Pa
Primarily a girl's name of Malay origin with 1,338 recorded births. Also given to 5 boys.
Meaning & Origin
Father, dad, papa.
Pa is a girl's and boy's baby name used in Hmong and Southeast Asian traditions, where it is a genuine given name meaning 'forest' or 'nature' in Hmong. It also appears in American records in communities with Hmong, Lao, and Thai heritage.
Pa is a name of quiet, elemental beauty — one syllable that evokes the natural world. In Hmong culture, names connected to nature carry deep cultural significance, and Pa represents this connection with understated elegance.
EtymologyShow more
Pa is built from 2 letters and one syllable — a compact structure that favors quick recognition and easy recall. Within the Malay naming tradition, this brevity is common among names that have been worn down through centuries of use, shedding syllables along the way.
The interplay of consonants and vowels in Pa creates its characteristic open, warm quality. One-syllable names stand out for their directness. Every sound carries weight, making pronunciation and first impressions immediate.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Pa has 28+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1979.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Avg Rank | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 83 | #10934 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 710 | #2257 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 535 | #2144 | ▲ |
| 1970s | 10 | #6551 | — |
The Story of Pa
A Millennial name
Peaking in 1992, Pa is a Millennial-era classic. Girls named Pa are most likely born between 1982 and 2002.
How rare is Pa?
With 1,338 total births on record, Pa remains a rare and distinctive pick.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1979, peaked in the 1990s with 710 births that decade, and has since become a rare, vintage choice.
Pa by the numbers
- Would fill 28 school buses
- Meeting one Pa per day would take 3.7 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(28 years, 1979–2006)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 5 | #19306 |
| 2005 | 11 | #9962 |
| 2004 | 7 | #13827 |
| 2003 | 7 | #13469 |
| 2002 | 12 | #8693 |
| 2001 | 19 | #6014 |
| 2000 | 22 | #5270 |
| 1999 | 28 | #4171 |
| 1998 | 36 | #3410 |
| 1997 | 50 | #2581 |
| 1996 | 57 | #2334 |
| 1995 | 75 | #1877 |
| 1994 | 89 | #1684 |
| 1993 | 85 | #1748 |
| 1992 | 103 | #1529 |
| 1991 | 96 | #1594 |
| 1990 | 91 | #1642 |
| 1989 | 90 | #1570 |
| 1988 | 72 | #1764 |
| 1987 | 57 | #1980 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Pa as a Boy's Name
While overwhelmingly a girl's name, Pa has also been given to 5 boys in the U.S. since 1990.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pa a boy's or girl's name?
When was Pa most popular?
How popular is the name Pa?
Can Pa be used for both boys and girls?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1979–2006