# Patel

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /pəˈtɛl/ · frequency rank #15,242

## Definitions
1. A surname from Gujarati, meaning “village headman”.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Gujarati પટેલ (paṭěl, “village headman”), from Prakrit 𑀧𑀝𑁆𑀝𑀇𑀮𑁆𑀮 (paṭṭaïlla), from Sanskrit पट्टकिल (paṭṭakila). Doublet of Patil.

## Easily confused with
- **Paul** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-paul)
- **path** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-path)
- **Pete** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-pete)
- **peel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-peel)
- **pats** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-pats)
- **pave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-pave)
- **Peter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-peter)
- **plate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-plate)
- **paths** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-paths)
- **pixel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-pixel)
- **paved** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-paved)
- **Patty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-patty)
- **patio** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-patio)
- **payer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-payer)
- **Patsy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-patsy)
- **Pavel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-pavel)
- **petal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-petal)
- **payed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-payed)
- **Patna** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-patna)
- **Paton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/patel-vs-paton)

## Common misspellings (7)
`aptel`, `paetl`, `patell`, `patle`, `pattel`, `ppatel`, `ptael`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/patel