Peri
A Persian feminine name meaning fairy or supernatural being.
Name Census estimates that about 2,232 living Americans carry the first name Peri. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Peri today is around 34 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Peri births was 1960 (97 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Peri. 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
2.2K
~ 1 in 153,564 Americans
Peak year
1960
97 babies that year
Average age
34
years old
1960 SSA rank
#4,457
Tracked since 1936
Gender
Gender distribution for Peri
Out of the 2,452 babies given the name Peri since 1880, 99.6% were registered as female. The name sits firmly on the female side of the spectrum, with only a handful of male registrations across the entire dataset.
Peri as a male name
- Ranked #4,457 in 1960
- 5 male births in 1960
- Peak: 1959 (5 births)
Peri as a female name
- Ranked #5,386 in 2024
- 24 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1960 (92 births)
Popularity
Peri: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Peri from the 1930s through to the 2020s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 499 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2000s peak, Peri remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Peri 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 Peri during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Peris live
The SSA's state-level files cover 11 states and territories. New York, California, Texas recorded the most babies named Peri, while Pennsylvania, Colorado, Maryland recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 62 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Peri
The name Peri is believed to have its origins in the Persian language, where it means "fairy" or "supernatural being." It dates back to ancient Persia, which is now modern-day Iran, and was likely used as a name for children who were considered particularly beautiful or enchanting.
In Persian mythology, peris were depicted as benevolent, fairy-like creatures who lived in a parallel world and could interact with humans. They were often associated with nature and were believed to have magical powers. The name Peri may have been given to children in the hope that they would be blessed with the qualities of these mythical beings.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Peri appears in the epic poem Shahnameh, written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. In the poem, Peri is mentioned as the name of a beautiful princess who was sought after by many suitors.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Peri. One of the most famous was Peri Bon, a 13th-century mystic and poet from Persia who wrote extensively about Sufism and spiritual enlightenment. Her works were widely read and influential in the Islamic world.
Another notable Peri was Peri Khan Khanum, a 16th-century Mughal princess who was known for her extraordinary beauty and intelligence. She was the daughter of Emperor Akbar and played an important role in the political and cultural life of the Mughal Empire.
In the 19th century, Peri was the name of a famous Iranian actress and dancer, Peri Banoo, who performed in the court of the Qajar dynasty. She was renowned for her grace and talent and was considered one of the most celebrated performers of her time.
In more recent times, Peri Pouran was an Iranian painter and sculptor who lived from 1910 to 1992. She was a pioneer of modern art in Iran and is remembered for her innovative use of traditional Persian motifs and techniques in her works.
Another notable Peri was Peri Avraham, an Israeli writer and activist who was born in 1933. She was a prominent figure in the struggle for women's rights and worked tirelessly to promote peace and understanding between different cultures.
People
Peri + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Peri 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
Peri: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Peri?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,232 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Peri 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 153,564 US residents.
Is Peri a common name?
We classify Peri as "Rare". It ranks above 94.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,452 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Peri most popular?
The single biggest year for Peri was 1960, when 97 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Peri is about 34 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Peri a female name?
Yes, 99.6% of people registered as Peri 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.