Pervis
A masculine given name of unknown origin and meaning.
Name Census estimates that about 502 living Americans carry the first name Pervis. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Pervis today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pervis births was 1965 (21 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pervis. 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
502
~ 1 in 682,778 Americans
Peak year
1965
21 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
2002 SSA rank
#12,007
Tracked since 1892
Popularity
Pervis: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pervis from the 1890s through to the 2000s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 135 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pervis 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 Pervis during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Pervis' live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois recorded the most babies named Pervis, while South Carolina, North Carolina, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 6 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Pervis
The given name Pervis is an English variation of the French name Parvus, which was derived from the Latin word "parvus" meaning "small" or "little." This name gained popularity during the Middle Ages in parts of Europe, particularly in France and England.
The earliest recorded use of the name Pervis can be traced back to the 12th century in England. Historical records from this period show the name being used by members of the nobility and clergy. One notable figure was Sir Pervis de Montfort, a knight who fought alongside King Richard I during the Third Crusade in the late 12th century.
In the 13th century, the name Pervis appeared in several literary works, including the medieval romance "Le Roman de la Rose" by Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun. This literary reference suggests that the name was well-established in French culture during this time.
As the name spread across Europe, variations of the spelling emerged, including Pervis, Parvus, and Parvis. In the 15th century, a notable figure named Pervis Loughborough was a prominent scholar and philosopher at the University of Oxford in England.
During the Renaissance period, the name Pervis gained further recognition. In the 16th century, Pervis Woodhouse was an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including parts of the Old Royal Palace.
In the 17th century, a famous figure named Pervis Everard was a renowned English playwright and poet who contributed to the flourishing literary scene during the reign of King Charles II.
Throughout history, the name Pervis has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, and military leaders. While not as widely used today, the name continues to carry a rich historical legacy rooted in its medieval European origins.
People
Pervis + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pervis 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
Pervis: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pervis?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 502 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pervis 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 682,778 US residents.
Is Pervis a common name?
We classify Pervis as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 878 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pervis most popular?
The single biggest year for Pervis was 1965, when 21 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pervis is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pervis a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pervis 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.
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.