Petra
How to say it: PET-ruh · /ˈpɛtrə/
Feminine form of Peter, from Greek 'petra' meaning 'rock, stone'; also the name of the ancient Jordanian city.
Petra was the 1,125th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 161 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1920s, its births are down about 8% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,149 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #1,125 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 161 |
| Share of births | 1 in 20,592 |
| Peak decade | 1920s |
| Change over 10 years | −8% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,149 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,735 among girls’ names, 10 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
In steady use for a very long time, Petra peaked back in the 1920s. It stays close to that level now though a slight slip is expected.
What goes with it
Short and stony with a crisp snap, Petra feels strong and travels well with a place name echo. Vera and Helena share its mood.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Petra is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish.
In France: #1,735 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Petra
- Petra Kvitová (born 1990)Czech tennis player
- Petra Vlhová (born 1995)Slovak female alpine skier
- Petra Martić (born 1991)Croatian female tennis player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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