Pericles
Meaningsurrounded by glory · Greek
- US rank
- #12,008
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #2,982 in 1965
5 babies were named Pericles in the US in 2025.
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1921–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Pericles you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Pericles
Pericles de Oliveira Ramos
Brazilian association football player
Choose Pericles and your child shares a first name with Pericles de Oliveira Ramos, a Brazilian association football player. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Pericles, like who?” Pericles de Oliveira Ramos's Wikipedia article is available in 22 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Pericles de Oliveira Ramos on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)- How commonAbout 1 in every 344,828 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Pericles, 5 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Pericles would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryPericles first shows up in US birth records in 1921, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 104 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1965, when it ranked #2,982. Today it's #12,008, so it could be due a comeback.
- MeaningIn Greek, Pericles means “surrounded by glory”.
About the name Pericles
Pericles is a boy name of Greek origin meaning “surrounded by glory”. It has 8 letters and 3 syllables, starting with P and ending in “-les”. US birth records list Pericles for boys from 1921 to 2025, in 15 of those 105 years. Its best year was 1965, when it ranked #2,982 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #12,008, with 5 babies.
Origin:Greek names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 2.1 | 473,684 boys |
| 1960s | 0.7 | 1,470,588 boys |
| 1970s | 1.3 | 793,651 boys |
| 1980s | 0.3 | 3,846,154 boys |
| 1990s | 0.3 | 3,125,000 boys |
| 2000s | 0.3 | 3,846,154 boys |
| 2020s | 1.5 | 652,174 boys |
More Greek boy names
- Boy name: Theodore · gift of God
- Boy name: Mateo · gift of God
- Boy name: Lucas · man from Lucania
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Boy name: Sebastian · venerable
- Boy name: Leo · lion
- Boy name: Thomas · twin
- Unisex name: Miles · possibly gracious
Questions about the name Pericles
What does the name Pericles mean?
Pericles means “surrounded by glory” in Greek.
What is the origin of the name Pericles?
Pericles has Greek roots in our records. Other Greek names include Theodore, Mateo, Lucas.
Is Pericles a boy or girl name?
Pericles is a boy name.
How popular is the name Pericles?
Pericles ranked #12,008 for US boys in 2025, given to 5 babies. Its best year was 1965 (#2,982).