Percival
Percival is a boy name of French origin meaning “Pierce the valley”, pronounced PER-sih-val. It ranked #1536 in the United States in 2025, given to 113 babies, and peaked at #744 in 1886. Common nicknames: Percy, Val, Perce.
How popular is Percival in the United States?
Data: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA). Based on all Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
What does Percival mean, and where does it come from?
Percival is the name Chrétien de Troyes gave to the knight who finds the Grail castle and fails to ask the one question that matters — probably a French reworking of the Welsh Peredur, and often read as perce-val, "pierce the valley." Wagner made him Parsifal. American records hold the name from 1880, and it is rising again now with the other long medieval names. Percival Lowell built an observatory in Arizona to look for canals on Mars and found the evidence for Pluto instead.
How is Percival used around the world?
Percival is used in 1 languages worldwide, with 5+ international variants.
TypeMale given name
Linguistic data: Wikidata (CC0). Variants and language usage may vary by region.
What are the nicknames for Percival?
Famous People Named Percival
- Percival Lowell — American astronomer whose observatory led to the discovery of Pluto
- Percival Everett — American novelist, author of James and Erasure
Similar Names to Percival
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Sibling Name Ideas for Percival
Looking for names that pair well with Percival? Here are some sibling name suggestions that share a similar style and feel.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Percival mean?
Percival is a boy name of French origin meaning "Pierce the valley." Percival is the name Chrétien de Troyes gave to the knight who finds the Grail castle and fails to ask the one question that matters — probably a French reworking of the Welsh Peredur, and often read as perce-val, "pierce the valley." Wagner made him Parsifal.
How do you pronounce Percival?
Percival is pronounced PER-sih-val. Common variations include Perceval, Parsifal, Peredur.
Is Percival a boy name?
Yes, Percival is traditionally a boy name. Popular nicknames include Percy, Val, Perce.