Perrin

Meaning & origin

Perrin is a rare unisex name that has never broken into mainstream popularity. First recorded in the U.S. in 1899, it reached its peak year in that same year, but since then it has remained an uncommon choice. In its peak year of 1899, Perrin saw its highest relative usage, though still quite low. The name has been on a falling trajectory since 2018, and in the most recent year it ranked 4,539 nationally, appearing in approximately 1 in every 77,640 births. Despite its rarity, Perrin offers a distinctive alternative to more common names like Peter or Perry. It has occasionally appeared in literature, most notably as a character in Robert Jordan's 'The Wheel of Time' series, though this connection is not sufficiently famous to cite definitively. Parents drawn to short, soft-sounding names with a French flair may find Perrin appealing, especially as a fresh option for either a boy or a girl.

Perrin may derive from the medieval English name Perrin, a diminutive of Peter via the Norman French form Perre. Alternatively, it could be an anglicization of the French surname Perrin, itself a pet form of Pierre (French for Peter). The name has also been used as a surname, perhaps from a topographic origin meaning 'little rock' (from Latin petra). As a given name, Perrin has remained rare but consistent in use since the late 19th century.