Pearce
Pearce was the 4666th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 22 babies. Its best year was 1912, when it ranked 2479th; the most babies were born in 2010 (45). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,459 places. More babies were named Pearce in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Pierce) stone (a form of Peter) · Greek, French, English
- Rank in 2025
- #4,666 boys, down 1,342 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 22boys
- Girls and boys
- 14% girls, 86% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 201045 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,296babies recorded
What does the name Pearce mean?
Pearce is a spelling of Pierce, pronounced the same way, so it shares Pierce's meaning and origin.
Pierce is a medieval form of Piers, the Old French and Middle English form of Peter, so its root meaning is that of Peter: Greek petros, stone or rock. Piers became a surname, and Wiktionary notes that the modern first name may also come from that surname. DMNES glosses the Greek root of Peter as rock. It is not connected with the verb "to pierce," which is a separate Old French word.
Πέτρος (Ancient Greek, “Peter; from petros, stone”)Piers (Old French, “Peter”)
How sure is this? Probable. Derivation from Piers/Peter is standard for the surname; the given name today usually comes via the surname.
Other explanations you may read: From the English verb 'pierce'. The name and the verb are unrelated..
Related names: Piers, Pearse, Peter, Pierre, Pierson.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Pierce' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Peter' (English section), Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Peter', DMNES (Durham University)
Pearce popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #14,506 | #4,666 | 6 | 22 |
| 2020 | #13,132 | #3,324 | 7 | 34 |
| 2010 | — | #2,717 | — | 45 |
| 2000 | — | #3,202 | — | 27 |
| 1990 | — | #3,730 | — | 16 |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | #4,415 | — | 5 |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Pearce, counting every spelling?
Pearce is a spelling of Pierce, a name family that ranked #488 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #4,666 for Pearce on its own. Together these spellings went to 620 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce | 598 | #505 | 2,792 |
| Pearce | 22 | #4,666 | 137 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Pearce?
22 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Pearce (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Pearce born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 381 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Pearce.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Pearce?
About 1,100 people born in the US named Pearce are alive today, with a median age of 18; half are between 10 and 28. That makes Pearce mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Pearce by state
How common Pearce was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 50 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Pearce: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Pearce, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Pearce
What does Pearce mean?
Pearce is a spelling of Pierce, which means “stone (a form of Peter)” (Greek, French, English origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Pearce?
Pearce was the 4666th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 22 babies. Its best year was 1912, when it ranked 2479th; the most babies were born in 2010 (45). Over the last ten years it has moved down 1,459 places. More babies were named Pearce in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Pearce a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 14% girls, 86% boys given the name Pearce in the US.
Where is Pearce most popular?
In 2021–2025, Pearce was most common in Georgia (0.02 per 1,000 boys).