girl's name
Precious
PRESH-us (English)
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 22,194
Scotland
#687
2024 births
Precious is a girl's name with 2 syllables. In 2025 it was given to 51 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Peaked in 2001, when 746 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 65,007 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1897.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Precious Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1890s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 11 |
| 1900s | 55 |
| 1910s | 134 |
| 1920s | 229 |
| 1930s | 138 |
| 1940s | 168 |
| 1950s | 165 |
| 1960s | 326 |
| 1970s | 1,026 |
| 1980s | 3,589 |
| 1990s | 6,320 |
| 2000s | 5,476 |
| 2010s | 1,478 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 425 |
How Popular Is Precious?
In 2025, Precious was given to 51 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Precious 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 Precious
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Precious Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Precious over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Precious
- English PRESH-us /ˈpɹɛʃəs/
Sibling Names for Precious
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Precious — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Precious
How popular is the name Precious?
In 2025, Precious was given to 51 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Precious a girl's or a boy's name?
Precious is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Precious?
Precious has 2 syllables.
When was Precious most popular?
Precious peaked in 2001, when 746 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
Is Precious a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Precious currently ranks #687 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.