Names  - Origins 

P

PAGE: French for "young attendant." Page is finding a place for itself, especially as a distinctive middle name. Relatives: Paige, Payge, Padgett. Namesakes: Page Smith, Patti Page, Geraldine Page.

PALMER: Old English for "palm bearing pilgrim." This surname is making a stab at becoming a first name. Relatives: Palma, Palmyra, Palmira. Namesakes: Palmer Pyle, Betsey Palmer, Arnold Palmer.

PALOMA: Spanish for "dove." A child named Paloma is destined to keep the peace. Relatives: Palometa, Palomita, Palita. Namesake: Paloma Picasso.

PAMELA: Greek for "honeyed." This name was "invented" by Sir Philip Sidney in 1590 for a character in his novel Arcadia and was picked up again some two hundred years later by Samuel Richarson in his novel Pamela. Relatives: Pamyla, Pamilla, Pamella, Pamelia, Pamelyn, Pamelina, Pammy, Pammie, Pam. Namesakes: Pamela Mason, Pam Dawber.

PANDORA: From the Greek for "talented one." Ideal for a little girl who is always getting into things. Relatives: Pan, Dora, Dory. Namesake: the mythological Pandora's box.

PANSY: A flower and French for "thought." Although a charming name, this could be a rough one to carry off. Relatives: Pansee, Pansie, Pense.

PARKER: Old English for "cultivated land." Parker scored high on the preppy scale. You decide. Relatives: Parke, Park, Parkley, Parks. Namesakes: Parker Stevenson, Dorothy Parker, Gordon Parks, Parker pens.

PARR: Old English for "from the stable." For the baby born with a silver tee in his mouth. Namesake: Jack Parr.

PASCAL: Italian for "born at Easter." You would always remember his birthday. Relatives: Paschal, Pasqual, Pascali, Pascha, Pace. Namesake: Blaise Pascal.

PATIENCE: Latin for "suffering." A virtue name. Relatives: Patty, Patsy, Pat. Namesakes: Patience and Prudence, Patience.

PATRICIA: From the Latin for "noble one" and a feminine variation of Patrick. Patricia has fallen off the charts recently but will no doubt make a comeback when your children are using this book. Relatives: Patrice, Patrizia, Patsy, Patty, Pattie, Patia, Pat, Tricia, Trish, Tish, Rickie, Ricky. Namesakes: Patricia Neal, Patsy Kline, Pat Nixon, Tricia Nixon Cox, Tish Alsop.

PATRICK: From the Latin for "noble one." Saint Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland honored every March 17. The name also shares the Latin root "patres," which refers to the nobility or patricians. Relatives: Patrice, Padraic, Padraig, Padruig, Pat, Paddy, Patterson, Paterson, Pattison, Rick, Ricky. Namesakes: Patrick Henry, Patrick Swayze, Patrick McGoohan, Pat Boone.

PAUL: Latin for "little one." A biblical standard, Paul hasn't been much action in recent years. Start a trend. Relatives: Pol, Pawl, Pablo, Paolo, Pauly, Pauley, Pawley, Pavel, Paulin, Pavlo, Paulo, Paulus, Powell. Namesakes: Saint Paul, Paul McCartney, Paul Revere, Paul Newman, Pablo Picasso, Pablo Casals, Paolo Soleri.

PAULA: Latin for "petite" and a feminine variation of Paul. Relatives: Pauline, Paulette, Paulina, Paulita, Poalina, Paola, Pauly, Polly, Pavla, Pavlina. Namesakes: Paula Prentiss, Paulina Porizkova, Paulette Goddard.

PAYNE: Latin for "petite" and a feminine variation of Paul. Relative: Paine. Namesake: Thomas Paine.

PAYTON: Old English for "warrior's estate." Payton has an "old money" ring to it and should be considered for girls as well as boys. Relatives: Peyton, Paxton, Patton, Patten, Paton, Pattin, Pat. Namesakes: Walter Payton, General George Patton, Peyton Place.

PEACE: From the Latin. Give it a chance. Relatives: Paix, Pachem, Paxton, Pax.

PEARL: From the Middle English for "gemstone." Relatives: Pearla, Perle, Pearle, Purlie, Pegeen. Namesakes: Pearl Bailey, Pearl Buck, Perle Mesta, Purlie Victorious.

PELAGIA: Greek for "from the sea." Relatives: Pelga, Pelgia, Pelagie. Namesake: Saint Pelagie.

PELL: Old English for "scarf" and a distinquished surname. Relatives: Pelton, Pelham. Namesake: Claiborne Pell.

PEMBROKE: Welsh for "from the headland" or "rocky hill." Namesakes: Earl of Pembroke, Pembroke College, Pembroke Welsh corgi.

PENELOPE: From the Greek for "weaver." Although popular in the 1950s, this lovely old name has dropped off the charts. Reevaluate it. Relatives: Penny, Penney, Pen. Namesakes: Ulysses's faithful wife, J.C. Penney's department stores.

PENINA: Hebrew for "jewel" or "coral." Relatives: Peninah, Peninit, Penny, Peni, Nina.

PENROD: From the Old German for "esteemed commander." What about Penn for a future writer? Relatives: Penn, Penley (Old English for "enclosed meadow"). Namesakes: William Penn, Sean Penn, Penrod.

PEPIN: Old German for "perseverance." Relatives: Peppy, Pepi, Pippin, Pip, Pippi. Namesakes: King Pepin (Charlemagne's father), Jacques Pepin, Pippi Longstocking, Pippin.

PERCIVAL: Old French for "pierce the veil." Although this now has a prissy image, Percival was a brave knight of the Round Table. Relatives: Perceval, Percheval, Parsifal, Parsefal, Perce, Percy, Perci. Namesakes: Percy Bysshe Shelley, Percy Faith, Percy Grainger.

PERDITA: Latin for "lost." Relatives: Perdea, Perda. Namesake: character in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale.

PERRY: Middle English for "pear tree" and Welsh for "son of Harry." Perry, though traditionally used for boys, should also be considered for a girl. Relatives: Pierrey, Parry, Perianne, Perian, Perrin, Perin, Peregrine (Latin for "wanderer"). Namesakes: Perry Ellis, Perry King, "Perry Mason."

PERSEPHONE: Greek goddess of the underworld. Relatives: Persa, Perse, Percy, Fanny.

PERTH: Old Celtic for "thorny bush." Namesakes: Perth County (Scotland), Perth (Australia).

PETER: From the Latin for "rock." This standard is solid as a rock. Experiment with the variations. Relatives: Pete, Petey, Pietor, Pytor, Petr, Pieter, Piotr, Pietro, Pedro, Pierre, Piers, Pierce, Peer, Pero, Piero, Peder, Per, Peadair, Petrus, Peterson, Perrin, Perkin, Perkins, Parnell, Parle, Parkin, Parkinson, Petrie, Petri, Pierson. Namesakes: Saint Peter, Peter the Great, Peter Stuyvesant, Peter Yarrow, Peter Jennings, Pierre Trudeau, Pierre Boulez, Oscar Peterson, Peer Gynt.

PETRA: From the Latin for "rock." Relatives: Petronia, Petronella, Petronilla, Pierette, Perrine, Petronille, Petrina, Petrine, Pete, Petie, Petula. Namesake: Petula Clark.

PHEDRA: From the Greek for "shining one." A thoughtful choice for a future rock star. Relative: Phaidra. Namesake: wife of Theseus.

PHELAN: Irish Gaelic for "little wolf." O. Henry wrote a short story about a couple who argued over whether their son would be named Pat or Phelan. Try Phelan.

PHILANA: Greek for "adoring." Relatives: Philene, Philina, Philida, Philantha, Philander, Philadelphia (Greek for "brotherly love"), Falana. Namesakes: Philander Knox, Lola Falana.

PHILIP: From the Greek for "horse lover." It's hard to go wrong with this fine old name. It has served the royal houses of ancient Rome and Macedonia, France, Spain, Germany, and England. Relatives: Phillip, Philipe, Philippos, Philo, Phillips, Phelps, Phipps, Philipson, Phillips, Philby, Phil, Philly, Felipe, Filippo, Filip, Filbert. Namesakes: Saint Philip, Prince Philip, Phil Donahue, John Philip Sousa.

PHILIPPA: From the Greek for "horse lover" and a feminine variation of Philip. Philippa is most popular in the United Kingdom and is almost always abbreviated as Pippa. Relatives: Philippine, Felipe, Felipa, Philly, Philia, Pippa. Namesakes: Philippa Carr, "Pippa Passes."

PHILOMENA: Greek for "song lover" or "friend." Relatives: Philomen, Filomena.

PHINEAS: From the Hebrew for "oracle" and Egyptian for "dark-skinned." Until he is elected to the bench or establishes himself as the senior partner, Phinny will suffice. Relatives: Phinny, Phin, Finn, Pincus, Pinchas, Pinchos. Namesakes: Phineas T. Barnum, Pinchas Zuckerman, "Phineas T. Firefly."

PHOEBE: Greek for "bright one." This is an off-the-beaten-track name with an ancient lineage. Relatives: Phebe, Phoebus. Namesakes: Saint Phoebe, Phoebe Snow, Phoebe Cates.

PHOENIX: The mythical bird that rises from the ashes. Relative: Phoena. Namesakes: River Phoenix, Phoenix (Ariz.)

PHYLLIS: Greek for "leafy branch." Relatives: Phillis, Phylys, Philicia, Philida, Filida, Philly, Phil, Phyl. Namesakes: Phyllis Newman, Phylicia Rashad.

PIA: Italian for "devout." A sweet name that solves the problem of working with a long surname. Namesakes: Pia Lindstrom, Pia Zadora.

PIERCE: From the Old Anglo-French for "rock." Relatives: Pearce, Piercy, Pears, Piers, Pearson. Namesakes: Pierce Brosnan, Franklin Pierce, Drew Pearson, Piers Paul Read, "Hawkeye Pierce."

PILAR: Spanish for "pillar." The derivation refers to the Virgin Mary as the "pillar" of Christianity.

PIPER: Old English for "bagpipe player." Relative: Pyper. Namesakes: Piper Laurie, William Piper, Piper Cub.

PLACIDA: From the Latin for "tranquillity." Relative: Placido. Namesake: Placido Domingo.

POLLY: A nickname for Mary and Paula. Whoever first called a parrot Polly tainted this fine name. Relatives: Pollie, Pollyanna. Namesakes: Polly Bergen, "Pollyanna."

PORTER: From the French for "gatekeeper" or "carrier." Like similar occupational surnames (Carter and Tyler), Porter is finding a place as a first name. Relative: Porteur. Namesakes: Porter Waggoner, Cole Porter.

Portia: From the Latin for "a gift." This is a lovely name and a fast car. Relatives: Porsha, Porsche. Namesakes: wife of "Brutus" in Shakespeare's Juluis Caesar, major character in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.

POWELL: Old Welsh for "son of Howell." Relatives: Powers, Power. Namesakes: Powers Boothe, Dick Powell.

PRENTICE: Middle English for "apprentice." An attractive choice that tends to defy nicknames. Relative: Prentiss. Namesake: Paula Prentiss.

PRESTON: Old English for "dweller at the church" or "priest's settlement." It's surprising that this one has not inspired a wider folowing. Relatives: Prescott, Presley, Priestley, Priestly, Priest. Namesakes: Preston Sturges, Preston Tucker, Prescott Bush, Robert Preston.

PREWITT: Old French for "valiant one." Realtives: Pruitt, Pruit, Prue. Namesake: Greg Pruitt.

PRICE: Old Welsh for "urgent one." A staunchly WASP-y name. Relative: Pryce. Namesakes: Reynolds Price, Vincent Price, Leontyne Price, Price Waterhouse, Jonathan Pryce.

PRIMO: Italian for "first one." An appropriate choice for a firstborn, but a hard act to follow. Relative: Prime. Namesake: Primo Levi.

PRISCILLA: Latin for "from ancient times." And this name suggests a gentler time of lemonade and porch swings. Relatives: Priss, Prissy, Prisca, Silla, Cilla, Cyla. Namesakes: Saint Priscilla, Priscilla Presley, Priscilla Mullins.

PRUDENCE: From the Latin for "foresight." Prudence is one of the enduring virtue names. Relatives: Prudy, Prue, Pru.

PRYOR: From the Old French for "head of the priory." Relative: Prior. Namesake: Richard Pryor.

PURVIS: French for "provide." Namesake: Purvis Ellison.

PUTNAM: Old English for "from the sire's estate." In tribute to the Revolutionary War general, Israel Putnam, there are ten counties named for him in New England. Relative: Putney.

~ THE BEST NAME FOR YOUR BABY: A CREATIVE GUIDE TO PROPER NAMES, by Barbara Binswanger and Lisbeth Mark. Henry Holt and Co., New York, 1990.