Percival
Meaningpierce the valley · French
- US rank
- #1,529
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #694 in 1886
113 babies were named Percival in the US in 2025. It has climbed 1,160 places in five years.
Found on lists
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US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Percival you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Percival
Percival Lowell
American astronomer (1855-1916)
Choose Percival and your child shares a first name with Percival Lowell, an American astronomer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Percival, like who?” Percival Lowell's Wikipedia article is available in 65 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Percival Lowell on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Unknown (Mondadori Publishers), Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 15,106 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Percival, 113 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Percival would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryPercival has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Percivals, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1886, when it reached #694.
- Then vs nowPercival is 21× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 322,581 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 15,106.
- TrendPercival has climbed 1,160 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #1,529. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
- Where it's lovedPercival is most popular in Wisconsin, where it ranks #484, followed by Minnesota (#640) and Tennessee (#927). It's in the top 1,000 in 3 states.
- MeaningIn French, Percival means “pierce the valley”. Our records link it to English and French roots.
About the name Percival
Percival is a boy name of English and French origin meaning “pierce the valley”. It has 8 letters and 3 syllables, starting with P and ending in “-val”. US birth records list Percival for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 125 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1886, when it ranked #694 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,529, with 113 babies.
Origin:English namesFrench names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 52 | 19,279 boys |
| 1890s | 38 | 26,295 boys |
| 1900s | 35 | 28,563 boys |
| 1910s | 15 | 66,845 boys |
| 1920s | 12 | 80,257 boys |
| 1930s | 5.3 | 189,394 boys |
| 1940s | 2.9 | 343,643 boys |
| 1950s | 3.6 | 274,725 boys |
| 1960s | 3.9 | 253,807 boys |
| 1970s | 5.3 | 189,394 boys |
| 1980s | 4.1 | 245,098 boys |
| 1990s | 3.2 | 314,465 boys |
| 2000s | 1.8 | 555,556 boys |
| 2010s | 8.4 | 119,474 boys |
| 2020s | 40 | 25,084 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Percival
What does the name Percival mean?
Percival means “pierce the valley” in French.
What is the origin of the name Percival?
Percival has English, French roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Percival a boy or girl name?
Percival is a boy name.
How popular is the name Percival?
Percival ranked #1,529 for US boys in 2025, given to 113 babies. Its best year was 1886 (#694).