girl's name
Pascale
pas-KAL
- Origin French
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 7
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 104,744
Pascale means Passover, not Easter — the Hebrew pesach came into Greek and Latin unchanged, and Christian use attached it to a different festival that happened to fall at the same point in the calendar.
- Pascale is a name of French origin.
- Peaked in France in 1961, when 8,450 babies were given the name.
- It has largely dropped out of use in France.
- First appears in birth records in 1901.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Pascale over time
Births per decade in France, 1900s to 2010s. The striped bar is the 2010s, still in progress — it covers 2010 to 2015, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1900s | 35 |
| 1910s | 55 |
| 1920s | 80 |
| 1930s | 160 |
| 1940s | 1,460 |
| 1950s | 24,195 |
| 1960s | 61,625 |
| 1970s | 12,425 |
| 1980s | 2,120 |
| 1990s | 300 |
| 2000s | 80 |
| 2010s (to 2015) | 20 |
What Pascale means
Pascale means relating to Passover, and by later extension to Easter. The Hebrew pesach names the festival directly, and Christian usage transferred the word rather than translating it.
Where Pascale comes from
Pascale is the French feminine of Pascal, from the Latin paschalis, from the Greek pascha, from the Hebrew pesach — Passover, the festival marking the passing over of the houses in Exodus. Christian usage attached the word to Easter because the two coincide, which is why Romance languages call Easter Pâques, Pascua and Pasqua while English and German use a separate word from a spring goddess. The name was traditionally given to children born at Easter.
Pascale in use
Pascale peaked in France in 1961, when 8,450 babies were registered, and is the only name in this group our data marks faded rather than falling. It charts in exactly one of the six markets we track, at 5878th in England and Wales on 4 births, across 104,744 lifetime births — so a thoroughly French name now survives only in an English-speaking market, which Josette also does.
How popular is Pascale?
In 2015, Pascale was given to 5 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Pascale is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Pascale
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Pascale also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Pascale over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Pascale in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Pascale
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Pascale — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Pascale
What does the name Pascale mean?
Relating to Passover — the Hebrew pesach, later attached to Easter.
Is Pascale about Easter or Passover?
Passover originally. Christian usage transferred the word to Easter because the two festivals coincide.
Why does English say Easter and French say Pâques?
English and German took their word from a spring goddess; the Romance languages kept the Hebrew one.
Does Pascale still rank in France?
No. It now charts only in England and Wales, at 5878th.
How popular is the name Pascale?
In 2015, Pascale was given to 5 babies in France. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Pascale a girl's or a boy's name?
Pascale is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Pascale?
Pascale has 2 syllables.
When was Pascale most popular?
Pascale peaked in 1961, when 8,450 babies were given the name. It has largely dropped out of use.
Is Pascale a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Pascale currently ranks #3,434 in France. It has largely dropped out of use. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.