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I adore Percival! It's so gallant. Percy is a great diminutive (and a wonderful name in its own right).

I rather like Percival. It's a strong name.

I kind of like it, but only in theory. I don't think it would work so well in real life in this day and age, at least where I am. I think it only really appeals to me because I see the form Parsifal a lot more often and that reminds me too much of parsley fall (like a waterfall with parsley instead of water) for me to like.

Not so much.

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Very prissy.

I quite like Percy but Percival just sounds stuck up.

I like it, but I wouldn't use it because it has a sort of stuck-up vibe to it that I don't like. I'd totally use Peredur (the Welsh form) as a middle name though.

This message was edited 8/20/2013, 9:17 PM

To me, Percival seems too bookish for me to use as a name. I immediately think of a fusty old wizard type. Or a less-awesome-than-Giles type Watcher for Buffy. Also, the vowels (in my accent) are pretty much all schwas, so the name doesn't stand out despite its rarity.

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I like the name Percival, but for a middle name. I think it's a bit too stuffy for a kid's first name. Then again, you could always shorten it to Percy...

Hah. I think it's fine. It's obviously super geeky, but I bet that could change. Objectively it's a pretty cool name! Sharp and sculpted.

Well, why on earth not add it to a list. No harm in that at all!

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On a real person...I don't know. I have no trouble with the nerdiness or Percival. But also seems really snivelly and pasty.

I think it has a particularly dorky sound to it. Given how distinctly it is connected to one figure, the mythical knight, I would also consider it to "belong" to him and not be easily applied elsewhere.

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But that's what guilty pleasure lists are for! If you like it, add it. I have names on my list that have no other application beyond being names on my list. :-)

I like it too, and it's definitely GP for me, but with Percy as a nickname it's really nice in my opinion.

I actually kind of like it, but I would never use it in real life as a first name.

I think it's great. Very handsome, but it also has that not so appealing nerd factor. I would probably use Perry as a nickname, Percy is too stuck up.

I was surprised to learn that my father wanted to name my brother Percy! My mother vetoed it and he was called Peter instead. I'm torn because Peter is my absolute favorite boy's name, yet Percy would have been so sweet. Then again, growing up on the west coast of the U.S. in the 1960s and 70s I don't know if he would have liked it as much. I think it would work better now, and on the East Coast or in the U.K.

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But you didn't ask us about using it on a real life child. You merely asked if you should add it to your favorites. Why ever not? A list of favorites is purely personal. No one else has to live with your choices and you are free to put Anaximander on there if you love it. So why ask us? Add away! (It's already on my long list.)

No.

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It is just...wimpy. WHich is ridiculous because the literary Percival was not.