Persey
Of Greek origin meaning "to destroy" or "to ruin".
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Persey. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Persey today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Persey births was 1914 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Persey. 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 Persey is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Perseys were born before 1967.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Persey. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1914
5 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
1953 SSA rank
#4,215
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Persey: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Persey from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Persey 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 Persey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Persey
The name Persey has its origins in ancient Greek culture, dating back to the 5th century BC. It is derived from the Greek word "perseis," which means "destroyer" or "the one who destroys." This name was initially associated with the mythological figure Perseus, a hero known for slaying the Gorgon Medusa.
In Greek mythology, Perseus was the son of Zeus and the mortal woman Danaë. His heroic exploits were recorded in various ancient texts, including the works of Homer and Hesiod. The name Persey gained popularity among the ancient Greeks as a symbol of strength, courage, and heroism.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Persey can be found in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BC. Herodotus mentioned a Persian king named Perses, which may have been a variation of the name Persey.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Persey. One of the most famous was Persey, the King of Macedonia, who ruled from 179 BC to 168 BC. He was known for his military campaigns and his efforts to expand the Macedonian Empire.
Another prominent figure with the name Persey was Persey of Tyre, a Phoenician philosopher and mathematician who lived in the 6th century BC. He is credited with introducing the concept of the atom and making significant contributions to the field of geometry.
In the Middle Ages, Persey of Edessa was a renowned Christian theologian and philosopher who lived in the 5th century AD. He played a crucial role in the development of early Christian thought and wrote extensively on topics such as the nature of God and the Trinity.
During the Renaissance period, Persey Vere was an English courtier and poet who lived from 1562 to 1628. He was a prominent figure in the court of Queen Elizabeth I and is known for his contributions to literature and the arts.
Persey Shelley, born in 1792, was a famous English Romantic poet and philosopher. He is best known for his works such as "Ode to the West Wind" and "Prometheus Unbound." Shelley's poetry explored themes of nature, love, and political freedom, and he is regarded as one of the most influential poets of the Romantic era.
People
Persey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Persey 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
Persey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Persey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Persey 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Persey a common name?
We classify Persey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Persey most popular?
The single biggest year for Persey was 1914, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Persey is about 69 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 Persey in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Persey a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Persey 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 Persey still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Persey 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 Persey 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 share the name Persey?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.