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 given statistics illustrate the fluctuations in the popularity of the name Pete over a span of nearly 140 years in the United States. From 1880 to around the mid-20th century, Pete's popularity grew significantly. In fact, between 1907 and 1926, there were more than 500 births with the name Pete every year, peaking at nearly 700 in 1946.
However, like many traditional names, Pete's popularity began to decline after World War II. It dropped below 300 births per year by the early 1960s and continued to fall steadily throughout the remainder of the century. By the late 1980s, fewer than 200 babies were named Pete each year.
In recent years, Pete has maintained a steady but low level of popularity, with around 50-70 births per year since 2014. This consistency suggests that while Pete may not be a trendy or highly popular name today, it still remains a recognizable and established choice for parents in the United States.
Overall, these statistics demonstrate the cyclical nature of naming trends over time and illustrate how some names, like Pete, can maintain enduring appeal despite fluctuations in popularity.