ESC Name Rank Total Searching... No names found Try searching for: Emma, Liam, Olivia, Noah... 2003 First Year 2023 Last Year 2016 Peak Year #8145 Peak Rank 50 Total Count 8 Years Active Advertisement 🌍 ## Meaning & Origin of Ptolemy What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. Ptolemy is a male given name, derived from Ancient Greek and meaning 'warlike'. It is formed from the Epic Greek πτόλεμος ptolemos meaning 'war'. The name was used throughout the Greek world, but was particularly popular in ancient Macedon and its nobility. The earliest recorded use of the name is in the Iliad of Homer. Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy%5F%28name%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy%5F%28name%29) ### Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name) * History 📜Etymology Ptolemy is the English form of the Ancient Greek name Πτολεμαῖος ( Ptolemaios ), a derivative of πτόλεμος , an Epic form of πόλεμος 'war' and the suffix -αῖος -aios meaning 'pertaining' or 'belonging to'. A nephew of Antigonus I Monophthalmus was called Polemaeus , the normal form of the adjective. Ptolemaios is first attested in Homer 's Iliad and is the name of an Achaean warrior, son of Piraeus, father of Eurymedon. The name Ptolemaios varied over the years from its roots in ancient Greece , appearing in different languages in various forms and spellings: Ancient Greek : Πτολεμαῖος Ptolemaî [![Wikipedia thumbnail for Ptolemy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/T%C3%A9tradrachme_du_royaume_Lagide_%C3%A0_l%27effigie_de_Ptol%C3%A9m%C3%A9e.jpg/330px-T%C3%A9tradrachme_du_royaume_Lagide_%C3%A0_l%27effigie_de_Ptol%C3%A9m%C3%A9e.jpg)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy%5F%28name%29) 📖 ## The Story of Ptolemy Ptolemy first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 2003, with 5 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2016: 9 births, good for #8,145 nationwide. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 44% of all recorded Ptolemys. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2023 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 50 Ptolemys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s. ## Popularity Over Time ## Popularity by State ME WA MT ND MN WI MI NY VT NH MA OR ID SD IA IL IN OH PA NJ CT RI CA NV WY NE MO KY WV VA MD DE DC UT CO KS AR TN NC SC AK AZ NM OK LA MS AL GA HI TX FL Top 10 11-50 51-100 101-500 500+ No data 🎶 ## Names that sound like Ptolemy Phonetically similar names — useful when Ptolemy is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. * Ptolomy * Tolmie * Talamo * Tallent * Tolland * Tollon * Telem * [Tallan](/tallan) * Tollan * Tollen * Telline * [Delany](/delany) Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. ❓ ## Frequently Asked Questions about Ptolemy What does the name Ptolemy mean? Ptolemy is a male given name, derived from Ancient Greek and meaning 'warlike'. It is formed from the Epic Greek πτόλεμος ptolemos meaning 'war'. The name was used throughout the Greek world, but was particularly popular in ancient Macedon and its nobility. The earliest recorded use of the name is in the Iliad of Homer. What is the origin of the name Ptolemy? Ptolemy has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: History. How popular is Ptolemy in 2026? In 2026, Ptolemy ranks #12,230 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year. When was Ptolemy most popular? Ptolemy reached its peak popularity in 2016, ranking #8,145 that year with 9 babies given the name. Is Ptolemy a unisex name? In U.S. Social Security records, Ptolemy is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name. What names go well with Ptolemy? Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Ptolemy include Haston, Barrick, Chayim. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data. ## Similar Names [👦HastonPeak #8145](/haston)[👦BarrickPeak #8145](/barrick)[👦ChayimPeak #8145](/chayim)[👦KuranPeak #8145](/kuran)[👦NavenPeak #8145](/naven)[👦SabdielPeak #8145](/sabdiel)[👦AchyutPeak #8145](/achyut)[👦KanninPeak #8145](/kannin) Advertisement ## About the name Ptolemy Ptolemy is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2003 and has accumulated 50 births in the dataset. Ptolemy's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #8,145\. Use the chart and map above to compare Ptolemy's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices. ### Continue exploring * [ Top names of 2016 → ](/year/2016) * [ Names of the 2010s → ](/decade/2010s) * [ Names starting with "P" → ](/letter/p) * [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys) * [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026) Data sources * Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). 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 ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms). * Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/). * Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/). * Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). 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. Advertisement