Name meaning & stats
Percival
Percival. 1,022 US babies since 1940, peak 2025. Notable Percivals are 1.4× over-represented as film directors.
What it means
No agreed meaning on record
In US birth records
Peak year: 2025
1,022 US babies were named Percival between 1940 and 2025.
Percival around the world
- England & Wales: 373 babies since 1996, peak 2025, No. 735 in 2025
- New Zealand: 483 babies since 1900, peak 1907
From official birth registries. Sources are listed on About the data.
Where Percivals end up
| Career | vs expected | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Politician | 1.0× | Low · 4 people |
| Professor | 1.1× | Low · 3 people |
| Film director | 1.4× | Low · 3 people |
| Writer | 1.1× | Low · 2 people |
Among notable men who are film directors, Percivals show up 1.4× as often as you'd expect from how common the name is.
Notable people of every nationality born 1940–2005 (Wikidata). Patterns, not destiny.
Name twins (peaked around 2025)