Declining since 2014, #10,695 for boys today.
Popularity of Patterson since 1912
Babies named Patterson per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2013, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Patterson's real moment was 1914.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 34 |
| 1920s | 47 |
| 1930s | 22 |
| 1940s | 66 |
| 1950s | 57 |
| 1960s | 44 |
| 1970s | 10 |
| 1980s | 26 |
| 1990s | 27 |
| 2000s | 72 |
| 2010s | 111 |
| 2020s | 24 |
Meaning & origin
Patterson saw its peak popularity in 1914, the year it ranked highest among U.S. births. Since 2014, its usage has been falling, and by 2025 it ranked 10,695 with an estimated 1 in 284,679 newborns receiving the name. The name first appeared in Social Security records in 1912, reflecting the early 20th-century trend of adopting surnames as first names. As a Scottish and English patronymic, Patterson carries the meaning 'son of Patrick' and is most common in regions with Scottish heritage.
Patterson is a Scottish and English patronymic surname meaning 'son of Patrick'. The given name Patrick derives from Latin Patricius, meaning 'nobleman'. As a first name, Patterson emerged from the common practice of using surnames as given names, particularly in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Pat, Patt
Variants: Paterson
Sibling names for Patterson
Names that share Patterson's style, for a brother or sister.
