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Peter

Heart
Greek
"rock, stone"

Peter Origin and Meaning

The name Peter is a boy's name of Greek origin meaning "rock, stone".

Peter is derived from the Greek Petros, meaning "rock" or "stone." One of the most important figures in the Christian hagiography is Saint Peter, keeper of the Gates of Heaven. Born Simon bar Jonah, he was given the nickname Peter by Jesus, to signify that he would be the rock on which Christ would build Christianity. Centuries later, there was Peter the Great, the czar who developed Russia as a major European power.

For generations, there have been pleasant childhood associations with this classic New Testament name, what with Peter Rabbit, Peter Pan, et al. But as user-friendly as this makes the name, it has a solid, traditional side as well.

Never as widely used as some of the more traditional Anglo-Saxon stalwarts, Peter retains an enduring appeal to parents seeking a less-used classic, with those nice childhood associations. Peter also has some interesting derivatives: The Brits like Piers; the Irish, Pierce and Pearse; the Italians, Piero and Pietro; the Spanish, Pedro; the French, Pierre; and the Dutch, Piet.

One potential problem: in some parts of the world, "peter" can be a slang term for "penis".

# 214 in the US

Peter Rank in US Top 1000

# 173 on Nameberry

Peter Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Peter Popularity

20 Names Similar to Peter

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Famous People Named Peter

  • Saint Peter the Apostle
  • Saint Peter Martyr of VeronaItalian martyr
  • Peter I aka Peter the Great (born Peter Alekseyevich)Russian Emperor
  • Peter II AlexeyevichRussian Emperor
  • Peter III (born Karl Peter Ulrich)Russian Emperor
  • Peter IKing of Serbia
  • Peter IIlast King of Yugoslavia
  • Peter I and IIKings of Portugal
  • Peter I and IIKings of Cyprus
  • Peter I and IIEmperors of Bulgaria
  • Peter IIII, Kings of Aragon
  • Peter IVII, Popes of Alexandria
  • PeterPrince of Greece and Denmark
  • Peter Seamus O'TooleBritish actor
  • Richard Henry "Peter" SellersEnglish actor
  • Pyotr Alexeyevich "Peter" KropotkinRussian revolutionary
  • Peter James CrouchEnglish footballer
  • Peter Wilton CushingEnglish actor
  • Peter Press "Pete" MaravichAmerican basketball player
  • Peter 'Pete' O'Hanlonbassist from Irish band The Strypes
  • Peter Andreas ThielAmerican billionaire founder of PayPal
  • Peter Michael FalkAmerican Actor
  • Peter FacinelliAmerican actor
  • (John) Peter SarsgaardAmerican actor
  • Peter Gene Hernandezbirth name of Bruno Mars, American pop singer
  • Peter Dennis Blandford "Pete" TownsendEnglish musician of The Who
  • Peter Robert JacksonNew Zealand film director/producer/screenwriter
  • Peter Brian GabrielEnglish musician
  • Peter BogdanovichAmerican film director
  • Peter Lawrence BoyleAmerican actor
  • Peter Szymon SerafinowiczBritish actor
  • Peter Kenneth FramptonEnglish,American musician
  • Peter Hayden DinklageAmerican actor
  • Peter Henry FondaAmerican actor
  • Peter OnoratiAmerican actor
  • Peter Alexander UstinovEnglish actor
  • Peter Alexis Shukoff aka Nice PeterYoutube personality of "Epic Rap Battles of History"
  • Peter Charles Archibald Ewart JenningsCanadian,American TV journalist
  • Peter Lewis Kingston "Pete" Wentz IIIAmerican bassist for Fall Out Boy
  • Peter Lorre (born László Löwenstein)Slovakian,American actor
  • Peter Tosh (born Winston Hubert McIntosh)Jamaican reggae musician
  • Peter Soyer BeagleAmerican novelist
  • Peter Dougan CapaldiScottish Actor
  • Peter JacobsonAmerican actor
  • Peter Gustav Lejeune DirichletGerman mathematician
  • Peter TaitScottish mathematical physicist
  • Peter YarrowAmerican singer,songwriter of Peter, Paul and Mary
  • Peter Torkstage name of Peter Halsten Thorkelson, American musician of The Monkees
  • Peter Joseph William DebyeDutch,American physicist & chemist
  • (Randolph) Peter "Pete" BestEnglish original drummer for The Beatles
  • Peter Van Pels aka Peter Van DaanGerman,Dutch boy who appeared in The Diary of Anne Frank
  • Peter Andrew FurlerAustralian Former lead singer of Newsboys
  • Peter DaCunhaCanadian actor
  • Peter OgnibeneAmerican child model; twin brother of Caroline
  • Peter "Pete" Zamperinibrother of WWII POW Louis Zamperini
  • Peter Arne JöbackSwedish musician
  • Peter Colbertson of Stephen Colbert & Evelyn McGee,Colbert
  • Peter Gilyardson of former American actor Clarence Gilyard
  • Peter CunnahIrish musician of the group D,Ream
  • Peter Mark Andrew PhillipsBritish royal, son of Princess Anne
  • Peter AllenAustralian musician
  • Peter RiegertAmerican actor
  • Peter Connelly (b. 2006)1 year old British boy who died from child abuse in 2007

Peter in Pop Culture

  • Peter Panfictional character created by J. M. Barrie
  • "Peter Rabbit" children's book by Beatrix Potter
  • Peter Parkeralso known as Spider,Man, character in the Marvel Universe
  • Peter “Pete” Brockmancharacter in British sitcom “Outnumbered”
  • Peter Jason Quillalso known as Star,Lord, character in the Marvel Universe
  • Peter Pevensiefrom C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia" series
  • Peter "Wormtail" Pettigrewcharacter from the "Harry Potter" series
  • "PeterPeter Pumpkin Eater," nursery rhyme
  • Peter Bradymiddle son on "The Brady Bunch"
  • Petermain character in "First Light," a novel by Rebecca Stead
  • Peter “Pete” Bealefather of Ian Beale in British soap opera “Eastenders”
  • Peter Bealeson of Ian Beale in British soap opera “Eastenders”
  • Peter Barlowcharacter from British soap opera "Coronation Street"
  • Peter Bishopcharacter on TV show "Fringe"
  • Peter Clarksonantagonist in novel "Ten Things I Hate About Me"
  • Peter "Pete" BrockmanDad in British Comedy "Outnumbered"
  • Peter Joseph "Peejoe" Bullischaracter from movie "Crazy in Alabama"
  • Peter Florrickcharacter on "The Good Wife"
  • Peter Griffinmain character on TV's "Family Guy"
  • Peter Halecharacter from MTV's "Teen Wolf"
  • Peter Hayescharacter in "Divergent" series
  • Peter Grant Kavinskymain character from "To All the Boys I've Loved Before," "P.S. I Still Love You" and "Always and Forever, Lara Jean" by Jenny Han
  • Peter Garciacharacter in "Sims" series
  • Peter Burkecharacter on TV's "White Collar"
  • Peter Grahamchatacter in "Hereditary"
  • Peter Kirklandpersonification of Sealand in anime "Axis Powers: Hetalia"
  • Peter Malborocharacter in Quebec parody show "Le coeur a ses raisons"
  • Peter Millscharacter on TV's "Chicago Fire"
  • Peter van Daanpseudonym for Peter van Pels in "The Diary of Anne Frank"
  • Police Sargent Peter Noakescharacter on series "Call the Midwife"
  • Peter Portprofessor voiced by Ryan Haywood in web series RWBY
  • Peter Prenticecharacter from series "The Mindy Project"
  • Peter Maximoffalso known as Quicksilver, character in Marvel Universe
  • Peter Porkeralso known as Spider,Ham, character in Marvel Universe
  • Peter Petrellicharacter on TV show "Heroes"
  • Peter HastingsSpencer Hastings' father in "Pretty Little Liars"
  • Peter Shepherdboy character in "Jumanji"
  • Peter the PandaDr. Doofenshmirtz's ex nemesis in "Phineas and Ferb"
  • Peter Bishopcharacter on JJ Abrams TV series "Fringe"
  • Peter Nureyevcharacter on "The Penumbra Podcast"
  • Peter Jeromecharacter on the ABC Sitcom "Soul Man"
  • Peter Lukascharacter on "The Magnus Archives"
  • Peter Ratrimain antagonist in the manga/anime series "The Promised Neverland"