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Peter

Boy name · 7,876 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Peter: 7,876 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 395 births in 1979.

The name Peter comes from the Greek *Petros*, meaning "rock" or "stone," a translation of the Aramaic *Cephas* given by Jesus to the apostle Simon, making it a foundational name in Christianity. Its most famous bearer is Saint Peter, the first Pope, but the name also belongs to Peter the Great, the Russian tsar who modernised his country, and Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie's eternal boy from his Scottish homeland. The city of Saint Petersburg, founded by Peter the Great, shares this root, as does the Scottish town of Peterhead. A notable variant is the Scottish Gaelic *Pàdraig*, which also gave rise to the name Patrick, while the name's rock-solid meaning has made it a perennial classic across the English-speaking world.

Boy 52 of 52 years

Peak year
1979395 babies
Latest (2025)
#31611 babies
Total births
7,876since 1974
5-year trend
▼ 45%vs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 1979 · 395
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).