Percy

At a Glance

Origin

Norman French (place name, ultimately Latin)

Gender

Boy

Pronunciation

PUR-seeListen

Percy (pronounced PUR-see, IPA /ˈpɜr.si/) is a boy's name with Norman French roots, tracing back to the place name Percy-en-Auge. You may have heard it translated as 'pierce the valley' — that's a popular but unsupported claim, since the name comes from that French place name rather than any literal phrase. It has a clean, modern and romantic, storybook feel.

Meaning & Origin of Percy

Origin: Norman French (place name, ultimately Latin).

A common claim: Percy is often said to mean 'pierce the valley.' Actually: That's an unsupported folk etymology — Percy actually derives from the Norman place name Percy-en-Auge and has no lexical meaning of 'pierce' or 'valley.'

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Percy

Popularity of Percy

Percy peaked at #98 in the U.S. in 1897, when 183 babies were given the name; by 2024 it had dropped to #1257, with 157 babies, based on U.S. birth records covering 1880 through 2024.

Names Like Percy

These names share Percy’s style, era or origin.

• Amadeus
• Amias
• Caian
• Caius
• Creed
• Fidel

FAQ

What does the name Percy mean?

Percy is often said to mean ‘pierce the valley.’ That’s an unsupported folk etymology — Percy actually derives from the Norman place name Percy-en-Auge and has no lexical meaning of ‘pierce’ or ‘valley.’

How do you pronounce Percy?

Percy is pronounced PUR-see (IPA: /ˈpɜːrsi/).

Is Percy a popular name right now?

Percy peaked at #98 in 1897 and is ranked #1257 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)

Make Percy Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Percy, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.