Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Percival
BoyFrench· “uncertain; popularly 'pierce the valley'”
- Meaning
- uncertain; popularly 'pierce the valley' (origin disputed)
- Origin
- French
- Pronunciation
- PUR-sih-vuhl
- Syllables
- 3
- US rank 2025
- #1,536
- US babies 2025
- 113
- Best rank
- #744 (1886)
- Peak year
- 2025
Meaning and origin of Percival
Percival is often said to mean “uncertain; popularly 'pierce the valley'”; the origin is uncertain, though it is usually linked to French roots.
Percival comes from Perceval, the knight in Chrétien de Troyes's twelfth century romance about the quest for the Holy Grail. Its origin is uncertain; the popular explanation, pierce the valley, is a folk etymology, and it may instead come from a Welsh name such as Peredur. Percival was one of the knights of the Round Table, and Wolfram von Eschenbach retold his story in Parzival. It is said PUR-sih-vuhl. Percy is the traditional short form.
Popularity over time
Percival has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 14 different years. Its best national rank was #744 in 1886, and the most babies received it in 2025, when 113 were named Percival. In 2025, 113 babies were named Percival, and it ranked #1,536 nationally. That is 606% more than ten years earlier, so it is clearly on the rise.
Its national rank moved from #2,570 in 1920, #3,249 in 1950, #6,043 in 1980, #10,010 in 2000, #11,820 in 2010, and #1,536 in 2025. Of the 1,466 US boys named Percival since records began, 28% were born in the 2020s, its biggest decade. The 2010s come next, with 156 babies.
Other boys' names that peaked around the same time include Manolo, Khaled, Mendel, Summit, and Hendrick.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Percival ranked highest in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Tennessee.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for boys.
Percival is usually pronounced PUR-sih-vuhl, with three syllables. It has eight letters, starts with P and ends in “-al”.
Middle names for Percival
A few middle names that flow with Percival: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Percival
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Lists that include Percival
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Percival mean?
Percival is often said to mean “uncertain; popularly 'pierce the valley'”; the origin is uncertain, though it is usually linked to French roots.
What is the origin of the name Percival?
Percival has French roots. Percival comes from Perceval, the knight in Chrétien de Troyes's twelfth century romance about the quest for the Holy Grail.
Is Percival a popular name?
Not especially. Percival ranked #1,536 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Percival a boy or girl name?
Percival is mainly a boy's name. In the US it is used almost only for boys.
How do you pronounce Percival?
Percival is usually pronounced PUR-sih-vuhl. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings