Pertina
A feminine name of Latin origin meaning "stubborn" or "persistent".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Pertina. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pertina today is around 53 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pertina births was 1973 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pertina. 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 Pertina. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1973
6 babies that year
Average age
53
years old
1973 SSA rank
#8,126
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Pertina: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Pertina 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 Pertina during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 11 | 11 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Pertina
The given name Pertina has its origins in ancient Rome, deriving from the Latin word "pertinax," which means "persevering" or "tenacious." This name was particularly popular during the Roman Empire, a period spanning from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pertina can be found in the writings of the Roman historian Suetonius, who mentioned a Roman empress named Pertina in his work "The Twelve Caesars." However, details about this historical figure are scarce, and it is uncertain whether this was her actual name or a nickname.
In the 2nd century AD, there was a Roman emperor named Publius Helvius Pertinax, who ruled for a brief period in 193 AD. He was born in 126 AD and was known for his humble origins and military background. Despite his relatively short reign, Pertinax was remembered for his efforts to restore order and discipline in the empire.
Another notable figure with the name Pertina was Saint Pertina, a 5th-century Christian martyr. According to legend, she was a young woman who faced persecution and ultimately execution for her unwavering faith during the reign of the Roman emperor Diocletian.
In the 6th century, there was a Byzantine empress named Pertina, who was the wife of Emperor Justin II. She played a significant role in the political and religious affairs of the Byzantine Empire during her husband's reign.
During the Middle Ages, the name Pertina gained some popularity among Italian noble families. One example is Pertina di Montefeltro, a 13th-century Italian noblewoman who was born in 1240 and married into the powerful Malatesta family of Rimini.
Over the centuries, the name Pertina has remained relatively uncommon, but it has been used sporadically throughout various regions and cultures influenced by Roman heritage or Latin language. While it may not be as widespread as some other names, Pertina carries a unique and distinctive historical significance rooted in the ancient Roman world.
People
Pertina + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pertina 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
Pertina: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pertina?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pertina 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Pertina a common name?
We classify Pertina as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pertina most popular?
The single biggest year for Pertina was 1973, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pertina is about 53 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 Pertina in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Pertina a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pertina 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.
Is Pertina still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Pertina 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 Pertina 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 Pertina?
You can see how many people share the name Pertina on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.