Percival
Boy name · #1529 in 2025 · Uniqueness 38/100
Percival is currently the #1529 boy name in the United States — 113 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #5507, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,929 boys born in 2025 was named Percival.
Babies named Percival per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Percival first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 113 babies and a rank of #1529. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Percival against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Percival in class?
Percival scores 38 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Percival is most common
Geography matters for names, and Percival is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Percivals were WI (10), TX (9), MN (7), TN (6), MI (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Percival
Statistically, parents drawn to Percival tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Santiel, Jassiel, Jahziel, Calloway, and Perseus.
SantielJassielJahzielCallowayPerseusAzarielCallawayNayel
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Percival | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 113 | #1529 |
| 2024 | 93 | #1767 |
| 2023 | 63 | #2244 |
| 2022 | 51 | #2616 |
| 2021 | 46 | #2732 |
| 2020 | 46 | #2689 |
| 2019 | 38 | #3103 |
| 2018 | 19 | #4918 |
| 2017 | 19 | #4935 |
| 2016 | 12 | #6726 |
| 2015 | 16 | #5507 |
| 2014 | 16 | #5485 |
| 2013 | 8 | #8789 |
| 2012 | 9 | #8158 |
| 2011 | 13 | #6256 |
| 2010 | 6 | #10766 |
| 2009 | 5 | #12491 |
| 2007 | 8 | #8915 |
| 2006 | 6 | #10662 |
| 2004 | 5 | #11356 |
| 2001 | 6 | #9243 |
| 2000 | 6 | #9112 |
| 1999 | 7 | #7874 |
| 1998 | 5 | #9631 |
| 1997 | 6 | #8110 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Percival a popular boy name?
Percival ranked #1529 among boys in 2025 with 113 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #5507.
When was the name Percival most popular?
Percival peaked in 2025, when 113 American boys received the name (ranked #1529 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Percival?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,929 newborn American boys was named Percival. It scores 38/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.