Perpetua
Perpetua and Felicity were Christian martyrs of the third century. Vibia Perpetua was a recently married, well-educated noblewoman, said to have been 22 years old at the time of her death, and mother of an infant son she was nursing. Felicity, a slave woman imprisoned with her and pregnant at the time, was martyred with her.
- Spanish
- Ancient Roman
- Portuguese
Meaning & Origin of Perpetua
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Perpetua and Felicity were Christian martyrs of the third century. Vibia Perpetua was a recently married, well-educated noblewoman, said to have been 22 years old at the time of her death, and mother of an infant son she was nursing. Felicity, a slave woman imprisoned with her and pregnant at the time, was martyred with her.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Spanish
- Ancient Roman
- Portuguese
The Story of Perpetua
The earliest SSA record of Perpetua as a baby girl name dates back to 2007, when 7 babies received it. 2022 was its biggest year on record, with 22 newborns named Perpetua — #5,635 in the national rankings. The 2020s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 54% of all recorded Perpetuas. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #6,673 among baby girl names with 17 births, rising sharply (+47% over the past five years). In total, more than 210 Perpetuas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Perpetua
Phonetically similar names — useful when Perpetua is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Perpetuo
- Perpetual
- Perpetually
- Propecia
- Prucha
- Perpetuator
- Arpeggio
- Breccia
- Purposes
- Purposely
- Prussia
- Pritchett
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Perpetua
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About the name Perpetua
Perpetua is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2007 and has accumulated 210 births in the dataset. Perpetua's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #5,635. Use the chart and map above to compare Perpetua's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "P" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.