Patricia ( ) is a common female given name of Latin origin. It is derived from the Latin word patrician, meaning "noble". The masculine form of the name is Patrick. The name Patricia was the second most common female name in the United States according to the 1990 US Census. It is commonly shortened to 'Pat', 'Patsy', 'Patty/Pattie/Patti', 'Trish', 'Trisha/Tricia', 'Trixie', 'Tish-tish,' 'Triddles' or 'Tchoochi', 'Trishy'. These diminutives are sometimes used as names in their own rights.

According to social security administration records, the name peaked at #3 from 1937-1943, after which it dropped in popularity reaching a low of #442 in 2007.Popularity of a Name. Social Security Administration ssa.gov, accessed July 17, 2008 From 1928 to 1967, the name was ranked among the top #11 female names.

In Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries, the name Patricia is common as well, pronounced 1. In Polish, the variant is Patrycja.

Famous people named Patricia

• Patricia Clarkson, an Emmy Award-winning American actress
• Patricia Arquette, an Emmy Award-winning and a Golden Globe Award-nominated American actress
• Pat Benatar, a Grammy-winning American rock singer
• Trisha Brown, a postmodernist American choreographer and dancer
• Patricia Cardenas, an American water polo player
• Patricia Casey, Professor of Psychiatry at University College Dublin
• Princess Patricia of Connaught (Victoria Patricia Helena Elizabeth, later Lady Patricia Ramsay), a granddaughter of Queen Victoria who later relinquished her title as Princess
• Patricia Cornwell, crime author
• Patricia Dainard, a Filipina actress and singer
• Patty Duke, an American film and television actress
• Pat Evans, fictional character from BBC Soap Opera EastEnders
• Patricia Guerra, a Spanish sailor
• Patty Hearst, an American newspaper heiress, actress, and alleged temporary terrorist
• Patricia Heaton, an American actress best known for her role as Debra Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond
• Patricia Ja Lee, actress best known for her role as Cassie Chan in the fifth and sixth generations of Power Rangers
• Patricia Kohlmann, a Mexican swimmer
• Patricia Krenwinkel, member of Charles Manson Family, convicted murderer
• Patti LaBelle, a Grammy-winning R&B/soul singer
• Patricia Libregts, a Dutch water polo player
• Patricia McGrath, a Melbourne-born Australian entertainer and radio and television presenter
• Patricia of Naples, patron saint of Naples
• Patricia Neal, an Academy Award-winning American actress
• Pat Nixon, wife of President Richard Nixon and former First Lady of the United States
• Tricia Nixon Cox, eldest daughter of President Richard Nixon
• Patricia Pérez, a Mexican female footballer
• Patricia Pine (Patricia Leines), former Miss Oregon (1996) and Weather Anchor
• Patricia Richardson, an American actress best known for her role as Jill Taylor on Home Improvement
• Patricia Robertson, American physician and NASA astronaut.
• Patricia Routledge, an English actress, star of Keeping Up Appearances
• Patti Smith, an American musician, singer, and poet
• Patricia Stratigias, better known as Trish Stratus, Canadian former professional wrestler.
• Patricia Wentworth, mystery author
• Patricia Wettig, an Emmy Award-winning actress, best known for her role as Caroline Reynolds in Prison Break
• Patricia (Trisha) Yearwood, a Grammy award winning country music singer