Neutral names starting with P

An alphabetical list of neutral names starting with P, continued from the names page, which see for more information. These are neutral-gender names, otherwise known as unisex names. They are equally appropriate for girls, boys, and people of any gender. Nonbinary people don't have to have neutral names, and many notable nonbinary people have names that are usually either masculine or feminine. Neutral names can help make it safer for people to explore their gender expressions. In English-speaking countries, some of the most familiar gender-neutral names starting with P include Page, Parker, and Pat. However, there are many more unisex names from around the world that start with P, more than 20 of them, as listed below. Previous page: neutral names starting with O. Next page: neutral names starting with Q.

The list
Paderau. Welsh, modern. Meaning "Beads," or "Rosary." Keywords: modern, religious, three syllables

Padma (पद्म). Hindi. Meaning "Lotus flower." In Hinduism, this unisex name is used for the goddess Lakshmi and the hero Rama. Keywords: nature, flower, religious, two syllables

Page. English. From the English surname, meaning "A youth who is apprenticed to a knight; a young servant; an attendant" in Middle English. In the USA, this given name has been used for about 7,555 people, used as a feminine name 74% of the time. Keywords: fantasy, feminine inclined, medieval, neutral inclined, one syllable, youth

Palmer. English. From the surname. Meaning "A pilgrim who brings back a palm frond as proof of their journey to the Holy Land." This was popular as a masculine name during the Edwardian era, and then spiked as a feminine name in the 2010s. In the US, it has been used for about 994 people, as a masculine name 88% of the time. Keywords: Christian, plants, travel, two syllables

Paris. English. A modern English neutral name, from the name of the capital of France, after the name of the Gaulish tribe who once lived there. Coincidentally, Paris (Πάρις), meaning "Wager" in Greek, was also the name of a legendary prince who started the Trojan War. Though this was traditionally a masculine name, this has come to be used as a feminine name in most countries today. US SSA data shows about 6,765 people have had the given name Paris, used as a feminine name 74% of the time. As for the variant Parris, SSA data shows about 1,532 people have been named Parris, used as a masculine name 55% of the time. Keywords: mythology, travel, two syllables

Parker. English. From the surname. Meaning "Keeper of the park; park ranger." US SSA data shows about 1,788 people have had this name, used as a masculine name 89% of the time. Keywords: forest, nature, plants, two syllables

Parminder (ਪਰਮਿੰਦਰ). Sikh. Meaning "The Hindu god Indra is highest" in Sanskrit. US SSA data shows about 1,778 people have had this name, used as a masculine name 51% of the time. Keywords: three syllables

Parrish. US SSA data shows about 316 people have had this name, used as a masculine name 86% of the time. Keywords: two syllables

Pasha (Паша). Russian. Neutral diminutive of the masculine name Pavel, which is a form of the masculine name Paul. Paul means "Small" or "Humble" in Latin, and is the name of an important saint. US SSA data shows about 672 people have had this name, used as a feminine name 66% of the time. Keywords: Christian, saints, two syllables

Pat. English. Short for names such as the masculine Patrick and feminine Patricia, both of which come from "Patrician, nobleman" in Latin. Patrick is usually given in honor of the saint of the same name, the patron saint of Ireland. The name spiked in popularity for neutral use during the first half of the 20th century. US SSA data shows about 222,623 people have had this name, used as a feminine name 63% of the time. Keywords: Christian, nobility, one syllable. Pat is such a well-known gender neutral name that, during the 1990s, the American show Saturday Night Live ran comedy sketches called "It's Pat," featuring an androgynous character, Pat O'Neill Riley. The sketches were about people trying to obliquely determine Pat's gender, such as by asking what "Pat" was short for. Pat evaded all these attempts, such as by answering, "Pat is short for Paaaaaat." This spun off into the box-office flop feature film It's Pat (1994), a romantic comedy about Pat falling in love with another gender-ambiguous person, Chris. Meanwhile, a neighbor develops such an unhealthy obssession with trying to find out Pat's gender that he loses his mind. Then Pat and Chris marry and live happily ever after. The actor Julia Sweeney, who portrays Pat, says the character was inspired by how her efforts to perform male drag came off as androgynous instead. Sweeney has never confirmed Pat's sex, and denies that Pat is transgender. As such, SNL's Pat cannot be said to be an example of a nonbinary character in fiction, just a character whose gender is never disclosed. Notable nonbinary people with this name include American novelist Pat Schmatz.

Payson. English. From the surname, meaning "Paul's son." Paul means "Small" or "Humble" in Latin, and is a saint name. US SSA data shows about 153 people have had this name, used as a masculine name 57% of the time. Keywords: Christian, two sylables

Payton. English. From the surname, from the place name. Meaning "Pæga's settlement" in Old English. Pæga was an Old English name, probably related to pagus "outlying village," related to the word "pagan," meaning "a person from a rural area" or "a non-Christian." US SSA data shows about 2,085 people have had the given name Payton, used as a feminine name 68% of the time. As for the variant spelling, Peyton, US SSA data shows about 3,691 people have been named Peyton, used as a feminine name 59% of the time. Keywords: neutral inclined, Pagan, places, two syllables

Paz. 1. Spanish. Meaning "Peace" in Spanish. From a title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora de la Paz, meaning "Our Lady of Peace." 2. (פָּז). Hebrew. Meaning "Gold." US SSA data shows about 4,021 people have had this name, used as a feminine name 72% of the time. Keywords: Christian, one syllable, peace

Peregrine. English. Meaning "Traveller" in Latin. This was the name of several saints, and it is also the word for a bird of prey in English. US SSA data shows about 107 people have had this name, used as a masculine name 84% of the time. Keywords: animals, birds, Christian, three syllables, travel

Perrin. Archaic French, medieval English, and Romani. Diminutive form of the masculine names Pierre and Pier, which are both forms of the name Peter. Peter comes from Greek Petros (Πέτρος), meaning "Stone," and was the name of an important saint. US SSA data shows about 1,008 people have had this name, used as a masculine name 76% of the time. Keywords: earth, medieval, stone, two syllables

Philip or Phillip. In England, during the 1500s, this traditionally masculine name was just as commonly used as a feminine name. Keywords: masculine inclined, renaissance, Tudor era, two syllables.

Phoenix. English. Meaning "A mythological bird that was immortal because it could be reborn from its own ashes" in Greek. US SSA data shows about 873 people have had this name, used as a masculine name 60% of the time. Keywords: animals, birds, eternity, fire, magic, mystical, mythology, neutral inclined, rebirth, two syllables

Pier. Italian and Dutch. A form of the masculine name Peter. Peter comes from Greek Petros (Πέτρος), meaning "Stone," and was the name of an important saint. US SSA data shows about 1,100 people have had this name, used as a feminine name 79% of the time. Keywords: Christian, one syllable, saint name, stone

Pip. English. Diminutive of masculine Philip or feminine Philippa. Philip means "friend of horses" in Greek. Keywords: animals, Christian, one syllable

Prabhjot. US SSA data shows about 358 people have had this name, used as a masculine name 84% of the time. Keywords: two syllables

Pranjal. US SSA data shows about 28 people have had this name, used as a feminine name 58% of the time. Keywords: neutral inclined, two syllables

Presley. English. From the surname, from the place name. Meaning "Priest's clearing" or "Priest's meadow" in Old English. This started to be transferred to a given name during the 1990s. US SSA data shows about 1,551 people have had this name, used as a feminine name 82% of the time. Keywords: music, two syllables

Psalm. Puritan. Meaning "A religious song sung to harp music" in English, ultimately from Greek. US SSA data shows about 28 people have had this name, used as a feminine name 64% of the time. Keywords: music, neutral inclined, one syllable, religious