Boy Names That Start With P
P names punch above their weight. The letter gives you preppy surname names like Parker and Preston, apostle names like Peter and Paul that have stayed in use for two thousand years, and a streak of adventurous picks — Phoenix, Perseus, Pilot — for parents who want something with a story.
We’ve collected more than 100 boy names that start with P, each with its meaning and origin, and sorted them by style so you can scan quickly. Neighboring letters are worth a look too: try our boy names that start with N and boy names that start with R. And if you love the polished feel of Preston and Palmer, don’t miss our preppy boy names.
Popular P names for boys
The P names parents in the US are choosing most right now — a mix of surname style and timeless classics.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Parker | Park keeper | English |
| Paxton | Pæcc’s town | English |
| Patrick | Nobleman, patrician | Latin via Irish |
| Peter | Rock, stone | Greek |
| Paul | Small, humble | Latin |
| Phoenix | The mythical firebird; “dark red” | Greek |
| Preston | Priest’s town | English |
| Porter | Gatekeeper; carrier | English / French |
| Pablo | Spanish form of Paul | Spanish |
| Pierce | From Piers, a form of Peter | Norman English |
| Philip | Lover of horses | Greek |
| Presley | Priest’s meadow | English |
| Pedro | Spanish form of Peter | Spanish / Portuguese |
| Prince | Royal son; ruler | Latin |
| Palmer | Pilgrim carrying a palm frond | English |
| Pax | Peace | Latin |
Vintage and literary P names
Old-fashioned names with plenty of character. Many are ready for a revival — see more in our old-fashioned boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Percy | From Percy-en-Auge, a Norman place name | Norman French |
| Percival | Possibly “pierce the valley”; Arthurian knight | Old French |
| Phineas | Possibly “the Nubian” (Egyptian root) | Hebrew |
| Prosper | Fortunate, successful | Latin / French |
| Prospero | Fortunate; the magician in The Tempest | Italian |
| Pip | Nickname for Philip; hero of Great Expectations | English |
| Peregrine | Traveler, pilgrim | Latin |
| Pascal | Of Easter | Latin / French |
| Placido | Calm, serene | Latin / Italian |
| Pius | Pious, devout | Latin |
| Prentice | Apprentice | English |
| Philo | Loving, friend | Greek |
| Porfirio | Purple | Greek via Spanish |
| Primo | First | Italian |
| Philemon | Affectionate, loving | Greek (Epistle to Philemon) |
| Pasquale | Of Easter | Italian |
Surname-style P names
Strong, tailored names borrowed from family names — a favorite American style for boys.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Payton | Pæga’s town | English |
| Penn | Enclosure; also Welsh “head, top” | English / Welsh |
| Pryce | Son of Rhys (ap Rhys) | Welsh |
| Powell | Son of Hywel (ap Hywel) | Welsh |
| Patton | Patrick’s town | English |
| Parrish | Of the parish | English |
| Pryor | Prior, head of a priory | English |
| Pike | Pointed hill or spear | English |
| Perrin | Little Peter | French |
| Penrose | Top of the heath | Cornish |
| Pace | Peace; also Easter | Latin / English |
| Pemberton | Barley farm by the hill | English |
| Paxon | Variant of Paxton | English |
| Pratt | Cunning, astute | Old English |
Mythology and history names that start with P
Kings, heroes and philosophers from the ancient world. For more, explore mythology boy names and Greek boy names.
| Name | Who they were | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Perseus | Greek hero who slew Medusa | Possibly “destroyer” |
| Priam | Last king of Troy | Possibly “redeemed” |
| Pollux | One of the Gemini twins | Very sweet (Greek Polydeuces) |
| Paris | Trojan prince in the Iliad | Uncertain; possibly pre-Greek |
| Poseidon | Greek god of the sea | Possibly “husband of the earth” |
| Pericles | Athenian statesman | Surrounded by glory |
| Plato | Greek philosopher | Broad, wide |
| Ptolemy | Dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs | Warlike |
| Pyrrhus | King of Epirus | Flame-colored, red |
| Patroclus | Achilles’ companion | Glory of the father |
| Pan | Greek god of the wild | All; possibly “shepherd” |
| Prometheus | Titan who gave fire to humans | Forethought |
International boy names starting with P
P names from around the world, with pronunciation for the trickier ones. Browse our Italian boy names for more Mediterranean picks.
| Name | Origin | Meaning / note |
|---|---|---|
| Paolo | Italian | Form of Paul, “small” |
| Pietro | Italian | Form of Peter, “rock” |
| Piero | Italian | Tuscan form of Peter |
| Pierre | French | Form of Peter |
| Patrice | French | Form of Patrick |
| Pau | Catalan | Form of Paul (POW) |
| Pavel | Czech / Russian | Form of Paul |
| Pasha | Russian | Nickname for Pavel |
| Pyotr | Russian | Form of Peter |
| Piotr | Polish | Form of Peter (PYOH-tr) |
| Paavo | Finnish | Form of Paul |
| Pekka | Finnish | Form of Peter |
| Per | Scandinavian | Form of Peter |
| Piet | Dutch | Form of Peter |
| Pim | Dutch | Short form of Willem, “protector” |
| Pádraig | Irish | Irish form of Patrick (PAW-rig) |
| Peadar | Irish | Irish form of Peter (PA-der) |
| Petros | Greek | Rock |
| Panos | Greek | Short for Panagiotis, “all-holy” |
| Paco | Spanish | Nickname for Francisco |
| Pancho | Spanish | Nickname for Francisco |
| Pranav | Sanskrit | The sacred syllable Om |
| Pradeep | Sanskrit | Lamp, light |
| Prakash | Sanskrit | Light, brightness |
| Parth | Sanskrit | A name of Arjuna, the Mahabharata hero |
| Pouya | Persian | Seeker, one who strives |
| Phuc | Vietnamese | Blessing, good fortune |
Modern and unexpected P names
Fresh word names and nature names for parents who want something they won’t hear on every playground. See unique boy names for more like these.
| Name | Meaning | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Pilot | One who steers a ship or plane | Adventurous word name |
| Poet | Writer of verse | Creative, gentle |
| Pierson | Son of Piers (Peter) | Polished surname feel |
| Peyton | Variant of Payton | Friendly and familiar |
| Pine | The evergreen tree | Outdoorsy one-syllable |
| Phelan | Wolf | Irish, strong |
| Pinto | Painted, spotted | Southwestern, horse-lover’s pick |
| Peregrin | Pilgrim; Tolkien’s Pippin | Fantasy-friendly |
| Presto | Quick | Musical, playful |
| Pascoe | Cornish form of Pascal, “Easter” | Rare heritage pick |
Short P names and nicknames
One-syllable P names that stand up on their own. Our short boy names list has many more.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Pete | Short for Peter | English |
| Phil | Short for Philip | English |
| Pat | Short for Patrick | English |
| Piers | Medieval form of Peter | Norman English |
| Perry | Pear tree | English |
| Paddy | Irish nickname for Patrick | Irish |
| Pelle | Swedish pet form of Per (Peter) | Swedish |
Tips for choosing a P name
- Watch the “P-P” effect. A P first name with a P surname (Parker Price) is catchy but can sound like a cartoon; decide if that’s the vibe you want.
- Pick the nickname you love. Philip can become Phil or Pip; Percival becomes Percy or Val; Patrick becomes Pat, Paddy or Rick.
- Try international versions. If Peter feels too plain, Pietro, Pierre, Piotr and Pádraig give the same history with a different accent — see our Irish boy names.
- Balance a big name with a simple middle. Phoenix or Perseus pairs well with a classic middle name like James or Thomas.
- Say it with your last name. Surname names like Porter and Preston work best when your last name isn’t also a surname-style word.
Frequently asked questions
What are popular boy names that start with P?
Parker, Paxton, Patrick, Peter, Paul, Phoenix, Preston and Porter are among the most-used P names for boys in the US, according to recent Social Security Administration data.
What are unique boy names that start with P?
Try Percival, Peregrine, Priam, Pollux, Prospero, Pilot, Penrose or Pascoe. They’re real names with long histories but rarely heard today.
What P name means “peace”?
Pax is Latin for peace, and Pace comes from the same root. Paxton, despite its sound, actually means “Pæcc’s town.” For more, see names that mean peace.
What does the name Phoenix mean?
Phoenix comes from the Greek word for the mythical bird that rises from its own ashes, and it also meant “dark red” or “purple-red.” It’s used for boys and girls.
Is Peter still a popular name?
Peter is less common than it was in the mid-1900s, but it remains a steady classic in the US and is very popular in its international forms like Pedro, Pietro and Pierre.