Peter

Updated: February 7, 2022 by MomsWhoThink Staff

When it comes to classic baby names, you can't do much better than Peter. Its origins date back to the Bible to the apostle of the same name who played a very important role in the history of Christianity. But for others, Peter is a literary name or a name from pop culture throughout the decades. Think Peter Rabbit, Peter Brady, Peter Griffin or Peter Venkman.

Meaning of the name Peter:

Greek: Rock, stone

Origin of the name Peter:

Peter is derived from the Greek word “pétros,” which means stone or rock.

Symbolism of the name Peter:

Peter is a biblical name. He was one of the Twelve Apostles of Christ. For this reason, the baby name may be important to parents of the Christian faith. Because Peter means “rock” or “stone,” it can also be a symbol of strength.

Style of the name Peter:

Classic

Gender of the name Peter:

Peter is a boy's name.

Pronunciation of the name Peter:

PEE-ter

Number of syllables in the name Peter:

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Peter:

The baby name Peter evokes images of someone who is a strong leader and someone who always has good ideas.

Alternative spellings for the name Peter:

N/A

Nicknames for the name Peter:

Pete
Petie
Petey
Pierce
Pet

Popularity of the name Peter:

Peter was a top 100 baby name for boys in the United States from 1900 until 1996. It's fallen out of favor a little bit. According to the Social Security Administration, it ranked at number 214 in 2020.