Peter (English)

Where does "Peter" come from?

The English name 'Peter' comes from Middle English 'Peter', which developed from Old English 'Petrus'[1][2]. The Anglo-Saxons borrowed the name from Latin 'Petrus', which itself derived from the Ancient Greek name 'Pétros'[1][4]. This personal name was formed directly from the Ancient Greek common noun 'pétros', meaning 'stone' or 'rock'[1][3], a term thought to have entered Greek from an earlier Pre-Greek substrate[4][6].

Open questions

• The Ancient Greek noun for stone is considered to be of Pre-Greek origin, leaving its deeper roots unattested and uncertain. [4] [6]

Full etymology tree

• Peter (English), 'A male given name from Ancient Greek.'
  • inherited Peter (Middle English), 'Peter'
    • derived Petrus (Old English), 'Peter'
      • borrowed Petrus (Latin), 'Peter (biblical character).'
        • borrowed Πέτρος (Pétros) (Ancient Greek), 'Peter'
          • derived πέτρος (pétros) (Ancient Greek), 'rock, stone, boulder'
            • borrowed (Pre-Greek)

Ancestors

• Peter (Middle English)
• Petrus (Old English)
• Petrus (Latin)
• Πέτρος (Ancient Greek)

Cognates and doublets

• Boutros (English)
• Pedro (English)
• Piers (English)

Descendants and derived words

• Ayot St Peter (English)
• blue peter (English)
• blue peter (English)
• Blue Peter (English)
• Blue Peter (English)
• Chalfont St Peter (English)
• Charlton St Peter (English)
• Peterborough (English)
• Peterchurch (English)
• Peter Funk (English)
• Peter Island (English)
• Peterloo (English)

Sources

1. Peter (English) - Wiktionary
2. Peter (Middle English) - Wiktionary
3. Πέτρος (Pétros) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary
4. Petrus (Latin) - Wiktionary
5. Petrus (Old English) - Wiktionary
6. πέτρος (pétros) (Ancient Greek) - Wiktionary

Updated September 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris