Names / Boy names
Percival
Current rank
#1,536
and rising
All-time peak
#744
in 1886
First recorded
1880
in U.S. data
Children named
1,400
since 1880
Popularity over time
Annual U.S. children given the name · Peak #744 in 1886 · Source: Social Security Administration
Meaning & background
Pierce the valley (Old French). The name makes its debut in U.S. records in 1880. 1886 marked its high point, reaching #744. Usage has ticked up in recent years while remaining off the most-common lists. Roughly 1,400 people have been given the name to date — a true rarity.