Price

Gender: Mostly Boy

Meaning: Ruler and power — commanding strength and leadership

Origin: Germanic

Popularity: Ranked #2347 in 2025 with 59 babies born.

History: Price entered American naming records in 1880, drawing from its Germanic roots where the element 'ric' signifies ruler and power. What began as an uncommon choice gained gradual traction throughout the 20th century, reflecting a broader American appreciation for surnames used as given names. The name experienced significant growth in the early 2000s, peaking in 2006 when 64 babies were named Price—a watershed moment that established it as a recognizable, if still relatively rare, personal name. Since that peak, Price has maintained modest but steady usage, with 59 births recorded in 2025 and a current ranking of #2332 nationally. Across its recorded history, approximately 4,021 Americans have been given the name Price, with boys vastly outnumbering girls (3,925 to 96), underscoring its traditionally masculine association. The name's appeal lies in its strong phonetic quality and the commanding connotations embedded in its meaning—qualities that resonate with parents seeking names that convey confidence and leadership. Price remains a decidedly uncommon choice, avoiding the saturation of more popular names while retaining enough contemporary usage to feel grounded in modern America.

Nicknames: P, Pri, Pricy

Personality vibes: authoritative, confident, sophisticated, bold, independent

Sibling name pairings: Carter, Morgan, Riley, Blake, Jordan, Parker, Quinn

Middle name ideas: Price Harrison, Price Alexander, Price Theodore, Price Bennett, Price Christopher, Price Nathaniel, Price Everett

Famous people named Price:

• Price Waterhouse — Co-founder of the global accounting and consulting firm.
• Vincent Price — Legendary actor known for horror films and theatrical presence.
• Leontyne Price — Grammy-winning opera singer and American cultural icon.

Price in America Today

Price occupies a unique position in contemporary American naming—uncommon enough to feel distinctive, yet familiar enough through both surnames and cultural references to avoid seeming invented. In 2025, the name ranks #2332 nationally, placing it firmly in the rare-but-not-unheard-of category. It appeals primarily to parents seeking strong, one-syllable names with built-in gravitas and a modern edge. The name carries no strong regional concentration or demographic clustering, suggesting it appeals to a broad cross-section of American families. Price works equally well in professional and casual contexts, lending itself naturally to everything from boardroom settings to sports fields. Its gender distribution remains heavily skewed toward boys (96.2% male), reflecting traditional masculine naming patterns, though nothing about the name inherently excludes feminine use. For parents drawn to surname-as-first-name conventions—a trend that gained momentum in the 1990s and remains popular—Price represents a compelling option that avoids the overuse of Carter, Mason, or Cooper.

Naming Trends

Price's trajectory in America tells a story of gradual adoption followed by modest plateau. First appearing in official records in 1880, the name remained exceptionally rare for its first century, used sparingly by families honoring surnames or drawn to its meaning. The real shift began in the 1990s and accelerated through the early 2000s, culminating in 2006—Price's peak year—when 64 babies received the name. This timing aligns with the broader American embrace of surname-as-given-name conventions that characterized early 21st-century parenting trends. Since 2006, however, Price has gently declined, settling into consistent but modest usage patterns. The 59 births in 2025 suggest stabilization rather than continued growth or collapse. With only 4,021 total recorded births across 145 years, Price remains decisively uncommon, never approaching mainstream popularity. This arc reflects how names can enjoy a moment of moderate traction before settling into niche appeal—not abandoned, but no longer climbing. The slight downward trend may indicate parents moving toward newer surname-names or returning to classic options.

Cultural Notes

Price holds several significant places in American cultural consciousness, most prominently through Vincent Price, the legendary actor whose theatrical presence and horror film legacy made his name synonymous with sophisticated menace and entertainment history. Beyond that iconic figure, Price appears across American media and real life—from business (Price Waterhouse, the accounting giant) to music (Leontyne Price, the groundbreaking opera singer) to contemporary figures in sports and public life. The name carries subtle class associations, partly because it suggests both monetary value and aristocratic bearing, and partly because surnames used as given names traditionally signal a certain cultural awareness or deliberate naming choice. In popular culture, characters named Price often embody authority, competence, or complexity—rarely appearing as minor or comic roles. The name's brevity and directness make it memorable and quotable, an asset in entertainment and media. Unlike some trendy names that feel locked to a specific era, Price possesses a timeless quality that should age well. It avoids the cuteness trap of many contemporary children's names while remaining warm enough to work across a child's entire lifespan.

Similar names: prince, patrice, princeley, princesa, princess, priscella, prime, princy

Name length: 5 letters

How common is Price? About 1 in 46,880 babies born in 2025 were named Price, or roughly 0.2 per day in the United States.

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