Declining since 2022, #7,679 for boys today.
Popularity of Pius since 1911
Babies named Pius per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1927, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Pius's real moment was 1911.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1910s | 59 |
| 1920s | 139 |
| 1930s | 62 |
| 1940s | 23 |
| 1950s | 27 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 13 |
| 1990s | 5 |
| 2000s | 24 |
| 2010s | 67 |
| 2020s | 57 |
Meaning & origin
Pius has a long and distinguished history as a papal name, borne by 12 popes. In the United States, it never achieved widespread popularity, but it saw its peak usage in 1911, the same year it first appeared in Social Security records. That year, it ranked in the top 1,000, but its frequency has since declined. In 2025, the name ranked 7,679th, with a 1-in-170,808 rate of occurrence, placing it among the most uncommon names in the data. Its trajectory has been consistently falling since 2022, continuing a long-term decline. Pius remains a distinctive choice, strongly tied to Catholic heritage.
Pius derives directly from the Latin word 'pius,' meaning 'dutiful,' 'devout,' or 'pious.' It was a Roman cognomen borne by several early Christian figures, most notably Pope Pius I in the 2nd century. The name was later adopted by twelve popes, including the prominent Pope Pius IX and Pope Pius XII, solidifying its association with the papacy and Catholic tradition.
Sibling names for Pius
Names that share Pius's style, for a brother or sister.
