Percilla
Feminine variant of the name Percival, of uncertain meaning but possibly derived from Old French and meaning "peaceful one".
Name Census estimates that about 376 living Americans carry the first name Percilla. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Percilla today is around 55 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Percilla births was 1949 (22 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Percilla. 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.
People living today
376
~ 1 in 911,581 Americans
Peak year
1949
22 babies that year
Average age
55
years old
2011 SSA rank
#18,894
Tracked since 1907
Popularity
Percilla: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Percilla from the 1900s through to the 2010s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 116 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Percilla 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 Percilla during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Percillas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Percilla
The given name Percilla has its origins in the Latin language, tracing back to ancient Roman times. It is derived from the Latin word "percilla," which means "little girl." The name can also be linked to the Latin word "percius," meaning "dark-haired."
In ancient Roman culture, Percilla was a popular name given to female children, often used as a diminutive or affectionate form of other names like Percia or Percia. The name's association with dark hair and youth made it a fitting choice for parents during that era.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Percilla can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Livy, who mentioned a woman named Percilla in his work "Ab Urbe Condita" (From the Founding of the City), which chronicles the history of Rome from its mythical beginnings to the author's time in the 1st century BC.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Percilla. One such figure was Percilla of Tarsus (c. 325 AD - 380 AD), a Christian martyr who was executed for her faith during the reign of the Roman Emperor Julian the Apostate. Her unwavering dedication to Christianity earned her a place in early Christian hagiographies.
Another prominent Percilla was Percilla of Siena (1347 - 1428), an Italian nun and mystic who played a significant role in the spiritual revival movement of her time. She was known for her visions and prophetic writings, which influenced the religious landscape of medieval Italy.
In the realm of literature, Percilla Trent (1782 - 1856) was a British author and poet who gained recognition for her works exploring themes of love, nature, and the human condition. Her poetry collections, such as "Verses on Various Occasions" (1810), earned her a place among the notable literary figures of the 19th century.
Moving to more modern times, Percilla Frizzell (1910 - 1999) was an American artist and printmaker renowned for her vibrant depictions of rural life and landscapes. Her works, often showcasing scenes from the American South, are held in prestigious collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
Lastly, Percilla Bejou (1940 - 2021) was a French fashion designer and entrepreneur who founded the luxury lingerie brand Aubade in 1958. Her innovative designs and commitment to quality helped establish the brand as a leader in the high-end lingerie market, earning her recognition within the fashion industry.
People
Percilla + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Percilla 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
Percilla: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Percilla?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 376 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Percilla 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 911,581 US residents.
Is Percilla a common name?
We classify Percilla as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 567 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Percilla most popular?
The single biggest year for Percilla was 1949, when 22 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Percilla is about 55 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Percilla a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Percilla 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.