Precious Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: PRESH-us //ˈprɛʃ.əs//
Origin: English; Latin
Meaning: English: valuable; Latin: precious, dear
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Precious has its roots in the Latin word "precious", meaning "valuable" or "dear". This term evolved through various languages, including Old French, where it became "precios", before entering the English lexicon.
The adoption of the name into English can be traced back to the late Middle Ages, a period when names reflecting virtues, qualities, or esteemed characteristics began to gain popularity. The use of Precious as a given name reflects a broader cultural trend of naming children after desirable attributes, a practice that has historical significance across many cultures.
Historically, the name Precious has been associated with various religious and literary contexts. In Christian texts, the term is often used to describe the value of faith, the worth of the soul, or the preciousness of life itself.
The King James Bible, published in 1611, employs the term in several passages, emphasizing the idea of something being cherished or held in high regard. This biblical resonance contributed to the name's appeal among Christian communities, where names reflecting virtue were particularly favored.
Culturally, the name Precious carries connotations of worth and esteem, often symbolizing the cherished nature of the individual. It has been used in various literary works and artistic expressions, reinforcing its association with value and significance.
The name also has a diminutive form, "Preciousness", which further emphasizes its meaning. Overall, the name has endured through centuries due to its positive connotations and the cultural emphasis on the intrinsic value of individuals.
Famous people named Precious
In this section, you will find notable people named Precious. 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 Precious who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Precious 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.
Precious Lee is a model and actress best known for her work with Savage X Fenty, Vogue, and being the first Black plus-size model to walk for Versace.
Fictional characters named Precious
The following list of fictional characters named Precious 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.
Precious is a fictional character from the novel and film Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire. She is an African American teenager who overcomes immense personal struggles and abuse to find her own voice and identity.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Precious, 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 Precious. 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 Precious was first seen in the United States in 1897.
Precious has ranked as high as #746 nationally, which occurred in 2001, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Florida, and Illinois.
In the past 5 years the name Precious has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Precious 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 Precious 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 Precious.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | 0 | 51 |
| 2024 | 69 | 0 | 69 |
| 2023 | 76 | 6 | 70 |
| 2022 | 87 | 0 | 87 |
| 2021 | 84 | 0 | 84 |
| 2020 | 58 | 0 | 58 |
| 2019 | 96 | 6 | 90 |
| 2018 | 113 | 0 | 113 |
| 2017 | 111 | 0 | 111 |
| 2016 | 115 | 6 | 109 |
| 2015 | 136 | 5 | 131 |
| 2014 | 133 | 0 | 133 |
| 2013 | 150 | 5 | 145 |
| 2012 | 157 | 0 | 157 |
| 2011 | 199 | 0 | 199 |
| 2010 | 268 | 0 | 268 |
| 2009 | 372 | 5 | 367 |
| 2008 | 375 | 0 | 375 |
| 2007 | 501 | 0 | 501 |
| 2006 | 534 | 0 | 534 |
| 2005 | 529 | 0 | 529 |
| 2004 | 517 | 5 | 512 |
| 2003 | 558 | 5 | 553 |
| 2002 | 696 | 7 | 689 |
| 2001 | 746 | 0 | 746 |
| 2000 | 648 | 0 | 648 |
| 1999 | 687 | 0 | 687 |
| 1998 | 741 | 0 | 741 |
| 1997 | 639 | 0 | 639 |
| 1996 | 703 | 0 | 703 |
| 1995 | 620 | 0 | 620 |
| 1994 | 638 | 7 | 631 |
| 1993 | 594 | 0 | 594 |
| 1992 | 569 | 0 | 569 |
| 1991 | 574 | 0 | 574 |
| 1990 | 555 | 8 | 547 |
| 1989 | 504 | 8 | 496 |
| 1988 | 533 | 8 | 525 |
| 1987 | 432 | 5 | 427 |
| 1986 | 418 | 0 | 418 |
| 1985 | 377 | 0 | 377 |
| 1984 | 278 | 0 | 278 |
| 1983 | 268 | 0 | 268 |
| 1982 | 271 | 0 | 271 |
| 1981 | 252 | 6 | 246 |
| 1980 | 256 | 7 | 249 |
| 1979 | 188 | 0 | 188 |
| 1978 | 140 | 0 | 140 |
| 1977 | 132 | 0 | 132 |
| 1976 | 88 | 0 | 88 |
| 1975 | 106 | 0 | 106 |
| 1974 | 89 | 0 | 89 |
| 1973 | 72 | 6 | 66 |
| 1972 | 87 | 0 | 87 |
| 1971 | 65 | 0 | 65 |
| 1970 | 59 | 0 | 59 |
| 1969 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| 1968 | 54 | 0 | 54 |
| 1967 | 38 | 0 | 38 |
| 1966 | 38 | 0 | 38 |
| 1965 | 37 | 0 | 37 |
| 1964 | 31 | 0 | 31 |
| 1963 | 30 | 0 | 30 |
| 1962 | 23 | 0 | 23 |
| 1961 | 23 | 0 | 23 |
| 1960 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| 1959 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1958 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| 1957 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1956 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| 1955 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 1954 | 24 | 0 | 24 |
| 1953 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1952 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1951 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 1950 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| 1949 | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| 1948 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1947 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1946 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1945 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 1944 | 21 | 0 | 21 |
| 1943 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1942 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| 1941 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 1940 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1939 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1938 | 19 | 0 | 19 |
| 1937 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 1936 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1935 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1934 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1933 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 1932 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| 1931 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1930 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1929 | 26 | 5 | 21 |
| 1928 | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| 1927 | 34 | 5 | 29 |
| 1926 | 26 | 6 | 20 |
| 1925 | 28 | 5 | 23 |
| 1924 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| 1923 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 1922 | 24 | 0 | 24 |
| 1921 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 1920 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| 1919 | 29 | 5 | 24 |
| 1918 | 22 | 5 | 17 |
| 1917 | 22 | 6 | 16 |
| 1916 | 17 | 5 | 12 |
| 1915 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1914 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1913 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1911 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1910 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 1909 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1908 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1907 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1906 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1905 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1904 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1903 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1902 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1900 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1898 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1897 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Top States for Precious (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 | 9 | |
| CA | 5 |