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Home › Baby Names Directory › Purnell

Purnell

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Purnell

Pronounced per-NEL /pərˈnɛl/Medium

Meaning: Purnell is an English surname derived from Parnell, itself a medieval diminutive of Petronilla (a feminine form of the Latin Petronius); it passed from surname into occasional first-name use.Low

In 30 seconds: Purnell is an English surname name, from Parnell and ultimately Petronilla. As a boy's given name it stayed rare, peaking around 1964 (said per-NEL).
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Origin LowEnglish, Latin
MeaningPurnell is an English surname derived from Parnell, itself a medieval diminutive of Petronilla (a feminine form of the Latin Petronius); it passed from surname into occasional first-name use.
U.S. rank (2010)#11831 ↗ Rising
2010 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1964
Total births (all-time)≈ 762
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Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196419132010

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

Purnell is a surname name from Parnell, a medieval short form of Petronilla, linked to the Latin family name Petronius. Like many English surnames it moved into first-name use, and it appears only lightly in United States records.

Purnell was never common as a first name, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak around 1964, and it stays rare. It reads today as a heritage surname-style choice.

Did you know? Purnell traces surprisingly back to Petronilla, a medieval woman's name; its pet form Parnell became a surname, then a boy's first name generations later.
Overall data confidence 52%
References - Purnell — English surname from Parnell / Petronilla

Variations

ParnellPurnel

Nicknames

PurnNell

Famous Bearers

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If you like Purnell…

Parnell— the surname it comes from
Darnell— a like -nell surname name
Burnell— another vintage -nell surname
Pernell— the same vintage feel
Percell— a fellow English choice

Explore names like Purnell

By themerareenglishvintagesurname-name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Purnell mean?

It is an English surname from Parnell, a medieval pet form of the Latin-rooted Petronilla.

How do you pronounce Purnell?

It is said per-NEL /pərˈnɛl/, two syllables with the stress on the second.

Is Purnell a boy or girl name?

Purnell is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Purnell?

It has always been rare in the United States as a first name, given to only about twenty boys a year at its peak in the mid nineteen-sixties.

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