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Home › Baby Names Directory › Pilot

Pilot

♂ Boy

Pronounced PY-lut /ˈpaɪ.lət/High

Meaning: The English word for one who steers a ship or flies an aircraft, reaching English through French pilote from a Greek word for a steering oar. Used here as a modern occupational word-name.Medium

In 30 seconds: An occupational word-name with lift: Pilot is one who steers a ship or flies a plane (said 'PY-lut').
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningThe English word for one who steers a ship or flies an aircraft, reaching English through French pilote from a Greek word for a steering oar. Used here as a modern occupational word-name.
U.S. rank (2023)#10518 ↗ Rising
2023 U.S. births7 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2009
Total births (all-time)≈ 160

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200920052023

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Pilot is the English word for one who steers, from French pilote and ultimately a Greek word for a steering oar. It named harbour navigators for centuries before aviation borrowed it. As a given name it belongs to the modern wave of occupational and aspirational word-names alongside Ranger and Maverick (said 'PY-lut').

It appears only rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare, adventurous, and plainspoken.

Did you know? Pilot was a sailing word long before it was an aviation one — it traces back through French to a Greek term for the steering oar, and only took to the air in the twentieth century (said 'PY-lut').
Overall data confidence 65%
References — Pilot — English word from French pilote; Greek root for steering oar

Variations

PilottPylotPiloto

Nicknames

PiLo

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Pilot…

Ranger— a like occupational word-name
Maverick— a same adventurous pick
Sailor— a like seafaring choice
Scout— a same plainspoken word-name

Explore names like Pilot

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Pilot mean?

Pilot is the English word for one who steers a ship or flies an aircraft, from French pilote and a Greek word for a steering oar.

How do you pronounce Pilot?

It's said PY-lut /ˈpaɪ.lət/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Pilot a boy or girl name?

Pilot is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Pilot?

Pilot is extremely rare for boys in the U.S.

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