The first name Peter
A boy’s name from Greek meaning “stone”, “rock”.
Pronounced /ˈpitɚ/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Greek origin
Peter means “stone”, “rock” in Greek.
From Middle English Peter, from Old English Petrus, from Latin Petrus, from Ancient Greek Πέτρος (Pétros), from πέτρος (pétros, “stone, rock”). Doublet of Pedro, Piers, and Boutros.
More names that mean mountain.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 158 boys were named Peter, making it the 287th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 1,128 births (#59).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Peter with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Peter at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 1,954 boys born in the United States were named Peter, the 187th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1957, when 11,603 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Peter in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Peter in Danish, German and Slovak too.
Nicknames and spellings
Nicknames for Peter
- Pete
- Petey
Famous people named Peter
1,406 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Peter Paul RubensFlemish painter (1577–1640)
- Peter O'TooleBritish-Irish actor (1932–2013)
- Peter HiggsBritish physicist and Nobel Prize winner (1929–2024)
- Peter SellersBritish actor and comedian (1925–1980)
- Peter HandkeAustrian writer, playwright and film director (born 1942)
- Peter DinklageAmerican actor (born 1969)
- Peter UstinovBritish actor, writer and director (1921–2004)
- Peter DebyeDutch-American physicist and physical chemist (1884–1966)
- Peter DruckerAmerican business consultant (1909–2005)
- Peter GabrielBritish singer and musician (born 1950)
- Peter FondaAmerican actor and filmmaker (1940–2019)
- Peter SingerAustralian moral philosopher (born 1946)
More Greek boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Peter mean?
- Peter means “stone”, “rock” in Greek.
- What is the origin of the name Peter?
- From Middle English Peter, from Old English Petrus, from Latin Petrus, from Ancient Greek Πέτρος (Pétros), from πέτρος (pétros, “stone, rock”). Doublet of Pedro, Piers, and Boutros.
- How popular is the name Peter?
- In 2025, 158 boys born in England and Wales were named Peter, ranking 287th. Its peak was 1996, with 1,128 births.
- What are nicknames for Peter?
- Common nicknames for Peter include Pete, Petey.
- Is Peter a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 591,531 US babies named Peter since 1880 were boys.
- When was Peter most popular?
- 1957 in the United States, when 11,603 babies were named Peter, its highest rank at 37th.
- How do you pronounce Peter?
- Peter is /ˈpitɚ/, 2 syllables.
- Is Peter also a surname?
- Yes. Peter is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.