Peter is a name of English origin that has been used for centuries. It is derived from the Greek name "Petros," which means "rock" or "stone." This name was given to Saint Peter, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and the first Pope of the Catholic Church.
The use of the name Peter can be traced back to the early Christian era when it became popular among followers of the religion. In many languages, including English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Hungarian, Polish, Czech, and Russian, the name Peter or its variations have been adopted.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Peter. Some examples include Peter the Great of Russia, Emperor Pedro II of Brazil, and Sir Peter Ustinov, a renowned British actor. Additionally, many fictional characters have been named Peter, such as Peter Pan in J.M. Barrie's famous play and novel.
In English-speaking countries today, Peter remains a popular choice for boys' names. According to the Social Security Administration data, it was consistently among the top 100 most popular baby boy names in the United States from the 1950s until the late 2000s, with its highest ranking being number 47 in 1963.
In summary, Peter is an ancient and widely-used name with a strong historical background. Derived from the Greek name Petros, it means "rock" or "stone" and has been popular among Christians since early times due to its association with Saint Peter. Throughout history, many influential figures and fictional characters have carried this name, contributing to its enduring popularity.
The name Pete experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years. In its peak year of 1917, there were 639 births, but by 2023, that number had fallen to just 54. The most notable decline began around 1965, with a high of 758 births in 1958 and a low of 44 births in 2019. Since then, the number has been slowly increasing again, reaching 58 in 2021 and remaining steady at 54 in both 2022 and 2023.