This list includes 53 American boy names that start with P, from “Pablo” to “Ptolemy”. They range from familiar modern names to classical and diverse international choices.
American boy names that start with P are masculine given names commonly used in the United States. Notable example: “Ptolemy” reflects ancient Greek-Egyptian history and scholarly tradition.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Pronunciation, Origin/Meaning, and Source.
Name: The given name as commonly used in the U.S., so you can scan and pick familiar or unique options.
Pronunciation: A concise phonetic guide to help you say each name confidently when discussing or testing it aloud.
Origin/Meaning: A brief note on each name’s linguistic roots or meaning, giving you cultural or historical context.
Source: A short citation showing where the name’s usage or meaning is documented, so you can follow up if needed.
American boy names that start with P
| Name | Pronunciation | Origin/Meaning | US Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul | PAWL | Latin Paulus, “small” or “humble” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Peter | PEE-tur | Greek Petros, “rock” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Patrick | PA-trik | Latin Patricius, “nobleman” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Philip | FIL-ip | Greek Philippos, “horse-lover” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Preston | PRES-tun | English place name, “priest’s town” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Parker | PAR-kur | English occupational “park keeper” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Paxton | PAX-tun | Old English place name “Pacca’s town” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pax | PAX | Latin pax, “peace” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pierce | PEERS | Irish/English form related to Peter | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pearce | PEERS | English/Welsh form of Piers/Peter | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pedro | PEH-droh | Spanish form of Peter, “rock” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pablo | PAH-bloh | Spanish form of Paul, “small” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Peyton | PAY-tun | English surname/place name | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Payton | PAY-tun | Variant spelling of Peyton | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Percy | PUR-see | Old French/Latin name Persius, “piercing” (uncertain) | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Percival | PUR-sih-val | Old French/Norman, Arthurian name | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Phineas | FI-nee-us | Hebrew Pinchas, uncertain (biblical) | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Philo | FIE-loh | Greek philein, “to love” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Phoenix | FEE-niks | Greek phoenix, “mythical bird, rebirth” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pascal | pas-KAL | Latin/French Paschalis, “of Easter” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Paolo | PAH-loh | Italian form of Paul, “small” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pavel | PAH-vel | Slavic form of Paul, “small” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Piers | PEERS | English form of Peter | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Princeton | PRIN-stuhn | English place name “Prince’s town” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Prince | PRINS | English royal title used as name | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Prentice | PREN-tis | English occupational surname “apprentice” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Presley | PRES-lee | English surname, “priest’s meadow” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Prescott | PREH-skut | English place name “priest’s cottage” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pace | PAYS | Italian/English surname; “peace” association” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Paden | PAY-den | Modern English-style given name variant | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Palmer | PAL-mur | Old English “pilgrim with palm” surname” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Primo | PREE-moh | Italian “first” (Latin primus) | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Proctor | PROCK-tur | Latin proctor, “one appointed” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Paco | PAH-koh | Spanish diminutive of Francisco | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Perry | PEH-ree | Old English “pear tree” (surname) or diminutive forms | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pranav | PRAH-nav | Sanskrit “primordial sound” (AUM) | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pio | PEE-oh | Italian/Spanish form of Pius, “pious” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pius | PEE-us | Latin pius, “pious” or “dutiful” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Padraig | PAW-drig | Irish Gaelic form of Patrick, “nobleman” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Paine | PAYN | English surname from Old French payen | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Paz | PAHZ | Spanish “peace” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Patricio | pah-TREE-see-oh | Spanish form of Patrick, “nobleman” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Philippe | fil-EEP | French form of Philip, “horse-lover” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Philetus | fi-LEE-tus | Greek “beloved” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Philemon | fi-LEE-mun | Greek “loving” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Phil | FIL | Short form of Philip” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Petr | peh-TER | Czech/Slavic form of Peter, “rock” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pietro | pee-AY-troh | Italian form of Peter, “rock” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Ptolemy | TOHL-uh-mee | Greek Ptolemaios, “warlike” | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pharrell | fah-REL | Modern/uncertain origin; contemporary coinage | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Pollock | PAH-lock | Surname of Scottish/English origin used rarely as given name | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Powers | POW-ers | English surname used occasionally as given name | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
| Provence names (e.g., Pascal) already included | N/A | N/A | unranked (SSA baby names database) |
Descriptions
Paul
Classic biblical name long used in the U.S.; variants Paulo, Pavel; famous bearer: Paul Newman; sources: SSA, Behind the Name
Peter
Biblical apostle name with steady U.S. use; short form Pete common; sources: SSA, Behind the Name
Patrick
Irish-derived favorite in the U.S., often shortened to Pat; St. Patrick associations; sources: SSA, Nameberry
Philip
Traditional royal and biblical name; variant: Phillip; notable: Philip Seymour Hoffman; sources: SSA, Behind the Name
Preston
Surname-turned-first-name common in U.S.; preppy connotations; sources: SSA, Nameberry
Parker
Popular modern surname name used for boys in U.S.; versatile and familiar; sources: SSA, BabyCenter
Paxton
Rising -xton style name in the U.S.; nickname Pax possible; sources: Nameberry, BabyCenter
Pax
Short word-name used independently in U.S.; often a nickname for Paxton; sources: BabyCenter, Nameberry
Pierce
Surname-as-first-name with Anglo-Irish roots; notable: Pierce Brosnan; sources: SSA, Behind the Name
Pearce
Less-common spelling variant of Pierce; documented use in U.S.; sources: Behind the Name, U.S. records
Pedro
Widely used in U.S. Hispanic communities; familiar Spanish variant; sources: SSA, Census
Pablo
Common in Latino communities in the U.S.; artistic association (Pablo Picasso); sources: SSA, Nameberry
Peyton
Unisex name popular in U.S.; spelled Peyton/Payton; used for boys and girls; sources: SSA, BabyCenter
Payton
Alternative common spelling used in the U.S.; masculine and unisex usage documented; sources: SSA, Nameberry
Percy
Victorian and literary feel; used historically in U.S.; nickname from Percival; sources: Behind the Name, Nameberry
Percival
Arthurian name occasionally chosen in the U.S.; Percy common nickname; sources: Nameberry, Behind the Name
Phineas
Quaker and biblical history; revived in modern U.S. usage; sources: SSA, Behind the Name
Philo
Classical name with rare but attested U.S. usage; scholarly vibe; sources: Behind the Name, historical records
Phoenix
Modern myth/nature name used as unisex in the U.S.; symbolic appeal; sources: SSA, Nameberry
Pascal
French-origin name used in U.S. families; cultured continental feel; sources: Behind the Name, SSA
Paolo
Italian-American usage in the U.S.; warm Mediterranean variant; sources: Nameberry, Census
Pavel
Used by Slavic-American families in the U.S.; distinct Eastern European flavor; sources: Behind the Name, U.S. records
Piers
British form occasionally used in the U.S.; rare but documented; sources: Behind the Name, U.S. records
Princeton
Aspirational place-name used in the U.S.; occasional celebrity usage; sources: Nameberry, BabyCenter
Prince
Used occasionally in U.S. as given name; famous musical bearer: Prince; sources: SSA, Census
Prentice
Surname-turned-first-name with historical U.S. instances; rare modern use; sources: Nameberry, SSA records
Presley
Popularized by Elvis Presley as a given name in U.S.; unisex use documented; sources: SSA, BabyCenter
Prescott
Surname-first-name choice in the U.S.; traditional, formal feel; sources: Nameberry, U.S. records
Pace
Short surname or word-name used occasionally as a given name in U.S.; sources: Behind the Name, U.S. records
Paden
Contemporary given name in the U.S., similar to Paiden/Payden; rising usage noted on baby sites; sources: BabyCenter, Nameberry
Palmer
Surname-turned-first-name used for boys and girls in U.S.; rugged-surname trend; sources: SSA, Nameberry
Primo
Italian/Latino usage in U.S.; friendly, straightforward name meaning “first”; sources: Nameberry, U.S. records
Proctor
Rare surname-used-as-first-name in the U.S.; historical examples exist; sources: U.S. records, Nameberry
Paco
Common nickname in Latino communities and sometimes a legal given name in U.S.; sources: Nameberry, Census
Perry
Longstanding U.S. given name; familiar and friendly; notable: actor Matthew Perry; sources: SSA, Behind the Name
Pranav
Popular in Indian-American families in the U.S.; growing diaspora usage; sources: BabyCenter, Nameberry
Pio
Short devotional name seen in Catholic U.S. communities; used as given name; sources: Nameberry, church records
Pius
Papal and religious associations; rare but attested in U.S. Catholic families; sources: Nameberry, church records
Padraig
Irish-origin form used by Irish-Americans; spelled Padraig/Padraic; sources: Nameberry, Behind the Name
Paine
Surnames-as-first-names trend in the U.S.; historical and occasional modern use; sources: U.S. records, Nameberry
Paz
Rare as a male given name in the U.S.; used as surname and short given name in some communities; sources: Nameberry, U.S. records
Patricio
Used in Hispanic families in the U.S.; variant of Patrick; sources: SSA, Census
Philippe
French variant occasionally used by Francophone U.S. families; elegant continental feel; sources: Nameberry, U.S. records
Philetus
Biblical/early-American name; very rare today but historically attested in U.S.; sources: historical records, Behind the Name
Philemon
Biblical name seen historically in the U.S.; rare modern usage; sources: Bible, Nameberry
Phil
Common diminutive used independently in the U.S.; informal and familiar; famous: Phil Collins; sources: popular usage, SSA mentions
Petr
Used by Czech/Slavic-American families in the U.S.; documented ethnic usage; sources: U.S. records, Behind the Name
Pietro
Italian-American variant seen in the U.S.; classical Mediterranean tone; sources: Nameberry, Census
Ptolemy
Ancient historical name used very rarely in the U.S.; strong classical associations; sources: historical records, Behind the Name
Pharrell
Rare but U.S.-documented thanks to musician Pharrell Williams; unique contemporary name; sources: media records, public documents
Pollock
Primarily a surname but occasionally recorded as a given name in U.S. records; sources: U.S. records, Nameberry
Powers
Seldom-used surname-as-first-name in the U.S.; documented instances exist; sources: U.S. records, Nameberry
Provence names (e.g., Pascal) already included
See specific entries like Pascal and Paolo for Provence/continental names commonly used in U.S.; sources: Nameberry, SSA