Patrick

Before the Middle Ages, a young man underwent enslavement for six years. Afterward, he returned to England. He later became a bishop and converted Ireland to Christianity. That man, after whom the main holiday of March is named, is St. Patrick. 

St. Patrick is the earliest known bearer of the anglicization of the Latin Patricius, meaning "nobleman." It has seen usage in Britain, where it was especially popular in Scotland, since the twelfth century. Patrick also became a name in Ireland, but people considered it too sacred for use there. That might also explain why the name emerged several centuries after the saint's time even in Britain. 

Patrick did not become popular in Ireland until the seventeenth century. It reached popularity in England two centuries later, ranking in the top 100 through 2005. In the United States, Patrick ranked in the top 200 every year until 2018. It was also a top 100 name through 1904 and again from 1937 to 2004. 

Patrick remains popular in Ireland, Australia, and Northern Ireland. The name has also seen usage in other European languages; including Austrian, French, and Norwegian. 

Modern parents usually seek names fresher than Patrick. They also grew up with Patrick Star from the Nickelodeon series SpongeBob Squarepants, which might turn them off as well. Despite this, Patrick remains a Celtic classic with no ties to any time period. 

VARIANTS:

Pádraig, Patricio, Patricius, Patrik 

NICKNAMES:

Paddy, Patch, Rick

STYLES:

Celtic, Saintly, Timeless

SISTERS:

Bridget, Caroline, Emily, Judith, Laura, Megan, Rebecca, Theresa

BROTHERS:

Andrew, Colin, David, Gregory, Michael, Neil, Philip, Stephen

ALTERNATIVES:

Aldric, Benedict, Carrick, Cormac, Hamish, Patton, Prescott, Roderick

FURTHER RESOURCES:

"Patrick." Names, Behind the Name, 21 Jan. 2022, https://www.behindthename.com/name/patrick. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.

Nickerson, Eleanor. "Patrick." Names of the Week, British Baby Names, 9 Sept. 2017, https://www.britishbabynames.com/blog/2017/09/name-of-the-week-patrick.html. Accessed 26 Mar. 2023.

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