Perkins Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PUR-kinz /ˈpɜr.kɪnz/
Origin: English; French
Meaning: English: son of Perkin; French: little Peter
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Perkins is of English origin, derived from the medieval diminutive of the name Peter. The etymology can be traced back to the Latin name Petrus, which means "rock" or "stone," and was adopted into Greek as Petros.
The name Peter became popular in early Christianity due to its association with Saint Peter, one of Jesus Christ's apostles, who is often regarded as the rock upon which the Church was built. The diminutive form, Perkins, emerged in the Middle Ages, where the suffix "-kin" was commonly used in English to denote "little" or "son of." Thus, Perkins can be interpreted as "little Peter" or "son of Peter." Historically, the name Perkins has been recorded in various forms throughout the centuries, including Perkin and Parkin.
It appears in English records as early as the 13th century. Notably, the name was borne by several prominent figures, including Perkins of the 16th century, who was a notable figure in the Protestant Reformation.
The name also appears in literature, such as in the 15th-century play "The Life of Sir John Oldcastle," where a character named Perkins is mentioned, reflecting the name's integration into cultural narratives of the time. Culturally, the name Perkins has been associated with various traditions and familial lineages, particularly in England.
It has been used as a surname, often indicating a patronymic lineage, and has been linked to various regions and families throughout English history. The name's enduring presence in historical documents and literature underscores its significance in the cultural fabric of England.
The diminutive form, Perky, has also been used informally, though it is less common in historical texts. Overall, Perkins reflects a rich linguistic heritage and a connection to significant historical and cultural themes.
Fictional characters named Perkins
The following list of fictional characters named Perkins 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.
Perkins is a fictional character from the film The Shawshank Redemption. He is a prison inmate who befriends the protagonist, Andy Dufresne, during their time in Shawshank State Penitentiary.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Perkins, 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 Perkins. 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 Perkins was first seen in the United States in 1917.
Perkins has ranked as high as #874 nationally, which occurred in 1921, and has been most popular in Mississippi.
In the past 5 years the name Perkins has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Perkins 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 Perkins was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Perkins (1921)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| MS | 5 |
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 Perkins.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 |
| 1958 | 5 |
| 1947 | 7 |
| 1946 | 5 |
| 1943 | 5 |
| 1930 | 6 |
| 1929 | 5 |
| 1928 | 5 |
| 1925 | 5 |
| 1924 | 8 |
| 1921 | 10 |
| 1920 | 5 |
| 1917 | 8 |