Peter
Name Origin & Meaning
From the Greek 'petros' (a stone, a rock), itself a translation of the Aramaic 'Cephas' given by Jesus. The Greek distinguishes 'petros' (a movable stone) from 'petra' (bedrock), a nuance theologians have debated for centuries. Jesus declared: 'You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church' — making the name a theological proclamation about foundation and leadership.
First Biblical Appearance
“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
Jesus bestowing the name Peter on Simon — the foundational moment of apostolic commission.
Biblical Significance
Simon Peter was a fisherman from Bethsaida who became the leading apostle of Jesus. He walked on water, confessed Jesus as the Messiah at Caesarea Philippi, was present at the Transfiguration, denied Christ three times and wept bitterly, was reinstated with three-fold love, and preached at Pentecost to three thousand converts. He is considered the first Bishop of Rome by Catholic tradition. Two epistles bear his name and his perspective underlies the Gospel of Mark.
Notable Bearers
- Simon Peter the Apostle
Personality & Character
Divine unity and new beginnings — the number of God's oneness and leadership
Spiritual symbolism drawn from Scripture and tradition
Modern Variants
A Blessing for This Name
May you, like Peter, be transformed from a shifting stone into bedrock — shaped by failure, restored by grace, and commissioned to feed the lambs of God. May the gates of hell never prevail against the church built through your bold confession.