Given name & surname
Pernell
“as solid as a rock”·“from the country”
Pernell is a variant of Pernella. One Scandinavian interpretation is “as solid as a rock.” Pernell is a variant of Parnell. One Latin interpretation is “from the country.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Pernell is a variant of Pernella. One Scandinavian interpretation is “as solid as a rock.” Pernell is a variant of Parnell. One Latin interpretation is “from the country.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Pernell is a variant of Pernella. An origin associated with Pernella is Scandinavian. Pernell is a variant of Parnell. An origin associated with Parnell is Latin.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1915. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Pernell through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 3,312
- 3,037 boys · 275 girls
- Most popular year
- 1964
- 183 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #11,660 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −67%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 11,660 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for boys was 178 in 1964. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,967 as a first name in 2020; 2,602 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Pernell’s family of names
Pernell has a related form in Parnell. Pernell has a related form in Pernella.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Pernell
- Pernell WhitakerAmerican boxer (1964–2019)
- Pernell RobertsAmerican actor and singer (1928–2010)
- Pernell McPheeAmerican football defensive linemanborn 1988
- Pernell Schultzassociation football playerborn 1994
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Pernell, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Cornell
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Donnell
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Pete
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