Percival Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PUR-sih-vuhl //ˈpɜːrsɪvəl//
Origin: Old French; Latin
Meaning: Old French: 'pierce the valley'; Latin: 'to pierce'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Percival has its roots in Old French, derived from the name Perceval, which itself comes from the Latin name Percivalis. The etymology can be traced further back to the Proto-Celtic elements "per" meaning "to pierce" and "cual" meaning "vale" or "to be strong." This suggests a literal interpretation of the name as "piercing the vale" or "one who pierces the valley." The name entered the English language during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when it was introduced by the Normans who spoke Old French, thus integrating it into English culture and language.
Historically, Percival is most famously associated with Arthurian legend, particularly as one of the Knights of the Round Table. He is often depicted as a noble and pure-hearted knight, known for his quest for the Holy Grail.
The earliest literary references to Percival appear in the works of Chrétien de Troyes in the late 12th century, specifically in his poem "Perceval, the Story of the Grail." This text laid the foundation for the character's development in subsequent medieval literature, including Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte d'Arthur" in the 15th century, which further solidified Percival's place in the Arthurian canon. Culturally, Percival embodies themes of chivalry, purity, and the quest for spiritual enlightenment, resonating deeply within the medieval context of knighthood and heroism.
His character has been interpreted as a symbol of the ideal knight, representing the virtues of bravery and loyalty. The name has also seen various diminutive forms, such as Percy, which have been used historically, although these forms are less prominent in the context of the name's traditional significance.
Overall, Percival's enduring legacy in literature and culture highlights the importance of chivalric ideals and the quest for higher truths.
Famous people named Percival
In this section, you will find notable people named Percival. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Percival who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Percival who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Percival Lowell was an astronomer best known for his theories on Mars and the construction of the Lowell Observatory.
Percival P. Baxter was a philanthropist and conservationist best known for establishing Baxter State Park in Maine.
Fictional characters named Percival
The following list of fictional characters named Percival is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Percival is a fictional character from Arthurian legend and various adaptations. He is one of the Knights of the Round Table, known for his quest for the Holy Grail.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Percival, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Percival. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Percival was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Percival has ranked as high as #3252 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in Texas, California, New York, Washington, and Wisconsin.
In the past 5 years the name Percival has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Percival is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Percival was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Percival.
| Year | Total Births | Boy |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 113 | 113 |
| 2024 | 93 | 93 |
| 2023 | 63 | 63 |
| 2022 | 51 | 51 |
| 2021 | 46 | 46 |
| 2020 | 46 | 46 |
| 2019 | 38 | 38 |
| 2018 | 19 | 19 |
| 2017 | 19 | 19 |
| 2016 | 12 | 12 |
| 2015 | 16 | 16 |
| 2014 | 16 | 16 |
| 2013 | 8 | 8 |
| 2012 | 9 | 9 |
| 2011 | 13 | 13 |
| 2010 | 6 | 6 |
| 2009 | 5 | 5 |
| 2007 | 8 | 8 |
| 2006 | 6 | 6 |
| 2004 | 5 | 5 |
| 2001 | 6 | 6 |
| 2000 | 6 | 6 |
| 1999 | 7 | 7 |
| 1998 | 5 | 5 |
| 1997 | 6 | 6 |
| 1996 | 6 | 6 |
| 1995 | 5 | 5 |
| 1994 | 6 | 6 |
| 1993 | 9 | 9 |
| 1992 | 6 | 6 |
| 1991 | 6 | 6 |
| 1990 | 6 | 6 |
| 1989 | 6 | 6 |
| 1988 | 6 | 6 |
| 1987 | 7 | 7 |
| 1986 | 7 | 7 |
| 1985 | 6 | 6 |
| 1984 | 8 | 8 |
| 1983 | 16 | 16 |
| 1982 | 5 | 5 |
| 1981 | 8 | 8 |
| 1980 | 6 | 6 |
| 1979 | 6 | 6 |
| 1978 | 5 | 5 |
| 1977 | 11 | 11 |
| 1976 | 10 | 10 |
| 1975 | 8 | 8 |
| 1974 | 6 | 6 |
| 1973 | 10 | 10 |
| 1972 | 9 | 9 |
| 1971 | 15 | 15 |
| 1970 | 7 | 7 |
| 1969 | 8 | 8 |
| 1968 | 7 | 7 |
| 1966 | 7 | 7 |
| 1965 | 14 | 14 |
| 1964 | 13 | 13 |
| 1963 | 6 | 6 |
| 1962 | 7 | 7 |
| 1961 | 8 | 8 |
| 1960 | 6 | 6 |
| 1959 | 10 | 10 |
| 1958 | 6 | 6 |
| 1957 | 12 | 12 |
| 1956 | 7 | 7 |
| 1955 | 8 | 8 |
| 1954 | 6 | 6 |
| 1953 | 5 | 5 |
| 1952 | 8 | 8 |
| 1951 | 5 | 5 |
| 1950 | 7 | 7 |
| 1949 | 6 | 6 |
| 1947 | 7 | 7 |
| 1946 | 8 | 8 |
| 1944 | 6 | 6 |
| 1943 | 6 | 6 |
| 1942 | 6 | 6 |
| 1941 | 5 | 5 |
| 1937 | 8 | 8 |
| 1935 | 6 | 6 |
| 1934 | 7 | 7 |
| 1933 | 8 | 8 |
| 1932 | 8 | 8 |
| 1931 | 9 | 9 |
| 1930 | 9 | 9 |
| 1929 | 9 | 9 |
| 1928 | 14 | 14 |
| 1927 | 7 | 7 |
| 1926 | 19 | 19 |
| 1925 | 10 | 10 |
| 1924 | 10 | 10 |
| 1923 | 9 | 9 |
| 1922 | 25 | 25 |
| 1921 | 22 | 22 |
| 1920 | 12 | 12 |
| 1919 | 10 | 10 |
| 1918 | 18 | 18 |
| 1917 | 13 | 13 |
| 1916 | 17 | 17 |
| 1915 | 11 | 11 |
| 1914 | 11 | 11 |
| 1913 | 11 | 11 |
| 1912 | 16 | 16 |
| 1908 | 6 | 6 |
| 1905 | 7 | 7 |
| 1904 | 5 | 5 |
| 1903 | 5 | 5 |
| 1902 | 8 | 8 |
| 1901 | 7 | 7 |
| 1900 | 7 | 7 |
| 1897 | 8 | 8 |
| 1894 | 8 | 8 |
| 1893 | 7 | 7 |
| 1892 | 9 | 9 |
| 1891 | 6 | 6 |
| 1890 | 5 | 5 |
| 1889 | 6 | 6 |
| 1888 | 5 | 5 |
| 1886 | 8 | 8 |
| 1885 | 7 | 7 |
| 1884 | 6 | 6 |
| 1883 | 5 | 5 |
| 1882 | 6 | 6 |
| 1881 | 7 | 7 |
| 1880 | 7 | 7 |
Top States for Percival (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 8 | |
| WA | 6 | |
| WI | 6 | |
| MO | 6 | |
| TN | 5 |