Girl name · Latin
Prudence
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: foresight, good sensePrudence is a girl's name that comes from Latin and means "foresight, good sense". It is used in English and French.
- Meaning
- Foresight, good sense
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Girl
- US rank
- #2113 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Prudence
As a girl's name, Prudence comes from Latin and means "foresight, good sense". It is used in English and French.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Prudence on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Prudence on 9 lists.
“Funny for the least cautious person you know”
From Funny middle names, grand old-fashioned middle names
“A careful Pilgrim-era name for a careful hen”
From Funny names for turkeys, girl turkey names (for hens)
“Latin for good judgment, which cats sometimes have”
From Female cat names, vintage girl cat names
“Good judgment; Latin. Puritan classic with spunk”
From Girl middle names, virtue middle names for girls
“For the careful baker who never skips a feeding”
From Sourdough starter names, old-fashioned names for a sourdough starter
“Latin for good judgment, which your dog may lack”
From Unique dog names, old-fashioned names nobody uses for dogs
“Foresight, good sense; Latin, a Puritan virtue name”
From Unique girl names, uncommon Latin girl names
“Good judgment, foresight; Latin. Prue for short”
From Vintage girl names, puritan virtue names
“Latin virtue name meaning good judgment; very New England”
From Witch names, witchy names for girls
How popular is Prudence?
- US rank in 2025
- #2,113
- 89 babies, 55 per million girls
- Best rank
- #415 in 1880
- Most babies: 140 in 1943
- Babies since 1880
- At least 6,256
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 101 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 81 per million |
| 1900s | 74 per million |
| 1910s | 54 per million |
| 1920s | 53 per million |
| 1930s | 51 per million |
| 1940s | 66 per million |
| 1950s | 29 per million |
| 1960s | 19 per million |
| 1970s | 35 per million |
| 1980s | 7 per million |
| 1990s | 4 per million |
| 2000s | 14 per million |
| 2010s | 45 per million |
| 2020s | 50 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,341 | #2,051 | #2,044 | #1,858 | #2,167 | #2,504 | #1,986 | #2,331 | #2,602 | #2,113 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Prudence
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- PrudenciaPrudence (Latin, girl)
Names with a similar meaning
- TobiasGod is good (Hebrew, boy)
- AgataGood, from Greek agathos (Greek, girl)
- HassanHandsome, good (Arabic, boy)
- AgathaGood (Greek, girl)
- AgatheGood one (Greek, girl)
- BushraGood news (Arabic, girl)
- DariaHolding firm the good (Persian, girl)
- DariusHe who holds firm the good (Persian, boy)
- DaryaHolding firm the good; also sea in Persian (Persian, girl)
- DeclanMeaning unknown, though likely begins with Old Irish dag, good (Irish Gaelic, boy)
Middle names for Prudence
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More girl names from Latin
- LauraLaurel tree (Latin, girl)
- OliviaOlive tree (Latin, girl)
- CarinaDear, beloved (Latin, girl)
- EmiliaRival, striving to equal (Latin, girl)
- FloraFlower, blossom (Latin, girl)
- MarinaOf the sea (Latin, girl)
- ReginaQueen (Latin, girl)
- ValentinaStrong, healthy (Latin, girl)
- CelesteHeavenly, of the sky (Latin, girl)
- ClaraClear, bright (Latin, girl)
Prudence: common questions
What does the name Prudence mean?
Prudence comes from Latin and means "foresight, good sense".
Is Prudence a boy or girl name?
Prudence is mainly a girl's name.
Where does the name Prudence come from?
Prudence comes from Latin and means "foresight, good sense". Today it is used in English and French.
How popular is the name Prudence?
Prudence ranked #2,113 in the US in 2025, with 89 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Prudence?
Names spelled like Prudence include Prudencia.
What middle names go with Prudence?
Middle names that flow well with Prudence include Eliza, Fern, Grace, Honor and Jade. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.