Where does the name Peter come from?

Peter is a boy name of Greek origin.

Is Peter a boy or a girl name?

Peter is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Peter are girls and 100% are boys.

How popular is the name Peter in 2023?

Peter ranks #210 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1957 with 11,628 babies.

How do you pronounce Peter?

Peter is pronounced PEE-ter (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Peter?

Peter is also written as Pedro, Pierre, Pietro.

A name from Greek · Boy

Peter

From Πέτρος (Petros), "stone, rock" — the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon: "On this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). One of the most-given Christian names in history.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

585,735 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

1,750 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

PFrom Πέτρος (Petros), "stone, rock" — the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon: "On this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). One of the most-given Christian names in history.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Peter".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Pedro Most common Pierre Pietro

Quick answers

People often ask about Peter.

What does the name Peter mean?: Peter means from Πέτρος (Petros), "stone, rock" — the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon: "On this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). One of the most-given Christian names in history.
Where does the name Peter come from?: Peter is a boy name of Greek origin.
Is Peter a boy or a girl name?: Peter is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 0% of children given the name Peter are girls and 100% are boys.
How popular is the name Peter in 2023?: Peter ranks #210 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1957 with 11,628 babies.
How do you pronounce Peter?: Peter is pronounced PEE-ter (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Peter?: Peter is also written as Pedro, Pierre, Pietro.

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About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.