Percival

Percival - A very unique male name

Percival appeared on the charts for the first time in 1922 on position #1952. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Percival and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Percival? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Percival. The baby boy name Percival was given to 47 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1758 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 31,198 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Percival peaked in popularity 100 years ago in 1926 on position 1509.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Percival, 1-5?

Percival is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Percival is currently topping the baby name charts in Wisconsin at position #512 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,975.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Percival is where you live.

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Percival origin and meaning

Old French (Arthurian literary name)

Uncertain — the traditional reading 'pierce the valley' (from French percer + val) is probably a folk etymology; the name may instead relate to the Welsh hero Peredur, whose own name's meaning is disputed

Percival is one of the knights of the Round Table, hero of Chrétien de Troyes' unfinished Perceval and of Wagner's Parsifal. Long a rare, formal name in English, it has only nine years in American data since 1922. Its return in 2025 — its peak year — is part of the vintage and literary revival.

Origin uncertain

Percival is a 8 letter name with 3 syllables.

To see famous people named Percival, pop culture references for the name Percival and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Percival

We've found the following names that sound similar to Percival, sorted by popularity.

Prosper / Procopio /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Percival

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Percival a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Percival?

3 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

PUR-sih-vul · /ˈpɜrsɪvəl/

Around the world

• Peredur (Welsh) — The Welsh hero often linked to Percival; the relationship is debated.
• Perceval (French) — The original Arthurian form in medieval French romance.

Spellings and nicknames

• Perceval — The medieval French spelling.

Nicknames: Percy

Famous bearers

• Percival Lowell — American astronomer who popularised the idea of canals on Mars and predicted a planet beyond Neptune (1855–1916) Historical
• Percival — Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend, seeker of the Holy Grail (Fictional, medieval) Fictional

Style

LiteraryVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Percival for its Arthurian romance and its built-in nickname Percy, which softens its formality. It remains extremely rare despite its 2025 peak.

Worth knowing

• Most Percivals will go by Percy day to day; the 'pierce the valley' meaning often quoted is folk etymology, not established fact.