Pearson is an uncommon yet distinguished given name of English origin, derived from the occupational surname Pearson. The surname itself comes from the Middle English word 'perse', meaning 'to pierce' or 'penetrate'. Historically, it was likely bestowed upon someone who worked with pointed tools, such as a lance maker or a tailor's needle worker.
In some cases, Pearson may have been given to children born around Christmas time, as pear is another word for the fruit that is traditionally associated with this holiday season. However, there is no direct association between the name Pearson and specific saints' days or holidays.
Today, Pearson remains relatively uncommon as a given name, perhaps due to its strong associations with the surname form. Nevertheless, it retains an air of uniqueness and timelessness that may appeal to parents seeking distinctive names for their children.
The name Pearson has seen a significant increase in popularity over the past few decades, with a notable spike occurring between the late 1990s and early 2000s. Prior to this period, there were consistently low numbers of births with the name Pearson each year, ranging from 5 to 16 births annually. However, starting in 1995, the number of annual births with the name Pearson began to rise steadily, reaching a peak of 58 births in 2019 and 55 births in 2017. This trend has continued into recent years, with 45 births in 2021 and 44 births in 2022. Overall, there have been a total of 1474 births with the name Pearson since 1898.