Paz

Meaning & origin

Paz is a short, crisp name with two distinct and peaceful meanings: 'peace' from Spanish and 'gold' from Hebrew. Despite its brevity, it carries cultural weight in both Spanish-speaking and Jewish communities. The name first entered U.S. records in 1915, but its recent trajectory has been upward, with a steady rise in usage since 1999. It reached its peak popularity in 2021, and as of 2025, it ranked #7,133 with a 1-in-107,151 birth rate. Paz has not been strongly associated with any particular U.S. state, suggesting a broad but sparse national presence. Its dual etymological roots make it a meaningful choice for families honoring either Spanish or Hebrew heritage, and its simplicity allows it to pair well with longer, more traditional sibling names.

In Spanish, Paz derives directly from the Latin 'pax' meaning 'peace', often used as a given name referencing the Virgin Mary (María de la Paz). In Hebrew, Paz (פַּז) is a short form of names like Pazit or Pazia, or from the Hebrew word 'paz' meaning 'fine gold', found in biblical poetry (e.g., Psalm 19:10). The Spanish and Hebrew homographs are etymologically unrelated, leading to dual usage in multicultural contexts.