Total births
3,037
Unisex name · since 1915
Pernell
Pernell has 3,037 recorded births since 1915 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1964 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 3,037
- total births
- 1915–2025
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 31%
- born in that decade
3,037 boys have been named Pernell since 1915, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Pernell recorded 3,037 times among boys since 1915, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used boys names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2025.
- 3,037 total births
- 1915–2025 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 31% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
3,037 boys have been named Pernell since 1915, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2025.
- 3,037
- total births
- 1915–2025
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 31%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
31% of everyone ever named Pernell was born in this single decade.
1964
Single peak year
178 babies were named Pernell in 1964 - its busiest year on record.
Pernell's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Pernell's full recorded timeline at 1969, 51% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 49% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 2015, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1964 peak of 178 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Pernell at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
1964
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1915
Pernell popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (1964)
- 178
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Pernell popularity over time - girls
275 total births recorded since 1915 (Pernell as girls' name)
Pernell by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Pernell's strongest decade.
945 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.
Pernell births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 48
1910s
48 births
- 1920s 96
1920s
96 births
- 1930s 118
1930s
118 births
- 1940s 149
1940s
149 births
- 1950s 176
1950s
176 births
- 1960s
1960s
945 births
- 1970s
1970s
464 births
- 1980s
1980s
439 births
- 1990s 292
1990s
292 births
- 2000s 169
2000s
169 births
- 2010s 111
2010s
111 births
- 2020s 30
2020s
30 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 945 births (31% of all-time use).
How Pernell compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Pernell's total volume
Pernell vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Pernell by state
Where Pernell concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Virginia | | 168 | 5.5% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 167 | 5.5% |
| #3 | New York | | 144 | 4.7% |
| #4 | Florida | | 121 | 4.0% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 59 | 1.9% |
| #6 | California | | 53 | 1.7% |
| #7 | Georgia | | 44 | 1.4% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 39 | 1.3% |
Virginia share of Pernell's total US births 5.5%
Even split
168 of 3,037 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 21 reporting states.
Pernell appears in 21 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Pernell? ▼
Since 1915, Social Security records show 3,037 babies named Pernell. The most recent recorded year was 2025. Its busiest year on record was 1964, with 178 births.
When was Pernell most popular? ▼
Pernell was most popular in the 1960s decade with 945 total births. The single peak year was 1964.
Where is Pernell most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Pernell are Virginia (168 births), Louisiana (167 births), New York (144 births).
Is Pernell a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Pernell is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 3,037 births, and as a girl's name it has 275 births.
How long has the name Pernell been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Pernell since 1915 -- 111 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Pernell? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Perry, Percy, Perrin, Percival, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Pernell's data
- Pernell's decade-level peak was the 1960s (945 total births); usage has since declined to 30 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Virginia records the most Pernells (168 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Virginia names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Pernell
Nearby Names Like Pernell
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Pernell
Perry Boy
#1238 76,044 births
Percy Boy
#1256 32,204 births
Perrin Boy
#3696 1,568 births
Percival Boy
#1768 1,466 births
Perseus Boy
#1281 1,390 births
Compare Pernell side by side: Pernell vs Perry Pernell vs Percy Pernell vs Perrin
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Pernell: Baby Name Since 1915 - 3,037 Births, Peak 1964." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/pernell. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Pernell draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.