Peter (English)
Where does "Peter" come from?
The name Peter originates from the Ancient Greek word 'petros,' meaning 'stone' or 'rock.' It entered the English language through Latin and Old English as 'Petrus,' eventually evolving into its modern form. It is a linguistic relative of names like Pedro and Piers, sharing the same foundational meaning of strength and stability.
Full etymology tree
- Peter (English), 'A male given name from Ancient Greek.'
- inherited Peter (Middle English), 'Peter'
- inherited Petrus (Old English), 'Peter'
- inherited Petrus (Latin), 'Peter (biblical character).'
- borrowed Πέτρος (Pétros) (Ancient Greek), 'Peter'
- derived πέτρος (pétros) (Ancient Greek), 'rock, stone, boulder'
- inherited Pre-Greek (Pre-Greek)
- derived πέτρος (pétros) (Ancient Greek), 'rock, stone, boulder'
- borrowed Πέτρος (Pétros) (Ancient Greek), 'Peter'
- inherited Petrus (Latin), 'Peter (biblical character).'
- inherited Petrus (Old English), 'Peter'
- inherited Peter (Middle English), 'Peter'
Direct ancestors
- Peter (Middle English)
- Petrus (Old English)
- Petrus (Latin)
- Πέτρος (Ancient Greek)
- Pedro (English)
- Piers (English)
- Boutros (English)
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris