Precious, of Latin origin, is a unisex given name that means 'highly valued' or 'costly'. It gained prominence in the latter half of the 20th century, notably through the novel and film 'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire'. The name conveys uniqueness and cherished qualities.
The name Precious has been quite popular over the years, with a notable spike in usage from the late 1980s to the early 1990s and again more recently since around 2015. However, it's clear that the name never completely fell out of favor, as there have been births each decade since its first appearance in 1916.