Holding steady, #12,008 for boys today.
Popularity of Papa since 1993
Babies named Papa per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 35 |
| 2000s | 111 |
| 2010s | 85 |
| 2020s | 32 |
Meaning & origin
Papa is a modern American name that directly reflects the English word for father. It first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1993 and reached its peak rank of 12,008 in 2003, with a frequency of about 1 in 341,615 newborns that year. The name has remained stable in usage since the 2000s, maintaining a consistent but rare presence. Its top state usage shows no strong regional preference, indicating broad but infrequent adoption across the country. Papa as a given name likely draws from the universal term for a parent, similar to other kinship names like Mama or Nana, though it remains a distinctive choice.
Papa is a modern English name taken directly from the informal word for father. It has been used as a given name in the United States since the 1990s, likely influenced by the affectionate term and similar names in other cultures. The name saw its peak popularity in 2003.
“Papa” around the world
Where Papa lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
15
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Papa
Names that share Papa's style, for a brother or sister.
