Patrick

Patrick meaning

Patrick is a Christian and international boy's name of Latin origin.

Patrician, noble; a member of the Roman nobility

Also used to mean: nobleman

Patrick comes from Latin Patricius, from the word patricius, which Lewis & Short translate 'patrician, noble': a member of the patres, the old hereditary nobility of Rome. The name belongs above all to St Patrick, the fifth-century Briton who was carried off to Ireland as a slave, escaped, and returned as a missionary bishop; he is Ireland's patron saint, remembered every 17 March. Schools and churches in India carry his name, and Christian families here still choose it for sons.

Source: Lewis & Short, A Latin Dictionary (1879), s.v. patricius · entry patricius · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026

References: Lewis & Short, patricius (alatius.com) · Wikipedia, Saint Patrick

Famous namesakes

• St Patrick, patron saint of Ireland

Popularity abroad

• #235 United States, boys 2025 (down 14 from 221 in 2024)
  US Social Security Administration
• #134 England and Wales, boys 2025
  Office for National Statistics

Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.

Spellings

Patrick · Patric

Related names

Browse more like this