NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Pryce

A masculine name derived from the Brythonic word meaning "precious" or "costly".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2012. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Pryce is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Pryce popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2012 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4805, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 4 births.

This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 3 recorded years from 2001 to 2012. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 10 living people in the UK are called Pryce. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2013 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Pryce ranked #4805 for boys in England and Wales in 2012, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2008, when 4 boys were registered as Pryce.
  • About 10 living people in the UK are estimated to have Pryce as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4805

2012

Births in 2012

3

Latest year

Peak year

2008

4 births

Estimated living

10

2026

Meaning

What does Pryce mean?

The name Pryce is of Welsh origin and is derived from the Welsh word "ap Rhys," meaning "son of Rhys." The name Rhys itself is a variant of the name Rhice, which means "ardor" or "enthusiasm." The name Pryce is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, in Wales.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pryce can be found in the Welsh Chronicles, where it is mentioned in reference to a Welsh prince named Pryce ap Rhys, who lived in the 13th century. The name also appears in various historical records and documents from Wales during the Middle Ages.

In terms of historical figures with the name Pryce, one notable individual was Sir John Pryce, a Welsh soldier and diplomat who lived from 1516 to 1599. He served as a soldier under Henry VIII and later became a member of Parliament. Another notable person with the name Pryce was Sir Edmund Pryce, a Welsh judge and politician who lived from 1541 to 1628. He served as a justice of the King's Bench and was also a member of Parliament.

In the 17th century, there was a Welsh clergyman named Samuel Pryce, who lived from 1628 to 1704. He was a Puritan minister and author, known for his writings on religious subjects. Another notable figure from this period was Thomas Pryce, a Welsh mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1638 to 1706. He made significant contributions to the field of mathematics and published several works on astronomy.

Moving into the 18th century, one notable person with the name Pryce was William Pryce, a Welsh naturalist and physician who lived from 1722 to 1798. He wrote extensively on the natural history of Wales and published several works on mineralogy and geology.

While the name Pryce is of Welsh origin, it has also been adopted and used in other parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries with strong historical ties to Wales or Britain. However, its roots and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to medieval Wales and the Welsh language.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Pryce over time

The chart below shows babies named Pryce registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 to 2012. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Pryce, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2012, compared with 4 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Pryce
01234200120062012

Decades

Pryce by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Pryce was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2010s #4805 3 1
2000s #3411 7 2

Related

Names similar to Pryce

FAQ

Pryce: questions and answers

How popular is the name Pryce in the UK right now?

In 2012, Pryce was ranked #4805 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Pryce most popular?

The peak year on record was 2008, with 4 babies registered as Pryce in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Pryce?

A masculine name derived from the Brythonic word meaning "precious" or "costly".

How many people are called Pryce in the UK?

A total of 10 babies have been registered as Pryce across the 3 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.