Meaning and history
Purdie is a given name transferred from an English and Scottish surname. The surname is generally traced to an Anglo-French expression such as par Dieu, “by God,” used as an oath or emphatic nickname, though family origins may vary. It is therefore unrelated to the English adjective “pretty” despite occasional folk explanations. Purdie remains uncommon as a first name, and most well-known examples, such as drummer Bernard Purdie, bear it as a surname rather than a given name.