Fun Facts About the Name Persis
- 572 babies named Persis: U.S. records list 572 babies given the name Persis from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Persis Mean?
Persis is a feminine name derived from the Greek Persís (Περσίς), meaning "Persian woman" or "woman from Persia." The same Greek word served as a name for Persia, especially the region of Fars in present-day Iran; its masculine counterpart Persēs (Πέρσης) meant "a Persian." The Greek term is related to Old Persian Pārsa, the name of the Persian homeland. In the New Testament, Persis is the name of a Christian woman in Rome whom Paul greets in Romans 16:12. It is therefore an ethnic and geographic designation used as a personal name, not a word for a character trait or a religious virtue, and it is not related to the similar-sounding Greek name Perseus.
Persis Name History & Origins
The Greek place-name Persís referred to the Persian heartland, the area around modern Fars, and Greek writers used it for the land of the Persians. The personal name appears in the New Testament: Paul's letter to the Romans, written in Greek in the first century, ends with greetings to several Christians, including "my beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord" (Romans 16:12). This brief mention is the name's main scriptural association.
From Greek, the name passed into Latin as Persis and then into modern European languages through Bible translation and Christian use. In English, it is found as a feminine given name, particularly in Christian usage where biblical names were often taken from vernacular translations. The chain of transmission is Greek Περσίς, Latin Persis, English Persis.
Because the New Testament Persis is mentioned only in Paul's greeting, the biblical text supplies no further details about her life. The name is distinct from Perseus, a separate Greek mythological name, and from the English word "persist," which comes from a different Latin root.
How Popular is the Name Persis?
Persis 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 1918. Its best rank was #1,003 in 1884.
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 | #16,680 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #15,148 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #13,468 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #14,006 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #16,467 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #19,330 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #15,283 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #15,120 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #7,924 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #7,923 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1961 | #6,378 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #6,216 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #5,930 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1956 | #6,662 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1946 | #4,833 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #3,318 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1942 | #3,376 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1940 | #4,241 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #4,234 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #2,700 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1936 | #3,328 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1934 | #4,191 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1933 | #4,124 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1932 | #3,837 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1931 | #4,835 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1930 | #3,272 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1929 | #2,699 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1928 | #3,681 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1927 | #2,520 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1926 | #3,222 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1925 | #2,590 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1924 | #2,120 | 19 | 0.0015% |
| 1923 | #2,695 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1922 | #2,736 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1921 | #2,356 | 16 | 0.0013% |
| 1920 | #2,699 | 13 | 0.0011% |
| 1919 | #2,237 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1918 | #2,015 | 19 | 0.0016% |
| 1917 | #1,979 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1916 | #1,941 | 18 | 0.0017% |
| 1915 | #2,030 | 16 | 0.0016% |
| 1914 | #2,100 | 12 | 0.0016% |
| 1913 | #1,998 | 11 | 0.0018% |
| 1912 | #2,311 | 8 | 0.0014% |
| 1911 | #1,925 | 8 | 0.0019% |
| 1910 | #2,710 | 5 | 0.0013% |
| 1909 | #2,474 | 5 | 0.0014% |
| 1908 | #2,359 | 5 | 0.0015% |
| 1907 | #1,611 | 8 | 0.0025% |
| 1905 | #1,510 | 8 | 0.0027% |
| 1904 | #2,112 | 5 | 0.0018% |
| 1903 | #1,746 | 6 | 0.0023% |
| 1902 | #1,982 | 5 | 0.0019% |
| 1901 | #1,629 | 6 | 0.0025% |
| 1900 | #1,696 | 7 | 0.0023% |
| 1899 | #1,552 | 6 | 0.0026% |
| 1898 | #1,908 | 5 | 0.0019% |
| 1897 | #1,517 | 6 | 0.0026% |
| 1896 | #1,194 | 9 | 0.0038% |
| 1895 | #1,278 | 8 | 0.0034% |
| 1892 | #1,622 | 5 | 0.0024% |
| 1891 | #1,497 | 5 | 0.0027% |
| 1890 | #1,178 | 7 | 0.0037% |
| 1889 | #1,245 | 6 | 0.0034% |
| 1888 | #1,251 | 6 | 0.0034% |
| 1887 | #1,273 | 5 | 0.0034% |
| 1885 | #1,025 | 6 | 0.0045% |
| 1884 | #1,003 | 6 | 0.0047% |
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 Persis 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 seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Persis's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Persis's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.