Percy

Meaning: Spear and steel; folk-etymologized as pierce the valley
Origin: Variant of Percival · The spear and steel interpretation is Welsh (from Welsh)

Boy's name · #1279 in the US (2025) · Comeback

Popularity over time

Percy was #98 in 1897, slipped to #3151 by 2008, and has climbed back to #1279 today. Roughly 32,000 boys have been named Percy since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records.

Across the states

See where Percy is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 15 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Percy ranks in other countries and regions.

#300 in England & Wales (2025) · #420 in New Zealand (2025) · #1,838 in Switzerland (2025) · #1,516 in Canada (2024).

Famous Percys

Percy Bysshe Shelley — British Romantic poet (1792–1822)
Percy Liza — Peruvian footballer
Percy Williams Bridgman — American physicist
Percy Sledge — American singer (1941–2015)
Percy Fawcett — British explorer, anthropologist and archaeologist (1867–1925)

In stories & tradition

Percy Weasley — Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
Percy Jackson — The Heroes of Olympus (novel series)
Percy the Small Engine — Thomas & Friends (TV series)

What Percys become

Among 1,106 notable people named Percy:

Sports figures appear 1.62× more often than among typical names — e.g. Percy Liza, Peruvian footballer.

Similar names: Percival · Foster · Perry · Archie · Ollie · Pete

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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