Perrier
French name derived from the Latin word "petra" meaning "rock, stone".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Perrier. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Perrier today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Perrier births was 1987 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Perrier. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Perrier. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1987
5 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
1987 SSA rank
#7,832
Tracked since 1987
Popularity
Perrier: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Perrier 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 Perrier during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Perrier
The name Perrier has its origins in the French language, originating from the Old French word "perrier," which referred to a quarry worker or a stone mason. This name can be traced back to the Middle Ages, around the 12th to 15th centuries, when it was primarily used as an occupational surname in France.
The etymology of the name Perrier is derived from the French word "pierre," which means "stone." This connection to the stone or quarry industry likely stems from the fact that many people during that time period were identified by their occupation or trade.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Perrier can be found in the 13th century French text "Cartulaire de l'abbaye de Saint-Père de Chartres," where it is mentioned as a surname. Additionally, in the 14th century, there are records of a Perrier family residing in the region of Burgundy, France.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Perrier. One of the earliest recorded was Jacques Perrier (c. 1300-1370), a French architect and master mason who was instrumental in the construction of the Avignon Cathedral in the 14th century.
Another prominent figure was François Perrier (1590-1650), a French painter and engraver known for his etchings and drawings of classical sculptures and architectural subjects. He was considered one of the leading practitioners of the French Baroque style.
In the 18th century, François Perrier (1735-1794) was a French botanist and physician who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy and pharmacology. He is particularly renowned for his work on the classification of medicinal plants.
Moving forward in time, Émile Perrier (1844-1921) was a French zoologist and museum curator who served as the director of the Natural History Museum in Paris. He was a pioneer in the field of marine biology and made notable contributions to the study of echinoderms (such as starfish and sea urchins).
Another notable figure was Georges Perrier (1897-1965), a French actor and film director who appeared in numerous films during the Golden Age of French cinema in the 1930s and 1940s. He is remembered for his roles in films such as "La Bête Humaine" (1938) and "Les Visiteurs du Soir" (1942).
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Perrier, showcasing its rich heritage and cultural significance within the French linguistic and historical context.
People
Perrier + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Perrier 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
Perrier: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Perrier?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Perrier 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Perrier a common name?
We classify Perrier as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Perrier most popular?
The single biggest year for Perrier was 1987, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Perrier is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Perrier in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Perrier a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Perrier in the SSA data are male. 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.
Is Perrier still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Perrier in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Perrier can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Perrier?
Find out how many Americans are named Perrier on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.