Fun Facts About the Name Paladin
- 41 babies named Paladin: U.S. records list 41 babies given the name Paladin from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Paladin Mean?
Paladin is an English name meaning "knightly champion," taken from the word paladin. That word entered English from French paladin, which came from Italian paladino. These forms go back to Latin palatinus, "of the palace" or "palace official," an adjective from palatium, "palace," a word tied to the Palatine Hill in Rome. The literal Latin sense is administrative; the name's usual meaning comes from the word's later heroic use in medieval literature.
Paladin Name History & Origins
The Latin palatinus described someone attached to a palace or imperial household. Through Italian paladino and French paladin, the term entered the vocabulary of medieval chivalric romance, where the paladins were the twelve peers of Charlemagne. Stories such as the Song of Roland made individual paladins - Roland and Oliver among them - familiar as loyal, elite knights. English adopted the noun in the 16th century for one of Charlemagne's peers and later broadened it to mean a champion.
As a personal name, Paladin is uncommon and is best understood as a word name drawn from this heroic noun. Its history as a given name is not a separate medieval tradition; the name's background is the history of the word itself.
How Popular is the Name Paladin?
Paladin has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2011. Its best rank was #4,353 in 1958.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #13,640 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #13,735 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #7,369 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #13,493 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2003 | #12,256 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1959 | #4,417 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1958 | #4,353 | 5 | 0.0002% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with P
How the Name Paladin Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a power of expression, either in speaking or writing. You are in favor for studying and research. You are clever, clear-sighted and intellectual. You don't like to let others know your true feelings. You might be atheistic or agnostic. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Creative and outgoing, you are always looking for an opportunity to show your abilities, especially before audience. You are very flexible and like to feel appreciated. You are looking for chances to mix with others socially and to communicate your ideas. You like to talk and can easily relate to different cultures and concepts. The biggest challenge for you is uncertainty. Easily getting bored, you can move from one job to another, switch projects and lovers. The high creative force can lead you either to happiness or unhappiness. If you understand your goals, if you can make major decisions in life and follow it directly and straight up without worry and uncertainty, you are able to achieve great heights.
✦ Paladin's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Paladin's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.