BabyNameScore

Peter

PEE·tər, IPA /ˈpiː.tər/. · 2 syllables

Peter is comfortably familiar.

86/100

Strong Practical Fit

Balanced across pronunciation, everyday use, lifetime fit and international use.

Name Profile

  1. Pronunciation & Spelling

    Learnable with light exposure

    A well-established name with a clear, learnable pronunciation: PEE-tər, IPA /ˈpiː.tər/.

    76/100

  2. Everyday Use

    Low risk

    Shortens naturally in everyday use, to one established short form.

    95/100

  3. Growing Up

    Strong lifetime fit

    Works comfortably across child and adult settings.

    82/100

  4. International Use

    Broad international fit

    Works cleanly across the assessed languages and writing systems.

    85/100

NAME DETAILS

COMMON FORMS
Pete
CLOSE SPELLINGS
Petar
Piotr
OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS
Pieter
Petrus
Pyotr/Petro
ORIGIN & HISTORY

About the name

"Rock" or "stone" — from Greek "Petros," itself a translation of the Aramaic name "Cephas," which Jesus gave to the apostle Simon.

  1. Petros (Greek), from Aramaic Cephas. Peter is the English form of Greek "Petros" ("stone"), which translates the Aramaic name "Cephas" (also "stone"/"rock") that, according to the Gospels, Jesus gave to the apostle Simon at Caesarea Philippi after Simon declared him "the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:18, John 1:42) — "You are Cephas (Peter), and on this rock I will build my church." Peter was consistently listed first among the Twelve Apostles and served as their frequent spokesman. Catholic and Orthodox tradition regards him as the first bishop of Rome (Pope), with early Church writers such as Irenaeus describing him as founding the Roman church alongside Paul and appointing Linus as successor; tradition holds he was martyred by crucifixion in Rome around AD 64-68 and buried on the site of what is now St. Peter's Basilica. As a given name in England, the Normans introduced the Old French form "Piers," which was gradually replaced by the spelling "Peter" starting in the 15th century.
  2. Mythological and religious contextPeter the Apostle (born Simon) is traditionally regarded by the Catholic and Orthodox churches as the first bishop of Rome/Pope, following Jesus's declaration "on this rock I will build my church"; other saints of the name include the 11th-century reformer Saint Peter Damian and the 13th-century preacher Saint Peter Martyr.
POPULARITY

Peter over time

United States
#187RANK

Rank #187 gives national context, not a classroom forecast.

Recognizable without feeling automatic. Ranked #187 in the U.S., 2025.

SourceU.S. Social Security Administration · 2025 release

Pronunciation & Forms

SAY IT

PEE·tər, IPA /ˈpiː.tər/.

STRESS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE

COMMON FORMS
  • Pete
CLOSE SPELLINGS
  • Petar
  • Piotr
OTHER-LANGUAGE FORMS
  • Piers (Old French/Middle English)
  • PieterNL
  • PetrusLatin
  • Pyotr/PetroSlavic
PRACTICAL LIFE

How This Name Lives

AT SCHOOL & DAY TO DAY

A simple, easy-to-pronounce classic that works comfortably for a child; currently well outside trend-driven territory, which gives it a timeless rather than dated feel.

INTO ADULTHOOD

Reads as solid, dependable, and fully mainstream in adult and professional contexts — a name with unbroken centuries of use across Christian Europe that carries no trend markers.

Cultural Footprint

Carries deep Christian religious significance through the Apostle Peter, traditionally regarded by the Catholic and Orthodox churches as the first Pope/bishop of Rome, while functioning as a fully secular, mainstream classic name across the Western world independent of that religious association.

TRACEABLE ORIGIN
  1. Saint Peter (born Simon)apostle, traditionally regarded as the first Pope/bishop of Rome
  2. Peter the Great (1672-1725)Russian tsar who defeated Sweden in the Great Northern War
  3. Peter Parkercivilian identity of Spider-Man in Marvel Comics

Community Impressions

Perceived as classic, dependable, and unpretentious — a long-standing mainstream name without strong trend associations in either direction.

How this name is commonly received · not used in the score

More about Peter

FORMALITY

Formal and fully standard in professional use; "Pete" functions as a well-established casual short form without diminishing the formal name's standing.

EDITORIAL SYNTHESIS

The Decision

Peter is a name that holds up in everyday use. Surname-dependent compatibility remains unassessed until a surname is added.

STRENGTH

Uses standard characters that systems widely handle cleanly. Fits cleanly on every form, badge, and signature line.

CONSIDERATION

Pronounced "PEE-ter" — may invite a pronunciation check on first meeting.

BEST FIT

Everyday Use is the strongest-scoring part of this name — no obvious nickname traps, rhymes, or initial issues detected.

FULL-NAME CHECK

See how it works with a surname.

Peter