| Mark | Patrick | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of Mars | Nobleman |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | MARK | PAT-rik |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1960 (58,727) | 1964 (14,692) |
| In 2025 | 1,416 | 1,495 |
| Trend | Declining | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Mark | Patrick |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 8,658 | 10,101 |
| 2010s | 21,108 | 25,312 |
| 2000s | 37,257 | 44,782 |
| 1990s | 75,816 | 92,931 |
| 1980s | 129,442 | 111,408 |
| 1970s | 194,260 | 91,240 |
| 1960s | 441,390 | 122,717 |
| 1950s | 382,589 | 96,851 |
| 1940s | 50,731 | 48,619 |
| 1930s | 7,444 | 18,390 |
| 1920s | 6,495 | 11,460 |
| 1910s | 4,134 | 6,120 |
| 1900s | 971 | 2,141 |
| 1890s | 953 | 2,233 |
| 1880s | 928 | 2,285 |
Mark comes from the Roman name Marcus, probably derived from Mars, the god of war. Mark the Evangelist is credited with the second Gospel.
Patrick comes from the Latin patricius, “nobleman, patrician.” St Patrick, the 5th-century missionary, is the patron saint of Ireland, and the name is deeply Irish.
Patrick is more popular than Mark today: about 1,495 US babies were given the name Patrick in 2025, compared with 1,416 named Mark.
Mark means Of Mars (Latin origin), while Patrick means Nobleman (Latin origin).
In US records, Mark first appears in 1880 and Patrick in 1880, so Mark has the longer recorded history.