Percy Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Percy has its origins in Old French, derived from a place in Normandy. It means a person from Percy and has evolved through various historical forms. The name became notable due to the influential Percy family in England. It does not have biblical relevance, but it is regarded as a classic name with a noble image. Notable figures include Percy Bysshe Shelley and Percy Sledge.
The name Percy is most popular in Mississippi, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the G.I. Generation generation in the South region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is gaining popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Percy has been too falling for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, too falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West. Across generations, 'Percy' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 210th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 286th out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 409th out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 645th out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 1064th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 2301st out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 1922nd out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 2409th out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 3073rd out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 5213th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 12316th out of 19264 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 14808th out of 30306 names. Discover how the name 'Percy' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Percy"
Pronunciation
/ˈpɜːrsi/
Origin
Old French
Etymology
The name Percy is derived from the Old French 'Perci' or 'Perceval', which in turn comes from a place name in Normandy, France, known as 'Percy-en-Auge'. The name may also be linked to the Latin 'percia', meaning 'to pierce'.
Meaning
A name of a person who comes from Percy.
Language Evolution
Perci, Percy, Perceval
Historical Usage
The name Percy gained popularity in England after the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, primarily among the aristocracy. It became associated with the noble Percy family, which played a significant role in medieval English history.
Variants & Derivatives
Percival, Piers, Percyann
Modern Popularity & Image
Currently, Percy is perceived as a charming and somewhat old-fashioned name. It carries connotations of nobility and has been adopted in various cultural contexts, including literature and media.
Famous People
Percy Bysshe Shelley, Percy Faith, Percy Sledge
Explore More Percy Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Percy"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Percy"
"Percy" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 210th of 7545 | 9,985 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 286th of 6773 | 6,974 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 409th of 7552 | 6,309 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 645th of 10718 | 2,611 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 1064th of 16616 | 1,470 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 2301st of 24088 | 811 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 1922nd of 23106 | 954 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 2409th of 9107 | 240 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 3073rd of 9204 | 159 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 5213th of 12526 | 106 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 12316th of 19264 | 26 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Girl | 14808th of 30306 | 56 |
Regional Popularity of "Percy" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
23.23% 329th/1416 |
19.51% 269th/1379 |
6.38% 151st/2366 |
36.25% 414th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
28.72% 444th/1546 |
22.75% 354th/1556 |
8.80% 207th/2353 |
46.99% 727th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
21.87% 487th/2227 |
21.32% 518th/2430 |
11.15% 318th/2853 |
25.98% 721st/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
21.21% 623rd/2937 |
21.10% 735th/3483 |
14.72% 518th/3518 |
23.64% 956th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
25.56% 942nd/3685 |
28.38% 1270th/4475 |
18.52% 962nd/5194 |
28.11% 1776th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
48.93% 2242nd/4582 |
- |
30.59% 2237th/7313 |
38.60% 2881st/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
43.85% 1747th/3984 |
59.86% 2686th/4487 |
29.64% 2022nd/6822 |
39.60% 2485th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Percy" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - |
80.39% 1902nd/2366 |
- |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - |
95.75% 2253rd/2353 |
- |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - |
89.03% 2540th/2853 |
- |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Percy"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Percy" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.