Piotr is a name of Polish origin and it means "rock" or "stone". It comes from the Proto-Slavic word "pietr", which also gave rise to the Russian name Pyotr.
The name Piotr has been used in Poland since at least the Middle Ages, but it gained popularity during the 19th century. It is traditionally considered a masculine name and it is often associated with Polish culture and history.
One famous bearer of the name Piotr was Saint Peter, who was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ according to Christian tradition. This may have contributed to the name's popularity among Christians in Poland.
In literature, Piotr was also the first name of the protagonist in the novel "The Doll" by Bolesław Prus, which is considered a classic of Polish literature.
Today, Piotr remains a popular name in Poland and other Slavic countries. It has also been used as a given name in other European countries and beyond. Despite its strong association with Polish culture, it is not exclusively used in that country and can be found among people of various nationalities around the world.
The name Piotr has seen a varied trend in its popularity over the past several decades in the United States. Between 1973 and 2021, there have been a total of 734 births registered with the name Piotr.
In the early years, the number of births was relatively low, with only 5 births recorded in 1973. However, there was an increase to 6 births in 1975 and this trend continued with 7 births each in 1978 and 1980.
The late 1980s and early 1990s saw a significant rise in the popularity of the name Piotr. There were 10 births recorded in 1982, which doubled to 20 births by 1984. This peak continued with 13 births in 1985 and 14 births each in 1986 and 1987.
The year 1990 marked another significant milestone with 26 births, followed by an even higher number of 29 births in 1991. The popularity of the name continued to fluctuate throughout the 1990s, reaching a high of 37 births in 1993 and then dropping to as low as 16 births in 2000.
The early 2000s saw a slight increase in popularity with 22 births each in 2001 and 2002, followed by a decline to 19 births in 2003. However, the trend reversed again with an increase to 26 births in 2004.
Since then, the number of births with the name Piotr has generally remained between 10 and 25 per year, with a slight dip to 5 births each in 2016 and 2017. The most recent data available shows that there were 7 births recorded in 2019 and 6 births in 2021.
Despite these fluctuations, the name Piotr has maintained a consistent presence in the United States over the past several decades, with a total of 734 births recorded between 1973 and 2021.