Pessy
A feminine name of uncertain origin and meaning, possibly related to "peace".
Name Census estimates that about 1,140 living Americans carry the first name Pessy. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pessy today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pessy births was 2021 (63 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pessy. 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
- • Pessy is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 16 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 300,662 Americans
Peak year
2021
63 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,998
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Pessy: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pessy from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 430 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Pessy remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pessy 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 Pessy during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Pessys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Pessy
The name Pessy has its origins in the ancient Sumerian language, which was spoken in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500 BC. It is believed to be derived from the Sumerian word "peshtu," which means "basket weaver" or "maker of baskets." The name was likely given to individuals who worked as basket weavers or were involved in the production of baskets, which were essential items in the daily lives of the Sumerians.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pessy can be found in the Sumerian clay tablets from the city of Uruk, dating back to around 2500 BC. These tablets document the names of various individuals, including several people with the name Pessy, who were likely basket weavers or related to the basket-weaving trade.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the name Pessy. One of the most renowned was Pessy the Elder, a master basket weaver who lived in the city of Ur during the reign of King Shulgi (2094-2047 BC). Pessy the Elder was renowned for his intricate and beautiful baskets, which were highly prized by the nobility and used in religious ceremonies.
Another notable figure was Pessy of Nippur, a high-ranking priestess who lived in the city of Nippur during the Old Babylonian period (circa 1800 BC). Pessy of Nippur was known for her wisdom and expertise in religious rituals, and she was highly respected in her community.
In the 13th century BC, there was a notable figure named Pessy of Thebes, who was a renowned basket weaver in the city of Thebes in ancient Egypt. Pessy of Thebes was known for creating intricate and colorful baskets that were used in various religious ceremonies and as decorative items in the homes of the wealthy.
During the Hellenistic period (323-30 BC), there was a Greek philosopher named Pessy of Rhodes, who was known for his teachings on ethics and morality. Pessy of Rhodes was a student of the famous philosopher Aristotle and was highly respected for his contributions to philosophical thought.
Finally, in the 4th century AD, there was a Christian martyr named Pessy of Antioch, who was executed for her faith during the persecutions of the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Pessy of Antioch was known for her unwavering devotion to Christianity and her courage in the face of adversity, and she was later venerated as a saint by the Christian church.
People
Pessy + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pessy 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
Pessy: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pessy?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,140 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pessy 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 300,662 US residents.
Is Pessy a common name?
We classify Pessy as "Rare". It ranks above 90.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,157 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pessy most popular?
The single biggest year for Pessy was 2021, when 63 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pessy is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pessy a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pessy 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.