Baby Girl Names That Begin With P

Popular, Unusual, and Classic Female Name Choices

Feb 17, 2008

A Cute Little Girl, Rushing, Stock Xchange

Paige? Penny? Phoebe? If you're looking for a popular or unusual name for a baby girl, here are some choices.

When it comes to baby girl names in the United States, few popular names begin with the letter P. According to the U.S. Social Security Baby Name Index, only one name beginning with P was in the top 100 names in 2006-- Paige. However, quite a few unique and beautiful names begin P, so if you're looking for something just a little bit quirky, check out these name choices.

Popular and Trendy Names that Start With P

Paige. Coming in at #76, Paige has that single-syllable chic feel, like Claire and Brooke. Paige comes from an Old French expression that means, "young servant." An alternate spelling is Page.
Peyton/Payton. There are four trendy things about Peyton. First, it's a place name (from England). Second, it's a last-name-turned-first-name. Third, it's androgynous. And finally, it has a Western feel. In 2006, Peyton and Payton were respectively at #138 and #163, and they're climbing quickly.

Classic Baby Girl Names That Start With P

Patricia. The female form of Patrick was popular between 1930 and 1980, and was in the top 10 names throughout the Baby Boom years. In 2006, it was down to #413. If you like this name, though, never fear: Patricia is way too classic a name to sound dated. Similar to names like Margaret and Elizabeth, Patricia comes with your choice of nicknames: Pat, Patti, Trish, or Tricia. Patricia is derived from a Latin name that means "aristocrat."
Penny & Penelope. These names were moderately popular between 1950 - 1970, but neither of them has ever cracked the top 100 in the United States. And yet, they have a classic feel, so if you're looking for an old-fashioned name that hasn't become trendy, try Penny or Penelope. These names are derived from a Greek name meaning "weaver."
Paula. This female form of Paul was fairly popular between 1950 and 1980, but now it's fallen to #671. If you like Paula, consider other variants as well, such as Paulina, Paulette, and Paola. These names are derived from a Latin expression that means "small."
Pamela. Like Patricia and Paula, Pamela was hot during the Baby Boom, but has since fallen low on the charts. The name's association with Ms. Anderson probably hasn't helped much. The name comes from a Greek expression that means "all sweetness."

Unusual Baby Girl Names That Start With P

Phoebe. With the phenomenonal success of Friends, you might think this pretty and unique name would have caught on, but it hasn't. Despite the ditsy namesake, Phoebe comes from a Greek word that means "bright." An unusual Greek name that shares Phoebe's meaning is Phaedra.
Phoenix. Like Peyton, Phoenix is an androgynous and Western place name, but it hasn't caught on as much. Harry Potter fans probably know that the phoenix is a mythical bird that rises out of the ashes to immortality.
Piper. Piper has quickly climbed from obscurity to #246, so it might be on its way to trendiness. Piper is from an English expression and simply means "pipe player."
Petra. Feminine forms of popular men's names often catch on-- Danielle, Michelle, Brianna, Nicole-- but this female form of Peter isn't even in the top 1000 list. Petra comes from a Greek word meaning "rock."
Pilar. Spanish names have been catching on in the United States for both Hispanic and non-Hispanic parents, but this pretty name is rarely used. Pilar comes from a Spanish expression that means "pillar.'
Priscilla. Elvis' wife's name never has been terribly popular in the United States. The name comes from a Latin expression meaning "venerable."
Paris. This pretty place name was at #206 in 2006. After all, place names are, well, hot. Presumably, the name would be even more popular, except that today's parents are about as likely to give their daughter this name as they are Britney.