Paddy
Paddy is a unisex given name. It is often short for Patrick, Patricia, or Pádraig.
Meaning & Origin of Paddy
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Paddy is a unisex given name. It is often short for Patrick, Patricia, or Pádraig.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Paddy
As a girl name
Paddy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1928, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1934, when 28 Paddys were born — ranking #1,372 that year. As of 2026, Paddy ranks #6,244 for girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 248 Paddys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Paddy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1929, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1948, when 8 Paddys were born — ranking #2,788 that year. As of 2026, Paddy ranks #9,668 for boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 93 Paddys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Paddy
Phonetically similar names — useful when Paddy is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Paddy
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How popular is Paddy in 2026?
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About the name Paddy
Paddy is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1928 and has accumulated 248 births in the dataset. Paddy's peak popularity came in 1934 when it ranked #1,372. Use the chart and map above to compare Paddy's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1934 →
- Names of the 1930s →
- Names starting with "P" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.