Fun Facts About the Name Paten
- 13 babies named Paten: U.S. records list 13 babies given the name Paten from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Paten Mean?
Paten is a rare English-language given name. It is best explained as a spelling of the family name Patten, also found as Patton, Paton, and Pattin, taken into use as a first name. Those surnames come from the Middle English personal name Pate, a short form of Patrick, together with a diminutive or patronymic ending. Patrick goes back to the Latin Patricius, "patrician, nobleman," so the literal sense behind the Pate names is "little Pate" or "son of Pate."
The spelling Paten is also identical to an ordinary English word, the paten, the plate that holds the bread in a church Eucharist. That word comes from Latin patina, a shallow dish, and ultimately from Greek. It belongs to a separate strand of vocabulary and is not part of the etymology of the surname or of the personal name discussed here.
Paten Name History & Origins
Paten belongs to the large group of English and Scottish first names that began as surnames. In medieval England, Pate was a common everyday form of Patrick, and endings such as -en, -on, and -in were added to short forms of this kind to make surnames meaning "little Pate" or "son of Pate." That process produced Patten, Patton, Paton, and Pattin. English spelling was not fixed in earlier centuries, so a single family name could be written in several ways, and Paten falls within that range of variants.
The name behind these forms is Patrick, which entered English through the Latin Patricius and spread widely through devotion to Saint Patrick in Ireland and Scotland. Pate itself, however, was an English familiar form, recorded in medieval England as a surname and as an occasional personal name. The fuller name Patrick was much less common in England during that period than it later became.
As a given name, Paten remains uncommon, and its spelling is the least familiar of the group. It is most likely the surname-derived name described above, used directly as a first name in the English-speaking world.
How Popular is the Name Paten?
Paten 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 2007. Its best rank was #10,605 in 2007.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | #10,605 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #11,680 | 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.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with P
Short Boy Names That Start with P
How the Name Paten 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 always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Paten's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Paten's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.