Pierre is a classic French given name derived from the Greek name Peter, which means "rock" or "stone". This name has been widely used in France and other French-speaking countries for centuries.
The name Pierre was popularized by Saint Peter, one of Jesus Christ's twelve apostles, who was often depicted as a strong and steadfast individual. In the New Testament, Jesus gives Peter the nickname "Cephas," which means "rock" or "stone" in Aramaic, thus emphasizing his importance and reliability.
The name Pierre has been worn by numerous notable figures throughout history, such as Pierre Abelard, a medieval French philosopher and logician; Pierre Curie, a Nobel laureate physicist who discovered radioactivity alongside his wife Marie Skłodowska Curie; and Pierre Elliott Trudeau, a Canadian politician who served as the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from 1968 to 1979 and again from 1980 to 1984.
In France, the name Pierre is often associated with strength, resilience, and wisdom. It is also considered to be a timeless classic that remains popular today among parents looking for traditional French names for their sons.
It appears that the name Pierre experienced fluctuations in popularity over time, with a significant increase starting around 1954 and peaking in the late 1980s to early 1990s. However, it has since declined, with fewer than 200 births per year recorded from 1993 onwards.