Fun Facts About the Name Pearse
- 214 babies named Pearse: U.S. records list 214 babies given the name Pearse from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Pearse Mean?
Pearse is an anglicized form of the Irish name Piaras, which is the Irish equivalent of Peter. Peter goes back to the Greek Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone." That Greek name was itself used to render the Aramaic byname Kephas (Cephas), also meaning "rock," which appears in the New Testament. So the literal sense carried by Pearse is "rock." The English surname Pearse belongs to the same family: it comes from the Middle English personal name Piers, the everyday medieval form of Peter, so both the English and Irish strands trace back to the same root.
Pearse Name History & Origins
The name entered Ireland through the Norman French form Piers, a vernacular descendant of Latin Petrus. In Irish, Piers was taken up as Piaras, which became a common personal name in Gaelic Ireland. When Irish names were written in English, Piaras was rendered in several ways, including Pearse, Pierce, and Piers; the spelling with -ea- is one of these anglicizations.
In England, Pearse also appears independently as a surname derived from the Middle English given name Piers. The Irish surname Pearse, and later the given name, grew from use of Piaras and its anglicized forms within families. As a first name, Pearse is used chiefly in Ireland. A well-known bearer is Patrick Pearse (Pádraig Mac Piarais), a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising, whose surname shows the same spelling. His prominence is a literary and historical association rather than the origin of the name.
How Popular is the Name Pearse?
Pearse has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1999. Its best rank was #4,956 in 1999.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,076 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #11,891 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #13,576 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #13,546 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #7,017 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #9,470 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #6,626 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2015 | #9,351 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #10,444 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #6,900 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2010 | #9,449 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #13,958 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #8,017 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #9,349 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #7,514 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2004 | #6,416 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #8,244 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #10,208 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #7,999 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #4,956 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #6,699 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #10,393 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #7,744 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #7,581 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #9,870 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #7,023 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Pearse Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have a power of expression, either in speaking or writing. You are in favor for studying and research. You are clever, clear-sighted and intellectual. You don't like to let others know your true feelings. You might be atheistic or agnostic. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Pearse's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Pearse's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.