being given today but stay uncommon, so a child is unlikely to share it with a classmate.
- Pranav
- Pierson
- Phineas
- Paolo
- Pharaoh
- Payson
- Patton
- Pryce
- Pavel
- Parth
- Penn
- Pax
- Payden
- Price
- Prestyn
- Pearson
- Paden
- Perseus
- Perrin
- Parks
- Pearce
- Pietro
- Padraig
- Pace
- Pinchas
- Pascual
- Patryk
- Pascal
- Paxon
- Paxson
Classic and vintage P names
Names that peaked before the 1960s. Many are now rare enough to feel fresh again.
- Paul 1950s
- Peter 1950s
- Philip 1950s
- Phillip 1950s
- Perry 1950s
- Pete 1920s
- Percy 1920s
- Phil 1940s
- Pasquale 1920s
- Patsy 1920s
- Palmer 1920s
Short boy names that start with P
Four letters or fewer: easy to spell, easy to call across a playground.
- Paul
- Pete
- Pat
- Phil
- Park
- Pink
- Penn
- Pace
- Polo
- Pax
- Phi
- Prem
- Pius
- Ples
- Per
- Pao
- Paco
- Phuc
- Phu
- Pio
Long boy names with P
Eight letters or more, often with ready-made nicknames.
- Pasquale
- Princeton
- Patricia
- Patricio
- Prentice
- Porfirio
- Philippe
- Prentiss
- Prescott
- Phillips
- Panagiotis
- Percival
- Perfecto
- Philemon
- Philbert
- Peterson
Boy names that start and end with P
Names that begin and end with the same letter, P.
- Philip
- Phillip
- Philipp
- Phyllip
- Phillp
- Pradeep
- Pardeep
- Phillipp
- Prabhdeep
- Philp
- Pomp
Filter every boy name that starts with P
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Looking for girl names too? See girl names that start with P, all names that start with P or the name finder for any letter and ending.
Questions people ask
What is the most popular boy name that starts with P?
Paul is the most used boy name starting with P in US records, given to 1,386,815 babies since 1880. In 2017 the most popular was Parker, ranked #90 among all boy names.
How many boy names start with P?
US birth records list 574 different boy names starting with P, counting every name given to at least five babies in a year.
What are some unique boy names that start with P?
Uncommon names still in use include Pranav, Pierson, Phineas, Paolo, Pharaoh, Payson.
Which boy names start and end with P?
Philip, Phillip, Philipp, Phyllip, Phillp, Pradeep, Pardeep, Phillipp all begin and end with P.
What are short boy names that start with P?
Short picks include Paul, Pete, Pat, Phil, Park, Pink, Penn.
Source: US Social Security baby name records for every name given to at least 5 babies in a year, from 1880 to 2017. Names are grouped as boy names when most babies given the name were boys.