Purnell
Purnell is a boy's name of English origin.
Meaning
Little stone or derived from Petronilla (rock).
Origin and history
Purnell is a masculine given name derived from an English surname, which itself stems from the medieval given name Parnell, a diminutive of Petronilla. Historically used in the U.S. primarily as a rare first name, it saw steady low-volume usage throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. Today, it is extremely rare as a given name in the United States.
Popularity in the United States
762 babies in the United States have been named Purnell since 1880. It ranks #3914 all-time.
States where it is most popular
- MD (74.4 %)
- VA (25.6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 0 |
| 1890-1900 | 0 |
| 1900-1910 | 0 |
| 1910-1920 | 51 |
| 1920-1930 | 83 |
| 1930-1940 | 73 |
| 1940-1950 | 96 |
| 1950-1960 | 118 |
| 1960-1970 | 126 |
| 1970-1980 | 95 |
| 1980-1990 | 60 |
| 1990-2000 | 43 |
| 2000-2010 | 11 |
| 2010-2019 | 6 |
| 2020-2029 | 0 |
Famous people named Purnell
- Purnell Pratt: Actor
Fun facts
- Purnell evolved as a variant of the medieval name Parnell, which comes from the Latin name Petronilla.
- The name has recorded over 700 male births in the U.S. since 1880, peaking in mild usage during the early to mid-20th century.