Pernael as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Pernael

What is the meaning of the name Pernael ?

The baby name Pernael is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced pər-NEY-əl (pərˈneɪ.əl),per-NAH-el (pɜrˈnɑː.ɛl).

Pernael is Cornish in Origin.

Pernael is a rare medieval French–English given name related to Pernel/Perenel, the vernacular forms of Petronilla. Petronilla derives from Latin Petronilla, a diminutive of Petronia (from the Roman family name Petronius). By long-standing association with Peter (Petrus), it is commonly interpreted as “little rock” or “stone.” The name is primarily feminine but can read unisex in modern use.

Pernael and its cognates appear in records across northern France and England from the 12th to 15th centuries, buoyed by the cult of St. Petronilla and later echoed in the fame of Perenelle Flamel (14th century Paris). Usage waned after the Reformation, though the legacy persisted in surnames like Pernell and Pennell, and in occasional vintage revivals today. Noted variants include Pernel, Parnel, Pernell, Perenel, Perenelle, Peronel, Perronel, Petronilla, and French Petronille; Pernael/Pernaël represents a rare spelling within this family.

⚙ We have no record of Pernael in any national birth registry or name dataset. Such a name is generally either rare, regional or traditional, or a brand-new coinage. Either way, it remains a genuinely rare choice.