Boy · #12,230 in 2026

Ptolemy

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.

Current Rank
#12,230
Peak Rank
#8,145 (2016)
Total Babies
50
5-Yr Trend
Stable
2003
First Year
2023
Last Year
2016
Peak Year
#8145
Peak Rank
50
Total Count
8
Years Active

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 (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

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

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. Its peak popularity came in 2016, when 9 Ptolemys were born — ranking #8,145 that year. As of 2026, Ptolemy ranks #12,230 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. 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
  • Tollan
  • Tollen
  • Telline
  • Delany

Source: Datamuse . 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.
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

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Haston
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Barrick
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Chayim
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Kuran
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Naven
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Sabdiel
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Achyut
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Kannin
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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

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.