Here you’ll find 37 Latin boy names that start with P, organized from “Pacatus” to “Pupienus”. The list mixes familiar saint names with rarer Roman praenomina and cognomina, useful for parents, writers, and researchers.
Latin boy names that start with P are male given names of Latin origin beginning with the letter P. Several were borne by Roman leaders and saints, giving them historical resonance.
Below you’ll find the table with Name, Pronunciation, Meaning, and Notes.
Name: The name as recorded in Latin; you use it to scan entries and pick options quickly.
Pronunciation: The pronunciation column shows a simple respelling or IPA guide so you can say the name confidently.
Meaning: Concise etymology or meaning in a few words, showing root sense and cultural significance for your choice.
Notes: Brief notes on historical bearers, usage, or variant forms to help you compare and decide.
Latin boy names that start with P
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning (short) | Source / Earliest attestation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul | PAWL (ˈpɔːl) | small, humble (from Latin Paulus) | classical/early Christian: Paullus/Paulus |
| Peter | PEE-ter (ˈpiːtər) | rock, stone (Latin Petrus) | early Christian Latin: Petrus (Vulgate) |
| Publius | PUB-lee-us (ˈpʌbliəs) | of the people, public | Roman praenomen |
| Patricius | pa-TRISH-us (pəˈtrɪsiəs) | noble, patrician | classical/late antique: Patricius |
| Pius | PY-us (ˈpaɪəs) | pious, dutiful | Roman cognomen; papal name |
| Pliny | PLIN-ee (ˈplɪni) | from the Plinia gens (family) | Roman nomen: Plinius (Pliny the Elder) |
| Placidus | plah-SIH-dus (pləˈsɪdəs) | calm, peaceful | Roman cognomen; early saints |
| Proculus | pro-KOO-lus (proˈkuːləs) | archaic praenomen of uncertain origin | Roman praenomen/cognomen |
| Probus | PROH-bus (ˈproʊbəs) | upright, good | Roman cognomen; Emperor Probus |
| Priscus | PRIS-kus (ˈprɪskəs) | ancient, old | Roman cognomen |
| Piso | PEE-soh (ˈpiːsoʊ) | family name, the Piso gens | Roman cognomen (gens Calpurnia Piso) |
| Peregrine | PEH-ruh-grin (ˈpɛrɪɡrɪn) | traveler, pilgrim | Latin Peregrinus; early saints |
| Paulinus | paw-LIN-us (pɔːˈlɪnəs) | little Paul (diminutive of Paulus) | Roman cognomen; Christian saints |
| Paschalis | pas-KAY-lis (pæsˈkælɪs) | of Easter/Passover | late antique: Paschalis (Pope Paschal) |
| Pontius | PON-tee-us (ˈpɒntiəs) | of the Pontia family | Roman nomen (Pontius Pilatus) |
| Pontian | PON-tee-an (ˈpɒntiən) | of Pontius (Pontianus) | Latin Pontianus; Pope Pontian |
| Pacatus | pa-KAH-tus (paˈkaːtus) | peaceful, placated | Roman cognomen |
| Paternus | pa-TER-nus (pəˈtɜːrnəs) | fatherly, paternal | Late antique cognomen; saint Paternus |
| Pollio | POL-ee-oh (ˈpɒli.oʊ) | from Polio (polisher) family | Roman cognomen (Asinius Pollio) |
| Petronius | pe-TROH-nee-us (pəˈtroʊniəs) | of the Petronia gens (family) | Roman nomen: Petronius Arbiter |
| Pompeius | pom-PAY-ee-us (pɒmˈpeɪiəs) | of the Pompeia gens | Roman nomen (Pompeius Magnus) |
| Pomponius | pom-PON-ee-us (pɒmˈpoʊniəs) | of the Pomponia gens | Roman nomen (Pomponius) |
| Pompilius | pom-PIL-ee-us (pɒmˈpɪliəs) | of the Pompilia gens | legendary: Numa Pompilius |
| Plancus | PLAN-kus (ˈplæŋkəs) | attested family cognomen | Roman cognomen (Munatius Plancus) |
| Papinian | pap-ih-NEE-an (pæpɪˈniːən) | from the Papinius family | late antique jurist: Aemilius Papinianus |
| Pacian | PAH-see-an (pəˈsiːən) | from the Pacius family | late antique bishop: Pacianus of Barcelona |
| Porcius | POR-shee-us (ˈpɔːrsiəs) | of the Porcia gens | Roman nomen (Porcius Cato) |
| Postumus | POS-tuh-muhs (ˈpɒstəməs) | born after the father’s death | Roman praenomen/cognomen |
| Publilius | pub-IL-ee-us (pʌbˈɪliəs) | of the Publilia gens | Roman nomen: Publilius Syrus |
| Publicola | pyoo-BLIH-koh-lah (pjuːˈblɪkəʊlə) | friend of the people | Roman cognomen (Valerius Publicola) |
| Paetus | PAY-tus (ˈpeɪtəs) | slightly squinting, handsome | Roman cognomen (Aemilius Paetus) |
| Papirius | pa-PEER-ee-us (pəˈpɪriəs) | of the Papiria gens | Roman nomen (Papirius Cursor) |
| Primitivus | pri-MIT-iv-us (prɪˈmɪtɪvəs) | first-born, original | late antique cognomen |
| Primus | PREE-mus (ˈpriːməs) | first-born, first | Roman cognomen/praenomen |
| Prosper | PROS-per (ˈprɒspər) | fortunate, prosperous | late antique: Prosper of Aquitaine |
| Pupienus | pu-PEE-en-us (puˈpiːɛnəs) | from the Pupiena family | Roman nomen: Emperor Pupienus |
| Potitus | po-TI-tus (pəˈtɪtəs) | attested family cognomen | Roman cognomen (gens Valeria/others) |
Descriptions
Paul
From Apostle Paul; ubiquitous Christian name with timeless, simple appeal and many saintly bearers.
Peter
Apostle Peter’s Latin form; central in Christian tradition and widely used across Europe.
Publius
Very common Roman praenomen; borne by writers and statesmen like Publius Vergilius.
Patricius
Late-antique Roman name that evolved into Patrick; aristocratic, ecclesiastical usage.
Pius
Virtue-name used by emperors and many popes; solemn and devotional.
Pliny
Evokes the famous scholars Pliny the Elder and Younger; literary and classical flavour.
Placidus
Appears in late-antique and medieval saints; gentle, old-fashioned Latin choice.
Proculus
Ancient Roman name with an archaic ring; good for historical fiction.
Probus
Short, strong virtue-name borne by an emperor; formal and classical.
Priscus
Means “ancient”; common in Roman elites with a dignified, antiquarian feel.
Piso
Two-syllable Roman surname used to denote an old senatorial family; crisp sound.
Peregrine
Medieval saint-name meaning pilgrim; literary and adventurous in English form.
Paulinus
Popular in late antiquity among clergy; softer, more formal Paul variant.
Paschalis
Religious name tied to Easter; used by popes and clerics.
Pontius
Historic resonance via Pontius Pilate; uncommon but unmistakably Roman.
Pontian
Used by a third-century pope; ecclesiastical and archaic.
Pacatus
Rare but attested cognomen meaning peaceful; a calm, classical choice.
Paternus
Used by bishops and saints in Gaul; pastoral, archaic-sounding.
Pollio
Associated with the historian/poet Asinius Pollio; literary Roman flavour.
Petronius
Elegant, literary name thanks to Petronius Arbiter; aristocratic Roman feel.
Pompeius
Beloved ancient name (Pompey the Great); grand, historical resonance.
Pomponius
Classical family name; uncommon but distinctly Roman.
Pompilius
Associated with early Roman king Numa; legendary, archaic ring.
Plancus
Borne by Munatius Plancus, founder of colonies; sharp, uncommon Roman name.
Papinian
Name of a famed Roman jurist; legal and prestigious associations.
Pacian
Late-antique episcopal name with regional saintly use.
Porcius
Classic Roman family name connected to the Porcii and Cato family.
Postumus
An old Roman name with poignant meaning; rare but historically attested.
Publilius
Old Roman family name; associated with the writer Publilius Syrus.
Publicola
Republican-era cognomen with strong civic connotations; heroic tone.
Paetus
Short Roman cognomen with vivid literal meaning; classical aristocratic use.
Papirius
Old patrician family name; historical and dignified.
Primitivus
Rare late-antique name meaning “first” or “primitive”; evocative archaic quality.
Primus
Literal ordinal name used in Rome; simple, classical, and direct.
Prosper
Late-antique Christian poet and saint; upbeat virtue-name.
Pupienus
Rare imperial-era name; striking and unusual for modern use.
Potitus
Obscure but attested cognomen; distinctive, classical sound.