Pastor is a masculine given name of Latin origin. It is derived from the Latin word 'pastor', which means "shepherd". This name has been popular throughout history and across various cultures due to its biblical significance, as Jesus Christ referred to himself as the "Good Shepherd" in the New Testament.
The name Pastor became particularly prominent during the Middle Ages in Europe, where it was often bestowed upon children born into farming or religious communities. In some cases, it was also given to boys whose families were involved in animal husbandry or other pastoral occupations.
Today, Pastor is still used as a given name, particularly in Spain and Latin America, where it continues to be associated with the shepherding tradition. It can also be found among other European countries and even in some English-speaking nations, although it remains less common than many other biblical names.
In addition to its meaning of "shepherd", the name Pastor has also been interpreted as "guide" or "leader". This connotation may appeal to parents who wish to give their child a strong, authoritative name with deep historical roots.
Statistics show that the name Pastor has seen varied popularity over the years in the United States. The highest number of births with this name occurred in 1981 and 1997, with a total of 8 babies each year. Conversely, some years saw as few as 5 births with this name, such as in 1930, 1950, 1970, 1973, 1986, and several other years from the late 1990s to early 2000s. Overall, there have been a total of 146 births with the name Pastor in the United States since 1929. This data demonstrates that while Pastor is not one of the most popular names, it has still been chosen for a significant number of children over the years.