- published: 29 May 2013
- views: 1464581
Patricia ( /pəˈtrɪʃə/) is a common female given name of Latin origin. It is derived from the Latin word patrician, meaning "noble". The masculine form of the name is Patrick. The name Patricia was the second most common female name in the United States according to the 1990 US Census.[verification needed]
It is commonly shortened to 'Pat', 'Pati/Paty', 'Patsy', 'Patty/Patti/Pattie', 'Trish' or 'Trisha/Tricia'. These diminutives are sometimes used as names in their own right. Another well-known variant of this is 'Patrice'.
According to Social Security Administration records, the use of the name for newborns peaked at #3 from 1937–1943 in the USA, after which it dropped in popularity, reaching a low of #442 in 2007. From 1928 to 1967, the name was ranked among the top #11 female names.
In Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries, the name Patricia is common as well, pronounced [paˈtrisja], while in Italy Patrizia is the form, pronounced [paˈtriːtsja]. In Polish, the variant is Patrycja.