Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1963

Per

Meaning Per is a Scandinavian masculine given name Gender Boy Rank 2025 Below top lists

Per is a Scandinavian masculine given name.

Rank 2025
–
among boys
Babies in 2025
<5
named Per
How common
–
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1963
14 babies
All-time total
369
#9,475 all-time among boys
First recorded
1923
in Social Security records

Per popularity over time

369 babies have been named Per since 1923, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
00.010.010.0118801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1966Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s 6 1 – #4,137
1930s 5 1 -17% #3,914
1940s – – – –
1950s 46 5 – #2,341
1960s 111 11 +141% #2,189
1970s 74 7 -33% #2,932
1980s 61 6 -18% #4,388
1990s 30 3 -51% #7,104
2000s 26 3 -13% #7,362
2010s 5 1 -81% #13,810
2020s (to 2025) 5 1 +67% #13,557

The story of Per

Per is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1923, 369 American babies have been named Per. Its peak came in 1963, when 14 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Per stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Per?

The median living Per is about 51 years old; half are between 38 and 61. An estimated 300 people named Per are alive in the United States today.

median 51 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Per year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 5 #13,557
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 5 #13,810
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 5 #13,502
2005 – –
2004 6 #10,978
2003 – –
2002 6 #10,330
2001 9 #7,362
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 6 #7,853
1985 5 #7,312
1980 8 #4,833
1975 5 #6,073
1970 8 #3,746
1965 8 #3,181
1960 5 #4,455
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Famous people named Per

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Per Mertesacker Per Mertesacker German association football player (born 1984) Contemporary
  2. 2 Per Gessle Per Gessle Swedish musician and songwriter (born 1959) Contemporary
  3. 3 Per Albin Hansson Per Albin Hansson Swedish politician, Prime Minister of Sweden, 1932–36 and 1936–46 1885–1946 · 19th century
  4. 4 Per Oscarsson Per Oscarsson Swedish actor (1927–2010) Contemporary
  5. 5 Per Wahlöö Per Wahlöö Swedish writer 1926–1975 · Contemporary
  6. 6 Per Frandsen Danish football manager (born 1970) Contemporary
  7. 7 Per Nørgård Per Nørgård Danish composer (1932–2025) Contemporary
  8. 8 Per Krøldrup Danish footballer (born 1979) Contemporary
  9. 9 Per Kirkeby Danish painter and poet (1938–2018) Contemporary
  10. 10 Per Brahe the Younger Per Brahe the Younger Swedish noble (1602–1680) 17th century
  11. 11 Per Olov Enquist Per Olov Enquist Swedish writer (1934–2020) Contemporary
  12. 12 Per Petterson Per Petterson Norwegian novelist b. 1952 · Contemporary
  13. 13 Per Ahlmark Per Ahlmark Swedish politician and writer 1939–2018 · Contemporary
  14. 14 Per Borten Per Borten Norwegian politician (1913–2005) Contemporary
  15. 15 Per Ciljan Skjelbred Per Ciljan Skjelbred Norwegian footballer (born 1987) Contemporary
  16. 16 Per Teodor Cleve Per Teodor Cleve Swedish chemist who discovered holmium and thulium (1840–1905) 19th century
  17. 17 Per Frimann Danish footballer (born 1962) Contemporary
  18. 18 Per Stig Møller Per Stig Møller Danish politician b. 1942 · Contemporary
  19. 19 Per Nilsson Per Nilsson Swedish footballer b. 1982 · Contemporary
  20. 20 Per Georg Scheutz Per Georg Scheutz Swedish inventor and businessman 1785–1873 · 18th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Per, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Per?

The median living Per is about 51 years old. Half of all living Pers are between 38 and 61 years old.

How many people named Per are alive today?

An estimated 300 people named Per are alive in the United States, based on 369 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Per mean?

Per is a Scandinavian masculine given name.

How popular is the name Per in 2025?

Per did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Per?

369 babies have been named Per in the United States since 1923, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Per most popular?

Per peaked in 1963, when 14 newborns received the name.

Is Per a boy or girl name?

Per is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Per rising or falling?

Per has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Per?

Well-known people named Per include Per Mertesacker (soccer player), Per Gessle (musician), Per Albin Hansson (politician).

Names like Per

Names that sound and feel close to Per: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Per with similar names → More names starting with P →