Percival is an uncommon, yet elegant and distinctive male given name of Old French origin. It was popularized by Sir Thomas Malory's Arthurian romance 'Le Morte d'Arthur', where Percivale is one of the knights of the Round Table. The name derives from 'Perce Val', meaning 'to pierce the valley'. Historically, it has been associated with courage and valor.
Over the span of nearly a century and a half (from 1880 to 2023), the name Percival has experienced varying levels of popularity, with significant fluctuations in its usage as a given name. The years 1880 to 1949 saw a steady but relatively low number of births per year, with most years reporting fewer than ten births each. However, starting from 1950 onwards, there is a notable increase in the total number of Percivals born annually.
The highest recorded year for births with the name Percival was in 2023, with an impressive 63 newborns bearing this unique moniker. This figure represents more than double the average annual birth rate over the entire period observed. Interestingly, the years immediately preceding 2023 also show a significant rise in popularity, suggesting that there may be an ongoing trend towards choosing less common names like Percival for children.
Despite these recent spikes, it is worth noting that overall, the name Percival remains quite rare compared to more popular choices. Throughout this extensive time frame, a total of 1260 births were recorded with this name - fewer than one might expect given the duration covered by these statistics. This rarity could contribute to Percival's perceived uniqueness and potentially appealing factor for parents seeking distinctive names for their children.