American Submitted Names

American names are used in the United States. See also about American names.
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
Paitin f & m English
Variant of Peyton.
Paitlyn f American (Modern, Rare)
Unknown. Possibly a combination of Payton and Kaitlyn.
Paiton f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Peyton.
Paizlei f English
Alternate spelling of Paisley.
Paley f English (Modern, Rare)
Modern name, probably based on the sounds found in other names such as Paisley and Hayley; in other words, a combination of the popular phonetic elements pay and lee... [more]
Pallie f English
Either a variant of Polly or a diminutive of Opal, Pauline, or other names containing Pal- or Paul-.
Pamala f English
Variant of Pamela.
Pamelina f English
Perhaps an elaboration of Pamela.
Pamelyn f English (Modern, Rare)
Variant of Pamela using the name suffix lyn.
Pami f English
Diminutive of Pamela.
Pammie f English
Diminutive of Pamela.
Pammy f English
Diminutive of Pamela.
Pammye f English (Rare)
Variant spelling of Pammy.
Panda f American (Rare)
The origin of the word panda is the Nepalese word nigalya ponya, which means 'eater of bamboo'.
Pandra f African American
Meaning unknown.
Pandy f English
A nickname for Pandora.
Papaya f English
From the fruit papaya, which is a large, yellow, melonlike fruit of a tropical American shrub or small tree, Carica papaya, eaten raw or cooked.
Paprika f American (Modern, Rare), Popular Culture
Modern name given after the spice paprika.
Paradise f English (Rare)
From the English word meaning "heaven, the garden of Eden", ultimately from Avestan pairidaēza "enclosure, park" (compare the cognate Firdaus).
Paralee f American (South, Archaic)
Of uncertain origin and meaning.
Pareise f & m African American (Modern, Rare)
American and English variant of Paris 1 or Paris 2.
Parklyn f English (American, Modern, Rare)
Combination of Park and the name suffix -lyn.
Parley m English (American, Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Parley.
Parrish m English
"Parrish" is a novel by Mildred Savage that was published in 1958.
Parsley f English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Parsley.
Parson m English
Transferred from the surname Parson which came from the title meaning rector or viscar.
Parthena f English (Rare), Ancient Greek, Greek
Derived from Greek παρθένος (parthenos) meaning "maiden, virgin".
Parthenya f English (Rare)
Rare spelling variant of Parthenia.
Paschalle f English
Feminisation of Paschal, given rarely in Catholic regions.
Passion f English (Rare)
First recorded as a given name in the 16th century, the name Passion was originally used by Christian parents in reference to the "Passion of Christ", a term denoting the suffering of Jesus. The word itself is derived from Latin passio "suffering", ultimately from Latin patior "to suffer; to endure" and was originally used to describe any suffering or pain concerning the body... [more]
Pastel f English
From mid 17th century: via French from Italian pastello, diminutive of pasta ‘paste’.
Patch m English (American)
Short form of Patrick, coming from how the sequence ⟨tr⟩ is pronounced like ⟨ch⟩ in many dialects of American English.... [more]
Patches f & m English (Rare), Pet
From the English word patches, which is a plural noun of patch.
Patchouli f Popular Culture, English (Rare)
Patchouli comes from the bushy herb of the mint family and bears tiny pink-white flowers. A bearer of this name is Patchouli Knowledge, a character from the Touhou Project.
Paterson m English (Rare), Scottish (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Paterson.
Patina f English (Modern, Rare)
Patina is a thin layer that variously forms on the surface of stone, on copper, bronze and similar metals, on wooden furniture or any such acquired change of a surface through age and exposure.
Patra f English (Rare), Greek (Rare)
Possibly a variant of Petra or a short form of Cleopatra.
Patricea f English (Rare, ?)
Extended form of Patrice 2 or variant of Patricia.
Patrika f English (American, Rare)
Feminine form of Patrick. This name is borne by American actress Patrika Darbo.
Patrina f English
Feminine diminutive of Patrick influenced by Katrina
Patrine f English (Rare)
Combination of "Patricia" and "Katrine".
Patrisse f African American
Probably derived from the French name Patrice 1.... [more]
Patronella f English
Meaning Rock and is of English origin.
Patsye f English
The feminine spelling of Patsy.
Pattye f English
Feminine alternative to Patty.
Pattylou f American (South)
Combination of Patty and Lou.
Pattyn f English
Variant and feminine form of Patton.
Paulaina f English (Rare)
Variant of the name Paulina, influenced by the spelling of the name Laina.
Pauley f & m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pauley.
Paulinea f English
Variant of Paulina.
Paulisa f English (American, Rare)
Possibly a feminine form of Paul.
Paull m English (Archaic)
Variant of Paul recorded in the 16th century.
Paulmichael m English (Rare)
Combination of Paul and Michael.
Paulownia f English (Rare)
From the name of the genus of flowering plants which were named after the Russian-Dutch queen Anna Pavlovna/Anna Paulowna.
Pauly m English
Variant spelling of Paulie.
Paulyn f English (Rare)
Variant of Pauline or feminization of Paul with the popular suffix -lyn.
Pavia f English (Rare), Medieval English
Medieval English name of uncertain origin and meaning. Current theories include a derivation from Old French pavie "peach" and a derivation from Old French Pavie "woman from Pavia", a historic city in Italy... [more]
Pavielle f African American (Rare)
From Pavi Elle, the name of a 1983 Avon perfume.
Paw f English
Paw refers to the soft foot of a mammal or other animal, generally a quadruped, that has claws or nails; comparable to a human hand or foot. It is a modern name in the US and first appeared in the name records in 2008.
Paxson m English
Transferred use of the surname Paxson.
Paxtyn f & m English (American, Modern, Rare)
Variant or feminine form of Paxton.
Pay m & f English (Rare)
Nickname for Payton.
Payne m English
Transferred use of the surname Payne.
Payslie f English
Variant of Paisley.
Payson m & f English (American, Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Payson.
Payten f English
Variant of Peyton.
Paytin m English
Variant of Peyton.
Paytun m English
Variant of Peyton.
Peach f English (Modern), Popular Culture
Derived from the name of the fruit, which itself derived its name from Late Latin persica, which came from older Latin malum persicum meaning "Persian fruit." In popular culture, this is the name of the Nintendo video game character Princess Peach, whom Mario often rescues from the evil Bowser.
Peaches f English (Rare)
Literally derived from the English word peaches, which is the plural form of peach, the fruit. It is derived from Late Middle English from Old French pesche, from medieval Latin persica, from Latin persicum, meaning "Persian apple".
Peachlyn f African American (Rare)
Combination of the word peach and the popular suffix -lyn.
Peachtreanna f African American (Rare), Obscure
Blend of the phrase "peach tree" and Anna.
Peachy f American (South, Rare, Archaic)
Likely from the American English slang meaning "fine; excellent".
Peanut m & f English (Rare)
Back-formation from pease, originally an uncountable noun meaning "peas" that was construed as a plural, combined with Middle English nute, note, from Old English hnutu, from Proto-Germanic *hnuts (“nut”) (compare West Frisian nút, Dutch noot, German Nuss, Danish nød, Swedish nöt, Norwegian nøtt), from Proto-Indo-European *knew- (compare Irish cnó, Latin nux (“walnut”), Albanian nyç (“a gnarl”)).
Pearla f American (South, Archaic)
Latinate form of Pearl; in some cases it may also be a borrowing of Perla.
Pearlean f African American (Rare, Archaic)
a spelling variant of Pearline used chiefly by African Americans
Pearleen f & m English
Variant of Pearline.
Pearlette f English (Rare)
Anglicized form of Perlette. A known bearer of this name is Pearlette Louisy (b. 1946), the Governor-General of the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia.
Pearley m English
Transferred use of the surname Pearley.
Pearline f English (American, Rare)
Anglicized form of Perline. Also compare Perlina.
Pearlita f English (Rare), American (Hispanic), Jamaican Patois, Trinidadian Creole
Anglicized variant of Perlita, or a combination of Pearl and the Spanish diminutive suffix -ita (to mean "little pearl").
Pearly f English
Variant of Pearlie.
Pearlynn f English (Rare)
Combination of Pearl and Lynn, primarily used as a Western name in Singapore.
Pearson m English (American, Modern)
Transferred from the surname Pearson.
Pebbles f Popular Culture, English (Modern, Rare)
Pebbles Flintstone is a character in the classic American cartoon series The Flintstones (1960-1966). The series and the character are largely responsible for the occasional use of this name from the latter 20th century onwards.
Pecola f African American, American (South)
Meaning unknown, perhaps an invented name. The American author Toni Morrison used it in her novel The Bluest Eye (1970) for the protagonist, a young African-American girl named Pecola Breedlove who descends into madness as a result of abuse.
Pedros m American (Rare)
Variant of Petros, influenced by the spelling of Pedro. ... [more]
Peerless m African American (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Peerless. It coincides with an English word meaning "having no equal, matchless"... [more]
Pegeen f English, Irish (?)
Elaboration of Peggy, used as a diminutive of Margaret.
Pegg f English
Short form of Peggy / Peggie.
Peggi f English
Variant of Peggy.
Peirce m American (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pierce.
Pelagía f Louisiana Creole (Archaic)
Louisiana Spanish form of Pelagia.
Pelham m English
Transferred usage of the surname Pelham.
Pemberley f English (Modern, Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pemberley. This also coincides with the fictional estate owned by one of the characters in Jane Austen's 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice.
Pemberton m English
Transferred use of the surname Pemberton.
Pembroke m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pembroke.
Pemma f English (Modern, Rare)
Meaning unknown. A possible variant of Emma or a diminutive of Pamela, or possibly derived from the surname Pemma, of unknown meaning or origin... [more]
Penda f African American
From the Swahili verb kupenda "to love, to like, to be pleasant".
Pendleton m English
Transferred use of the surname Pendleton.
Peniel m & f English (American, Modern, Rare)
From a biblical place name (Gen 32:30) meaning "face of God".... [more]
Penina f Hebrew, English (American, Archaic)
Variant transliteration of Peninnah.
Penn m English, Welsh Mythology
Means "head, top" in Welsh. This was the name of two characters in Welsh legend. It can also come from the English surname which was from a place name meaning "hill" in Old English.
Penna f American
The Latin word for "feather, wing". American actor Ian Ziering has a daughter named Penna, born 2013.
Penney f English
Variant of Penny.
Pennie f English
Variant of Penny.
Pennington m & f English (American, Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Pennington.
Pennylane f Filipino (Rare), English
Likely given in reference to the Beatles' song Penny Lane.
Penrose m American (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Penrose.
Peola f African American
Used in Fannie Hurst's novel Imitation of Life (1933) and its 1934 film adaptation, where it belongs to a young light-skinned African-American woman who decides to pass as white.
Peppermint m English (Rare)
He who is wise, he who brings peace, he who brings prosperity, hospitality, harmony, and he who learns from mistakes and grows along the journey.
Perc m English
Diminutive of Percival.
Perci m English
Variant of Percy.
Perdida f American (South, Rare, Archaic)
Respelling of Perdita which might have arisen based on a dialectal pronunciation.
Perdy f English (Rare)
Either a diminutive of Perdita or a variant of Purdie.
Peregrin m Literature, English, German (Rare, Archaic)
English variant of Peregrine as well as the German form of Peregrine. Peregrin "Pippin" Took is a character in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
Perenelle f French, English, Literature, Medieval French
Old French form of Petronilla borne by Perenelle Flamel (1320-1402), wife and fellow alchemist of Nicolas Flamel. They are known for their quest to discover the philosopher's stone, a legendary substance said to turn any metal into gold and to make its owner immortal.... [more]
Perfect f & m English (Rare)
English form of Perfectus.
Perfection m & f English (Rare), English (African, Rare), African American (Rare), Filipino (Rare)
From the word perfection, referring to the quality or state of being perfect or complete.
Peri f English
Feminine variant of Perry.
Perian f English (Rare), American (South)
Combination of Perry and Ann. It was brought to some public attention in 1959 by Perian Conerly, a Mississippi-born sports columnist for The New York Times and the wife of New York Giants quarterback Charlie Conerly; in late 1959, she appeared as a contestant on the American game show What's My Line?... [more]
Peridot f & m English (Rare)
Taken from the name of the gemstone, whose name is of uncertain origin and meaning. A current theory, however, derives it from Anglo-Norman pedoretés, ultimately from Greek paiderôs (via Latin paederos): pais "child" and erôs "love".... [more]
Periwinkle f English (Rare)
From the English word for the color "periwinkle", from Middle English parwynke, referring to a "light blue and purple shade". It's also the name of a flower.
Perk m English (Rare)
A diminutive of Perkin and Perkins or a nickname. One bearer is Canadian hockey forward Percival Walter "Perk" Galbraith (1898-1961).
Perkins m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Perkins.
Perley m American (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Perley.
Perlina f Italian (Rare), Spanish (Rare), English (American, Rare)
Diminutive of Perla. In other words: you could say that this name is the Italian and Spanish cognate of Perline... [more]
Permilia f English (American, Archaic)
Variant of Permelia, which is of unknown origin; possibly a variant of Pamela or a contraction of Pearl and Amelia.
Pernell m English (American)
Transferred use of the surname Pernell.
Pernie f American (South)
This appears sporadically outside the U.S. Top 1000 and was found mainly in Southern States. My speculation is that it is an offshoot of Calpurnia, but I cannot verify if this is the source of the name.
Perrey m & f English (Rare)
Variant of Perry.
Perri f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Perry. Also used as a diminutive of names that begin with Per-, e.g. Persephone.
Perrianne f English (American, Rare)
Combination of Perri and Anne 1. Also see Perian.
Perrie f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Perry and Perri. It can also be used as a diminutive of names that begin with Per- and have the 'per' sound within the name and at the ending of the name... [more]
Persephanie f English (American, Modern, Rare)
Variant of Persephone, possibly influenced by Stephanie in its spelling.
Pershing m English (American)
Most likely used as a first name due to John Joseph Pershing, General of the Armies for the United States at the end of World War I. His paternal ancestors were of German descent, and the original spelling was likely Pfoersching... [more]
Persia f English (Rare)
From the name of the Middle Eastern country Persia, now referred to as Iran. Its name is derived from Avestan Parsa, the ancient tribal name of the people ruled by Cyrus the Great.... [more]
Persimmon m & f English (Rare)
From the name of the Persimmon, a brightly colored fruit. The word persimmon is derived from Powhatan, an Algonquian language of the eastern United States, meaning "a dry fruit".... [more]
Persy f English
Diminutive of Persephone.
Pert f Literature, Theatre, English (American, Rare)
Meaning uncertain, but likely derived from the English word pert.... [more]
Pervis m English
Variant of Purvis.
Peterina f English, Scottish, Dutch
Elaboration of Peter, feminized with the suffix -ina.
Peters m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Peters.
Peterson m English (Rare)
Transferred use of the surname Peterson.
Petey m English
Diminutive of Peter.
Petie m English (Rare), Obscure (?)
Variation of Petey. There is a typhoon in the 1950 Pacific typhoon season with this name.
Petrea f & m English, Romanian, Danish, Swedish (Rare), Norwegian (Rare), Icelandic (Rare)
Elaborated form of Petra and Romanian variant of Petre.
Petria f English
Elaboration of Petra.
Petrova f English, Literature
Russian patronymic last name. Petrova is the name of one of the Fossil sisters in the book (and movie) 'Ballet Shoes' by Noel Streatfeild.
Pettifleur f English
A female English name. It is the first name of Real Housewife of Melbourne Pettifleur Berenger (1964-).
Petulia f English
Possible variation or elaboration of Petula.
Peyote m English
Mid 19th century from Latin American Spanish, from Nahuatl peyotl, meaning "glisten" or "glistening". Other sources translate the Nahuatl word as "Divine Messenger"
Peytan f & m English
Variant of Peyton.
Peytin f & m English (Rare)
Variant of Peyton.
Pfeiffer f & m English (Modern, Rare)
Transferred use of the German surname Pfeiffer.
Phanessa f English (American, Rare), English (Australian, Rare)
Perhaps intended to be a feminine form of Phanes, probably influenced by the name Vanessa. In Greek mythology, Phanes was a primeval god of procreation whose name derived from Greek phainô "to bring light, make clear".
Phania f English
Diminutive of Stephania.
Phantom m American (South, Rare, Archaic)
From the English word "phantom" a synonym for "ghost", ultimately from Greek φάντασμα (phántasma) "phantom, ghost", "vision, dream", "fantasy".
Pharah f English, Arabic
Variant of Farah.
Pharaoh m English, Mormon, African American
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the rulers of all Ancient Egyptian dynasties. Historically, however, "pharaoh" only started being used as a title for the king during the New Kingdom, specifically during the middle of the eighteenth dynasty, after the reign of Hatshepsut... [more]
Pharell m English
Variant of Pharrell.
Pharisee f English (American, Rare, Archaic)
Primarily Southeastern in the United States, dating back to the 1840s and also used in the early 20th century.... [more]