Fun Facts About the Name Papa
- 263 babies named Papa: U.S. records list 263 babies given the name Papa from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Papa Mean?
Papa means "father." It comes from the Greek word πάππας (pappas) and the Latin word papa, both of which served as a child's word for a father and as a respectful title for a priest or bishop. Words of this type are built from the simple syllable "pa," one of the first sounds an infant makes, so the Greek and Latin forms grew out of baby talk rather than from an older root with a different meaning. Latin papa is generally traced to the Greek word, and it is the source, through Old English, of the English word pope.
Papa is also a word in the Polynesian languages, and this is a separate origin with no connection to the Greek and Latin term. In Hawaiian, papa means a flat surface, layer, or foundation, and Papa is the name of the earth mother, the wife of Wākea. In Māori tradition the same figure is Papatūānuku, a name that also contains papa. The resemblance between the Polynesian word and the Greek and Latin word for father is a coincidence of sound, not a shared root.
Papa Name History & Origins
Greek πάππας is attested in ancient Greek as a respectful term of address for a father, and the related form παπάς became the everyday title for a parish priest in the Greek and Eastern churches. The word passed into Latin as papa. In the early Western church, papa was applied to bishops in general; in time the title came to be reserved for the Bishop of Rome, and it is the ancestor of the English word pope. Because the term was used for priests and popes, it also became a family name in Italy and Greece, where forms such as Papa and Papas are found.
The same word for father appears across many languages: Spanish papá, Italian papà for "dad" (while Italian papa means "pope"), and papa or a similar form in numerous other tongues. English "papa" belongs to this family of nursery words and is used mainly as a child's or family term for a father.
In Hawaiian tradition, Papa is the earth mother who, with the sky father Wākea, is named as an ancestor of the chiefly lines; the traditional creation chant known as the Kumulipo is one source that tells of Papa and Wākea. Māori tradition preserves the corresponding earth mother as Papatūānuku.
How Popular is the Name Papa?
Papa 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 2003. Its best rank was #5,475 in 2003.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,392 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #7,586 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #8,744 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #10,509 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #7,015 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #8,646 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #7,030 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #7,406 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2014 | #10,437 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #7,944 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #10,474 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #10,492 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #7,976 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #7,572 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2008 | #8,830 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #6,969 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #6,794 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #6,991 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2004 | #5,716 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2003 | #5,475 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #6,918 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #7,357 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #7,252 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #9,326 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #8,720 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #5,796 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #7,538 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #8,407 | 6 | 0.0003% |
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.
Explore More Lists with Name Papa
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with P
Short Boy Names That Start with P
How the Name Papa 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.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ Papa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Papa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.