Female English Baby Names P

PAGE:
English surname transferred to unisex forename use, derived from a status name for a young boy who was apprenticed to a knight, hence “page; young servant.”

PAGET:
Feminine diminutive form of English unisex Page, meaning “little patrician; little servant.”

PAIGE:
Feminine form of English unisex Page, meaning “page; young servant.”

PAISE:
Short form of English unisex Paisley, meaning “church.”

PAISLEY:
Scottish surname transferred to unisex forename use, from an Anglicized form of Gaelic Pàislig, possibly meaning “church.”

PAM:
Short form of English Pamela, meaning “all honey.”

PAMELA:
English name created by Sir Philip Sidney for his 1590 poem “Arcadia.” It is composed of the Greek elements pan “all” and meli “honey,” hence “all honey.”

PAMELIA:
Elaborated form of English Pamela, meaning “all honey.”

PAMELLA:
Variant spelling of English Pamela, meaning “all honey.”

PAMILA:
Variant spelling of English Pamela, meaning “all honey.”

PANSY:
English name derived from the flower name, from the Old French word pensee, meaning “thought.”

PARIS:
Modern English unisex name derived from the French capital city, Paris, from the name of a Gaulish tribe called the Parisii, who once lived on the site. Compare with strictly masculine Paris.

PARRIS:
Variant spelling of English unisex Paris, a modern name derived from the French capital city, Paris, from the name of a Gaulish tribe called the Parisii, who once lived on the site.

PAT:
English unisex short form of English Patrick and Latin Patricia, meaning “patrician; of noble birth.”

PATIENCE:
A Christian virtue name, derived from the English vocabulary word, patience, from Latin pati, meaning “to suffer.” The Puritans considered it virtuous “to suffer” misfortune and persecution without complaint or loss of faith.

PATRICIA:
Feminine form of Latin Patricius, meaning “patrician; of noble birth.”

PATSY:
English unisex name meaning “patrician; of noble birth.” It is a pet form of both English Patrick and Latin Patricia.

PATTI:
Variant spelling of English Pattie, meaning “patrician; of noble birth.”

PATTIE:
Variant spelling of English Patty, meaning “patrician; of noble birth.”

PATTY:
English pet form of Latin Patricia, meaning “patrician; of noble birth.”

PAULA:
English feminine form of English/French Paul, meaning “small.”

PAULEEN:
Pet form of English Paula, meaning “small.”

PAULENE:
Pet form of English Paula, meaning “small.”

PAULETTA:
Pet form of English Paula, meaning “small.”

PAULETTE:
Pet form of French Paule, meaning “small.”

PAULINA:
Feminine form of Latin Paulinus, meaning “small.”

PAULINE:
French form of Latin Paulina, meaning “small.”

PAYTON:
English surname transferred to unisex forename use, from a place name composed of Old English Pæga and the word tun “enclosure, settlement,” hence “Pæga’s settlement.”

PEACE:
English name derived from the vocabulary word, meaning “peace.”

PEARL:
English gem name derived from the vocabulary word, from Latin perla, meaning “pearl.” The pearl is the birthstone for the month of June.

PEARLE:
Variant spelling of English Pearl, meaning “pearl.”

PEARLIE:
Pet form of English Pearl, meaning “pearl.”

PEG:
Short form of English Peggy, meaning “pearl.”

PEGGIE:
Variant spelling of English Peggy, meaning “pearl.”

PEGGY:
Pet form of English Peg, meaning “pearl.” It is a variant spelling of Meggie, the pet form of Meg. The reason for the change from “M” to “P,” which also occurs in Molly and Polly, is not known.

PEN:
English short form of Latin Penelope, meaning “weaver of cunning.”

PENE:
English short form of Latin Penelope, meaning “weaver of cunning.”

PENELOPE:
Latin form of Greek Penelopeia, meaning “weaver of cunning.” In mythology, this is the name of the patient wife of Odysseus who waited ten years for his return during which she refused several proposals of marriage by princes.

PENINA:
Anglicized form of Hebrew Peninnah, meaning “coral” or “pearl.”

PENINNA:
Anglicized form of Hebrew Peninnah, meaning “coral” or “pearl.”

PENNEY:
Variant spelling of English Penny, meaning “weaver of cunning.”

PENNY:
English pet form of Latin Penelope, meaning “weaver of cunning.”

PEONY:
English name derived from the flower name, peony, which was named after the physician god Pæon because the flower was formerly used in medicine.

PERDITA:
English name created by Shakespeare, derived from the Latin word perditus, meaning “lost.”

PERLIE:
Variant spelling of English Pearlie, meaning “pearl.”

PERONEL:
Medieval English contracted form of Roman Latin Petronel, meaning “little rock.”

PERONELLE:
Variant spelling of English Peronel, meaning “little rock.”
PERSEPHONE (Περσεφόνη): Greek name probably composed of the elements persô “person; human being” and phonos “murderer, slayer,” hence “person-slayer.” In mythology, this is the name of a goddess of the underworld, a daughter of Zeus and Demeter. Her Roman name is Proserpina.

PETRA:
Feminine form of Latin Petrus, meaning “rock, stone.”

PETULA:
Possibly an English Christian coinage derived from Latin petulare, meaning “to ask,” hence “supplicant.”

PETUNIA:
English name derived from the flower name, from French petun, an obsolete word for the tobacco plant.

PEYTON:
Variant spelling of English unisex Payton, meaning “Pæga’s settlement.”

PHEBE:
English variant spelling of Greek Phoebe, meaning “shining one.”

PHEMIE:
Short form of English Euphemie, meaning “Well I speak.”

PHEOBE:
Modern English variant spelling of Latin Phoebe, meaning “shining one.”

PHILIPA:
Feminine form of English Philip, meaning “lover of horses.”

PHILIPPA:
Feminine form of English Philip, meaning “lover of horses.”

PHILIPPINA:
Anglicized form of Spanish Felipina, meaning “lover of horses.”

PHILIS:
English variant spelling of Greek Phyllis, meaning “foliage.”

PHILLIDA:
Variant spelling of Greek Phyllida, meaning “foliage.” In use by the English.

PHILLIPA:
Feminine form of English Philip, meaning “lover of horses.”

PHILLIS:
English variant spelling of Greek Phyllis, meaning “foliage.”

PHOEBE:
Latin form of Greek Phoibe, meaning “shining one.” In mythology, this is the name of a Titan goddess of bright intellect.

PHOENIX:
Latin form of Greek Phoinix, meaning “crimson.” In mythology, this is the name of an immortal bird who would rise from its own ashes after being consumed by fire every 500 years. The name has been adopted into English use as a unisex name.

PHRONA:
English short form of Greek Sophronia, meaning “self-controlled.”

PHYLISS:
English variant spelling of Greek Phyllis, meaning “foliage.”

PHYLLIDA:
Feminine form of Greek Phyllidos, meaning “foliage.” In use by the English.

PHYLLIS (Φυλλίς):
Feminine form of Greek Phyllidos, meaning “foliage.” In mythology, this is the name of a girl who killed herself over love and was transformed into an almond tree, meaning “foliage.”

PIETY:
English name derived from the vocabulary word, meaning “piety.”

PIPER:
English occupational surname transferred to unisex forename use, derived from Middle English pipere, meaning “pipe-player.”

PIPPA:
Pet form of English Philippa, meaning “lover of horses.” It is the feminine equivalent of masculine Pip.

PLEASANCE:
English form of Old French Plaisance, meaning “pleasant.”

PLEASANT:
English name derived from the vocabulary word, meaning simply “pleasant.”

PNEUMA (Πνεῦμα):
English name derived from Greek pneuma, meaning “breath,” or, metaphorically, a non-material being or influence, i.e. “spirit.”

POLLIE:
Variant spelling of English Polly, meaning “obstinacy, rebelliousness” or “their rebellion.”

POLLY:
Alternate form of English Molly, “obstinacy, rebelliousness” or “their rebellion.” The reason for the change from “M” to “P” is not known.

POLLYANNA:
English compound name composed of Polly “obstinate, rebellious” and Anna “favor, grace.”

POPPY:
English name derived from the flower name, from Latin papaver, which may be a reduplication of the base *pap-, meaning “to swell.”

PORTIA:
English Shakespeare character name derived from Roman Latin Porcius, meaning “pig.” A moon of Uranus was given this name.

POSEY:
Variant spelling of English Posy, meaning both “bouquet, flower” and “(God) shall add (another son).”

POSIE:
Variant spelling of English Posy, meaning both “bouquet, flower” and “(God) shall add (another son).”

POSY:
English name derived from the flower name which originally meant “a line of verse engraved on the inner surface of a ring,” but later acquired the meaning “bouquet, flower.”
Pet form of English Josephine, meaning “(God) shall add (another son).”

PRAISE:
English name derived from the vocabulary word, “praise,” from Old French preisier, from Late Latin preciare, meaning “price,” hence “to value.”

PRIMROSE:
English name derived from the flower name, from Latin prima rosa, meaning “first rose.”

PRIMULA:
English name derived from Latin prima, meaning “first, prime.”

PRINCESS:
English name derived from the title, itself from Old French princesse, a feminine form of Prince, meaning “chief, first.”

PRIS:
English short form of Roman Latin Priscilla, meaning “ancient.”

PRISCILLA:
Latin form of Greek Priskilla, meaning “ancient.” In the New Testament bible, this is the name of Aquila’s wife.

PRISSY:
English pet form of Latin Priscilla, meaning “ancient.”

PRU:
Short form of English Prudence “cautious” and Prunella “little prune.”

PRUDENCE:
English form of Latin Prudentia, meaning “cautious.” This is a virtue name popular with the Puritans. Some others are Charity, Chastity, Faith, Honor, and Hope.

PRUE:
Short form of English Prudence “cautious” and Prunella “little prune.”

PRUNELLA:
English name composed of Latin pruna “plum” and a diminutive suffix, hence “little prune.”

PURDIE:
Pet form of English Perdita, meaning “lost.”