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Home › Baby Names Directory › Perline

Perline

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Perline

Pronounced per-LEEN /pərˈliːn/Low

Meaning: Perline reads most naturally as a diminutive of the French Perle, itself from Latin perla, 'pearl,' with the soft -ine ending French uses to make small, affectionate forms. It can equally be an English Pearl dressed up with that same ending, so it sits at a French-English border.Low

In 30 seconds: Perline is a rare early-1900s girl's name, a dainty elaboration of Perle or Pearl meaning 'pearl.' It saw its quiet peak around 1917 (said per-LEEN).
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Origin LowFrench, Latin
MeaningPerline reads most naturally as a diminutive of the French Perle, itself from Latin perla, 'pearl,' with the soft -ine ending French uses to make small, affectionate forms. It can equally be an English Pearl dressed up with that same ending, so it sits at a French-English border.
U.S. rank (1945)#4426 ↘ Falling
1945 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1917
Total births (all-time)≈ 216

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191719141945

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Perline belongs to the family of gem-inspired names that flourished around the turn of the twentieth century, when Pearl, Opal, and Ruby were fashionable. Adding the French -ine turned plain Pearl into something softer, and the meaning stayed anchored to the pearl itself.

The name climbed to its modest high in the nineteen-teens and had faded by mid-century, never once common. A Perline born around 1917 would belong to the great-grandparent generation now, and the spelling reads today as a genuine period piece from the gemstone-name era.

Did you know? The pearl was a favorite early-twentieth-century image for a daughter, and Perline let parents keep that meaning while giving Pearl a lacier, French-sounding finish.
Overall data confidence 40%
References - Perline — Diminutive of French Perle / English Pearl (Latin perla 'pearl') with -ine; gem-name era; peaked in the 1910s.

Variations

PerlinaPearlinePerlePurlene

Nicknames

PerlLenaPerly

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Perline…

Pearline— the near-twin Pearl-based spelling of the same era
Opaline— another gem-inspired -ine name of the period
Adaline— a like vintage -ine girl's name
Verlie— a comparable rare early-1900s coinage

Explore names like Perline

By themerarevintagefrenchgem-namepearl

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Perline mean?

It means 'pearl,' from the French Perle (Latin perla), or from English Pearl with the -ine ending.

How do you pronounce Perline?

It is said per-LEEN /pərˈliːn/ - two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Perline a boy or girl name?

Perline is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Perline?

It was always rare in the United States, reaching only about fifteen girls a year at its high in the nineteen-teens, and it never became common.

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