UK boy's name
Patrick
A masculine name of Latin origin meaning "nobleman" or "patrician".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Patrick is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Patrick popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #120, with 451 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 1,039 births.
This profile covers 17,559 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 23,543 living people in the UK are called Patrick. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Patrick ranked #120 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 451 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 1,039 boys were registered as Patrick.
- • Patrick ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #26 in 2024.
- • About 23,543 living people in the UK are estimated to have Patrick as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#120
2024
Births in 2024
451
Latest year
Peak year
1996
1,039 births
Estimated living
23,543
2026
Meaning
What does Patrick mean?
The name Patrick has its origins in the Latin language, specifically derived from the Roman name Patricius, meaning "patrician" or "noble." This name gained prominence during the time of the Roman Empire and was associated with the elite class of Roman society known as the patricians.
The earliest recorded use of the name Patrick can be traced back to the 5th century, when it was borne by the famous Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick, born in Roman Britain in the late 4th century, was instrumental in spreading Christianity throughout Ireland. His life and missionary work have made him one of the most celebrated figures in Irish history and culture.
Throughout the centuries, the name Patrick has been widely adopted across various cultures and regions, particularly in areas with strong Christian traditions. One notable bearer of this name was Patrick Henry, an American orator and statesman born in 1736, who played a significant role in the American Revolution and is best known for his famous quote, "Give me liberty or give me death."
In the literary world, Patrick White (1912-1990) was an Australian novelist and playwright who became the first Australian author to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1973. His works, such as "The Tree of Man" and "Voss," explored themes of alienation and the human condition in Australia.
Another prominent figure with the name Patrick was Patrick Roy (born 1965), a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played for the Montreal Canadiens and the Colorado Avalanche. Roy is widely regarded as one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the NHL and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006.
Lastly, Patrick Ewing (born 1962) was a Jamaican-American professional basketball player who played for the New York Knicks in the NBA. He was an 11-time NBA All-Star and is considered one of the greatest centers in the history of the league. Ewing's dominance on the court and his iconic status in New York City have cemented his place in basketball history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Patrick over time
The chart below shows babies named Patrick registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Patrick, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 451 births in 2024, compared with 1,039 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Patrick by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Patrick was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #124 | 2,235 | 5 |
| 2010s | #120 | 5,116 | 10 |
| 2000s | #94 | 6,423 | 10 |
| 1990s | #67 | 3,785 | 4 |
Geography
Where Patrick is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Patrick. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Patrick ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #26 in 2024.
Across the UK
Patrick in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#125 in 2024
51 years of NRS records, 3,587 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#26 in 2024
28 years of NISRA records, 2,635 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Patrick
-
Patrick Auld
winegrower
South Australian vigneron and wine merchant (1840-1912)
1840-1912
Related
Names similar to Patrick
- Peter 13,150
- Paul 8,542
- Philip 4,997
- Parker 4,664
- Phoenix 3,865
- Preston 3,370
- Prince 1,782
- Patryk 1,763
- Phillip 1,697
- Percy 1,395
- Perry 1,015
- Piotr 938
FAQ
Patrick: questions and answers
How popular is the name Patrick in the UK right now?
In 2024, Patrick was ranked #120 for boys in England and Wales, with 451 births registered.
When was Patrick most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 1,039 babies registered as Patrick in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Patrick?
A masculine name of Latin origin meaning "nobleman" or "patrician".
How many people are called Patrick in the UK?
A total of 17,559 babies have been registered as Patrick across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3,587 more in Scotland and 2,635 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Patrick most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Patrick ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #26 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.