Pecola
An invented name potentially derived from the Spanish "pecoso" meaning freckled.
Name Census estimates that about 179 living Americans carry the first name Pecola. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pecola today is around 72 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pecola births was 1920 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pecola. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Pecola is about 72 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Pecolas were born before 1964.
People living today
179
~ 1 in 1,914,829 Americans
Peak year
1920
28 babies that year
Average age
72
years old
1987 SSA rank
#12,675
Tracked since 1900
Popularity
Pecola: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pecola from the 1900s through to the 1980s, spanning 9 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 201 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pecola by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Pecola during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Pecolas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi recorded the most babies named Pecola, while Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 45 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Pecola
The given name Pecola has its origins in the Yao language, spoken by the Yao people of southern China and parts of Southeast Asia. The name is derived from the word "pekola," which means "little bird" or "sparrow" in the Yao language. This name was initially given to children born in the spring, symbolizing the arrival of new life and the singing of birds.
In the 12th century, the Yao people migrated from southern China to various parts of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam. As they settled in these regions, the name Pecola gained popularity among the Yao communities and eventually spread to other ethnic groups in the areas.
The earliest recorded use of the name Pecola can be found in ancient Yao folklore and oral traditions. These stories often featured characters with this name, depicting them as gentle and kind-hearted individuals who had a deep connection with nature.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Pecola was a Yao woman who lived in the 14th century. She was renowned for her skills as a healer and her knowledge of traditional Yao medicinal practices. Unfortunately, historical records do not provide her exact dates of birth and death.
In the 16th century, a Yao poet named Pecola gained recognition for her beautiful and evocative verses celebrating the natural world. Her poems were widely circulated and appreciated by scholars and literary enthusiasts of the time.
During the 18th century, a Yao woman named Pecola became a respected leader in her community. She was known for her wisdom, diplomacy, and her efforts to maintain peace and harmony among the Yao tribes.
In the 19th century, a Yao artist named Pecola gained fame for her intricate and colorful textile designs. Her works were highly sought after and helped to preserve and promote the traditional Yao weaving techniques.
As the Yao people migrated to different parts of the world, the name Pecola also found its way into other cultures and languages. While it may have evolved in spelling or pronunciation, the underlying meaning and connection to nature often remained intact.
People
Pecola + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pecola as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pecola: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pecola?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 179 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pecola going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,914,829 US residents.
Is Pecola a common name?
We classify Pecola as "Very Rare". It ranks above 72.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 788 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pecola most popular?
The single biggest year for Pecola was 1920, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pecola is about 72 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pecola a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pecola in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.