Given name & surname
Purcell
Purcell is a variant of Percival. One French interpretation is “one who can pierce the vale; in Arthurian legend, the only one who could retrieve the Holy Grail.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Purcell is a variant of Percival. One French interpretation is “one who can pierce the vale; in Arthurian legend, the only one who could retrieve the Holy Grail.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Purcell is a variant of Percival. Percival has been associated with Celtic and Old French naming traditions.
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. Purcell is a variant of Percival. The history of Percival gives this family its wider story. Percival’s literary history includes the stories of King Arthur and his knights.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Purcell through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 454
- 454 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1948
- 13 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for boys is 7 in 1985. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 237 as a first name in 2020; 21,538 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.
Purcell’s family of names
Purcell has a related form in Percival.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Similar names
If you love Purcell, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Hal
“the ruler of the house” · “home”
>99% boys
Percey
Percey connects to the Percival name family through Percy. One French interpretation is “one who can pierce the vale; in Arthurian legend, the only one who could retrieve the Holy Grail.”
>99% boys
Persey
Persey connects to the Percival name family through Percy. One French interpretation is “one who can pierce the vale; in Arthurian legend, the only one who could retrieve the Holy Grail.”
>99% boys
Percyvel
Percyvel is a variant of Percival. One French interpretation is “one who can pierce the vale; in Arthurian legend, the only one who could retrieve the Holy Grail.”
—
Percee
Percee connects to the Percival name family through Percy. One French interpretation is “one who can pierce the vale; in Arthurian legend, the only one who could retrieve the Holy Grail.”
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Parsifal
Parsifal is a variant of Percival. One French interpretation is “one who can pierce the vale; in Arthurian legend, the only one who could retrieve the Holy Grail.”
>99% boys
Percivall
Percivall is a variant of Percival. One French interpretation is “one who can pierce the vale; in Arthurian legend, the only one who could retrieve the Holy Grail.”
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Percyval
Percyval is a variant of Percival. One French interpretation is “one who can pierce the vale; in Arthurian legend, the only one who could retrieve the Holy Grail.”
>99% boys