Percy
Boy name · #1276 in 2025 · Rare
In 2025, 154 baby boys were named Percy, placing it at #1276 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2276, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 11,688 boys born in 2025 was named Percy.
The 145-year story
Percy first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 94 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 603 boys were named Percy — good for #220 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Percy per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Percy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Percy in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Percy is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Percy will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Percy is most common
State-level data for Percy is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Percy
Statistically, parents drawn to Percy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Leroy, Sidney, Harry, Cecil, and Wiley.
LeroySidneyHarryCecilWileyLutherVirgilLyle
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Percy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 154 | #1276 |
| 2024 | 157 | #1256 |
| 2023 | 112 | #1558 |
| 2022 | 112 | #1574 |
| 2021 | 87 | #1799 |
| 2020 | 69 | #2046 |
| 2019 | 45 | #2766 |
| 2018 | 63 | #2189 |
| 2017 | 73 | #1958 |
| 2016 | 47 | #2626 |
| 2015 | 58 | #2276 |
| 2014 | 70 | #2017 |
| 2013 | 61 | #2165 |
| 2012 | 60 | #2185 |
| 2011 | 39 | #2950 |
| 2010 | 41 | #2874 |
| 2009 | 38 | #3045 |
| 2008 | 37 | #3103 |
| 2007 | 57 | #2281 |
| 2006 | 51 | #2398 |
| 2005 | 45 | #2493 |
| 2004 | 60 | #1989 |
| 2003 | 47 | #2269 |
| 2002 | 46 | #2249 |
| 2001 | 59 | #1871 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Percy a popular boy name?
Percy ranked #1276 among boys in 2025 with 154 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2276.
When was the name Percy most popular?
Percy peaked in 1921, when 603 American boys received the name (ranked #220 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Percy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 11,688 newborn American boys was named Percy. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
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.