Girl nameCurrently #2,588 in the USSteady
Prudence
PROO-dunss//ˈpruːdəns//
2 syllablesPeak year: 19438 lettersStarts with P
Meaning & origin
Prudence, good judgment
Prudence is a virtue name from the Latin 'prudentia', meaning foresight or good judgment, adopted by 17th-century Puritans as one of many abstract-quality names. Its thoughtful meaning gives it a distinctive, old-fashioned charm.
Prudence's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Prudence |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 17 |
| 1881 | 9 |
| 1882 | 7 |
| 1883 | 11 |
| 1884 | 8 |
| 1885 | 14 |
| 1886 | 19 |
| 1887 | 10 |
| 1888 | 20 |
| 1889 | 17 |
| 1890 | 19 |
| 1891 | 15 |
| 1892 | 16 |
| 1893 | 22 |
| 1894 | 21 |
| 1895 | 14 |
| 1896 | 17 |
| 1897 | 12 |
| 1898 | 27 |
| 1899 | 16 |
| 1900 | 28 |
| 1901 | 18 |
| 1902 | 22 |
| 1903 | 19 |
| 1904 | 19 |
| 1905 | 17 |
| 1906 | 22 |
| 1907 | 25 |
| 1908 | 17 |
| 1909 | 30 |
| 1910 | 18 |
| 1911 | 22 |
| 1912 | 39 |
| 1913 | 40 |
| 1914 | 29 |
| 1915 | 42 |
| 1916 | 58 |
| 1917 | 74 |
| 1918 | 67 |
| 1919 | 55 |
| 1920 | 74 |
| 1921 | 55 |
| 1922 | 58 |
| 1923 | 57 |
| 1924 | 63 |
| 1925 | 84 |
| 1926 | 66 |
| 1927 | 75 |
| 1928 | 51 |
| 1929 | 51 |
| 1930 | 58 |
| 1931 | 46 |
| 1932 | 49 |
| 1933 | 49 |
| 1934 | 46 |
| 1935 | 56 |
| 1936 | 51 |
| 1937 | 57 |
| 1938 | 66 |
| 1939 | 69 |
| 1940 | 65 |
| 1941 | 68 |
| 1942 | 106 |
| 1943 | 140 |
| 1944 | 110 |
| 1945 | 96 |
| 1946 | 102 |
| 1947 | 103 |
| 1948 | 86 |
| 1949 | 76 |
| 1950 | 64 |
| 1951 | 65 |
| 1952 | 64 |
| 1953 | 66 |
| 1954 | 55 |
| 1955 | 48 |
| 1956 | 59 |
| 1957 | 54 |
| 1958 | 33 |
| 1959 | 43 |
| 1960 | 38 |
| 1961 | 36 |
| 1962 | 44 |
| 1963 | 42 |
| 1964 | 36 |
| 1965 | 36 |
| 1966 | 35 |
| 1967 | 32 |
| 1968 | 25 |
| 1969 | 26 |
| 1970 | 64 |
| 1971 | 104 |
| 1972 | 77 |
| 1973 | 71 |
| 1974 | 47 |
| 1975 | 48 |
| 1976 | 47 |
| 1977 | 25 |
| 1978 | 22 |
| 1979 | 32 |
| 1980 | 14 |
| 1981 | 19 |
| 1982 | 17 |
| 1983 | 13 |
| 1984 | 7 |
| 1985 | 12 |
| 1986 | 14 |
| 1987 | 8 |
| 1988 | 6 |
| 1989 | 8 |
| 1990 | 8 |
| 1991 | 10 |
| 1992 | 7 |
| 1993 | 5 |
| 1994 | 8 |
| 1995 | 12 |
| 1996 | 6 |
| 1997 | 7 |
| 1998 | 7 |
| 2000 | 10 |
| 2001 | 10 |
| 2002 | 15 |
| 2003 | 17 |
| 2004 | 22 |
| 2005 | 24 |
| 2006 | 31 |
| 2007 | 30 |
| 2008 | 36 |
| 2009 | 55 |
| 2010 | 60 |
| 2011 | 82 |
| 2012 | 53 |
| 2013 | 77 |
| 2014 | 61 |
| 2015 | 69 |
| 2016 | 81 |
| 2017 | 96 |
| 2018 | 96 |
| 2019 | 109 |
| 2020 | 83 |
| 2021 | 71 |
| 2022 | 99 |
| 2023 | 79 |
| 2024 | 68 |
Prudence through the decades
- Prudence peaked in 1943, when 140 babies were named Prudence in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Prudence has risen 67% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Prudence currently ranks #2,588 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Prue
Variants & spellings
Prudencia