Pearse: Meaning, Pronunciation and Origin
Pearse comes from the Norman French name Piers and honours Patrick Pearse, a leader of the 1916 Easter Rising. Here’s how to say it, where it comes from, and names that go well with it.
Updated September 2026
- Gender
- Boy
- Also spelled
- Pearce, Pierce
- Popularity in Ireland
- No. 509 for boys (2025)
How do you pronounce Pearse?
Pearse is pronounced PEERS. It has one syllable. Other spellings: Pearce and Pierce.
What does Pearse mean?
Comes from the Norman French name “Piers” and is still very popular as it is given to honor Patrick Pearse, one of the leaders of the Easter Rising of 1916 when Ireland won its independence from England.
How popular is Pearse in Ireland?
In 2025, 6 baby boys in Ireland were named Pearse, which made it No. 509 that year. That's down from No. 294 ten years earlier. It was most popular in 1966, when 44 baby boys were named Pearse, No. 93 that year. It first appears in the records in 1965, with 4 baby boys.
See the numbers by year
| Year | Babies | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | No. 509 |
| 2024 | 6 | No. 520 |
| 2023 | 6 | No. 516 |
| 2022 | 4 | No. 657 |
| 2021 | 6 | No. 498 |
| 2020 | 10 | No. 381 |
| 2019 | 12 | No. 335 |
| 2018 | 10 | No. 369 |
| 2017 | 11 | No. 356 |
| 2016 | 24 | No. 224 |
| 2015 | 15 | No. 294 |
| 2014 | 15 | No. 302 |
| 2013 | 11 | No. 352 |
| 2012 | 8 | No. 430 |
| 2011 | 11 | No. 366 |
| 2010 | 7 | No. 448 |
| 2009 | 12 | No. 322 |
| 2008 | 8 | No. 412 |
| 2007 | 19 | No. 226 |
| 2006 | 7 | No. 354 |
| 2005 | 12 | No. 247 |
| 2004 | 15 | No. 203 |
| 2003 | 12 | No. 228 |
| 2002 | 7 | No. 292 |
| 2001 | 12 | No. 209 |
| 2000 | 12 | No. 196 |
| 1999 | 10 | No. 203 |
| 1997 | 11 | No. 224 |
| 1996 | 12 | No. 200 |
| 1995 | 11 | No. 206 |
| 1994 | 7 | No. 237 |
| 1993 | 10 | No. 205 |
| 1992 | 10 | No. 202 |
| 1991 | 5 | No. 263 |
| 1990 | 7 | No. 229 |
| 1989 | 3 | No. 307 |
| 1987 | 4 | No. 272 |
| 1986 | 10 | No. 203 |
| 1985 | 4 | No. 269 |
| 1984 | 3 | No. 318 |
| 1983 | 6 | No. 237 |
| 1982 | 13 | No. 179 |
| 1981 | 10 | No. 206 |
| 1980 | 9 | No. 222 |
| 1979 | 15 | No. 176 |
| 1978 | 7 | No. 231 |
| 1977 | 14 | No. 179 |
| 1976 | 6 | No. 241 |
| 1975 | 4 | No. 290 |
| 1974 | 9 | No. 218 |
| 1973 | 5 | No. 268 |
| 1972 | 5 | No. 254 |
| 1971 | 9 | No. 204 |
| 1970 | 8 | No. 206 |
| 1969 | 8 | No. 206 |
| 1968 | 6 | No. 207 |
| 1967 | 11 | No. 164 |
| 1966 | 44 | No. 93 |
| 1965 | 4 | No. 222 |
Pearse in Ogham
Ogham is the oldest way of writing Irish. It was carved along the edges of standing stones, mostly between the 4th and 6th centuries, and read from the bottom up. In later tradition each letter was named after a tree or plant. Here’s Pearse, letter by letter.
- PPeith
- EEadhadh, aspen
- AAilm, pine
- RRuis, elder
- SSail, willow
- EEadhadh, aspen
Write any name in Ogham with our Ogham translator
Names that go with Pearse
Questions about Pearse
- How do you pronounce Pearse?
- Pearse is pronounced PEERS. One syllable.
- Is Pearse a girl's name or a boy's name?
- Pearse is a boy's name.
- How popular is Pearse in Ireland?
- In 2025, Pearse was No. 509 for boys in Ireland, with 6 babies, according to the Central Statistics Office. It was most popular in 1966, at No. 93.