Patsy
Patsy is a given name often used as a diminutive of the feminine given name Patricia or sometimes the masculine name Patrick, or occasionally other names containing the syllable "Pat". Among Italian Americans, it is often used as a pet name for Pasquale.
Meaning & Origin of Patsy
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Patsy is a given name often used as a diminutive of the feminine given name Patricia or sometimes the masculine name Patrick, or occasionally other names containing the syllable "Pat". Among Italian Americans, it is often used as a pet name for Pasquale.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Patsy
As a girl name
Patsy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 15 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1941, when 4,788 Patsys were born — ranking #52 that year. As of 2026, Patsy ranks #6,671 for girls with 17 births, rising sharply (+16% over the past five years). In total, more than 119K Patsys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Patsy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1886, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1921, when 324 Patsys were born — ranking #326 that year. As of 2026, Patsy ranks #8,435 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 8K Patsys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Patsy
Phonetically similar names — useful when Patsy 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 Patsy
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About the name Patsy
Patsy is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 119K births in the dataset. Patsy's peak popularity came in 1941 when it ranked #52. Use the chart and map above to compare Patsy's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1941 →
- Names of the 1940s →
- 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.