boy's name
Pierce
PEERS (English)
- Origin English, Greek
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 1
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 23,641
the United States
#505
2025 births
Pierce is a boy's name meaning "rock," from the medieval Piers, the Norman form of Peter. It became an English surname and then a first name again, and actor Pierce Brosnan has given it a suave, modern image.
- Pierce is a name of English, Greek origin.
- Peaked in 2015, when 668 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 5,365 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 1 syllable, with the stress on syllable 1.
Pierce Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 133 |
| 1890s | 127 |
| 1900s | 133 |
| 1910s | 413 |
| 1920s | 560 |
| 1930s | 409 |
| 1940s | 373 |
| 1950s | 306 |
| 1960s | 234 |
| 1970s | 179 |
| 1980s | 779 |
| 1990s | 2,415 |
| 2000s | 4,971 |
| 2010s | 6,083 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 3,519 |
What Pierce Means
Pierce means rock or stone, through Peter. The sound also suggests the English verb to pierce, a separate word, which gives it a sharp, confident edge.
Where Pierce Comes From
Greek petros, rock, translated Aramaic Kepha, the name Jesus gave to Simon. French shaped Peter as Pierre, and Normans brought Piers to England after 1066. William Langland's fourteenth-century Piers Plowman shows it in common English use. Surnames arose as Pierce, Pearce and Pearse, marking the son of a Piers. Irish families used the name too, and the Irish patriot Padraig Pearse carried it. Franklin Pierce, the fourteenth American president, kept it in the public eye. Modern first-name use goes back to the surname, and Pierce Brosnan, who was Irish born, made it popular in the 1980s.
Pierce in Use
Pierce Brosnan played James Bond from 1995 to 2002. Hawkeye Pierce of M*A*S*H is a famous fictional bearer of the surname.
How Popular Is Pierce?
In 2025, Pierce was given to 618 babies in the United States, ranking #505 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Where Pierce Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Pierce
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Pierce Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Pierce over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Pierce
- English PEERS
Pierce in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Pierce
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Pierce — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Pierce
What does the name Pierce mean?
Rock, through Piers and Peter.
Is Pierce the same as Peter?
It's a medieval English form of Peter.
Is Pierce a surname?
Yes, and it's also a first name.
How popular is the name Pierce?
In 2025, Pierce was given to 618 babies in the United States, ranking #505 that year. It ranks among the top 1,000 names in the United States.
Is Pierce a girl's or a boy's name?
Pierce is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Pierce?
Pierce has 1 syllable.
When was Pierce most popular?
Pierce peaked in 2015, when 668 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
Is Pierce a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Pierce currently ranks #505 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.