Peter
How to say it: PEE-tur · /ˈpitər/
Rock or stone; from Greek 'Petros'. Apostle's name popularized across Europe via Christianity.
Peter was the 201st most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 1,954 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1950s, its births are steady over ten years, and it is projected to rise to #194 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #201 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 1,954 |
| Share of births | 1 in 1,696 |
| Peak decade | 1950s |
| Change over 10 years | +1% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #194 |
| In France, 2025 | #813 among boys’ names, 35 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Peter was strongest in the 1950s and eased far from that mark over time. It holds steady in use today, with a small lift likely soon.
What goes with it
Firm and clipped, Peter carries a strong and steady air. Said PEE tur, it pairs naturally with Thomas, while Pete keeps it casual.
Middle names that flow with Peter →
Nicknames
- Pete
- Petey
Honouring a Peter in the family
- Peteshort form
- Petrapet form
- Piersequivalent
- Pietequivalent
- Pierreequivalent
- Pieroequivalent
- Pederequivalent
- Pedroequivalent
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Peter is about 1 in 71.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Norwegian, Swedish, Vietnamese.
In France: #813 for boys in 2025.
England and Wales: #290. Ireland: #154.
Famous people named Peter
- Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640)Flemish painter
- Peter Jackson (born 1961)New Zealand film director, screenwriter, producer and actor
- Peter Handke (born 1942)Austrian writer, playwright and film director
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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