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Origin and history of Percy

Percy

masc. proper name, from the surname, which is of Norman origin, from a place name, from Old French percer "to pierce, break through" (see pierce). As a given name sometimes also short for Percival (for which see Parzival). The colloquial connotation of weakness or effeminacy in the man's name is attested by 1916.

Entries linking to Percy

Parzival

also Parsifal, hero of medieval legends, from Old French Perceval, literally "he who breaks through the valley," from percer "to pierce, break through" (see pierce) + val "valley" (see vale).

pierce(v.)

c. 1300 (c. 1200 as a surname), percen, "make a hole in; force one's way through; thrust through with or as with a sharp or pointed instrument," from Anglo-French perser, Old French percier "pierce, transfix, drive through" (12c., Modern French percer), probably from Vulgar Latin *pertusiare, frequentative of Latin pertusus, past participle of pertundere "to thrust or bore through," from per "through" (from PIE root *per- (1) "forward," hence "through") + tundere "to beat, pound," from PIE *tund-, from root *(s)teu- "to push, strike, knock, beat, thrust" (see obtuse). Related: Pierced; piercing.

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    1580s, "skipping about, jumping, flitting" in a figurative sense, from Latin desultorius "hasty, casual, superficial," adjective form of desultor (n.) "a rider in the circus who jumps from one horse to another while they are in gallop," from desul-, stem of desilire "jump down,"
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    c. 1300, covenaunt, "mutual compact to do or not do something, a contract," from Old French covenant, convenant "agreement, pact, promise" (12c.), originally present participle of covenir "agree, meet," from Latin convenire "come together, unite; be suitable, agree," from com- "t

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