Pete
Pete was the 2382nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 58 babies. Its best year was 1908, when it ranked 173rd; the most babies were born in 1959 (767). Over the last ten years it has moved down 180 places. More babies were named Pete in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning short form of Peter; "rock" · Greek, English
Say it PEET /pit/
- Rank in 2025
- #2,382 boys, up 154 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 58boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1959767 babies
- Total since 1880
- 43,700babies recorded
What does the name Pete mean?
Pete is the short form of Peter, from the Greek petros, "rock, stone". In the Gospels Jesus calls the apostle Simon Cephas, Aramaic for "rock", which the Greek text renders Petros (John 1:42; Matthew 16:18). DMNES lists Peter as one of the most widespread Christian names of medieval Europe. Pete was most common as a given name in the US in the early 20th century.
πέτρος (Greek, “rock, stone”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Peter, Petey, Pedro, Pierre.
See also: Greek names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Pete', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Peter', DMNES (Durham University)
- New Testament, John 1:42 (NRSV Updated Edition), Bible Gateway
- New Testament, Matthew 16:18 (NRSV Updated Edition), Bible Gateway
Nicknames for Pete
The usual nicknames for Pete are Petey.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petey | Traditional | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Petes go by each one.
Pete popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 170 since 1916.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,382 | 58 |
| 2020 | #2,536 | 51 |
| 2010 | #2,088 | 65 |
| 2000 | #1,308 | 99 |
| 1990 | #782 | 169 |
| 1980 | #579 | 220 |
| 1970 | #424 | 374 |
| 1960 | #287 | 756 |
| 1950 | #280 | 560 |
| 1940 | #237 | 513 |
| 1930 | #223 | 578 |
| 1920 | #205 | 636 |
| 1910 | #181 | 156 |
| 1900 | #184 | 116 |
| 1890 | #214 | 60 |
| 1880 | #235 | 50 |
How popular is Pete, counting every spelling?
Pete has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How many kids will share the name Pete?
58 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Pete (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Pete born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 144 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Pete.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Pete?
About 18,900 people born in the US named Pete are alive today, with a median age of 62; half are between 46 and 72. That makes Pete a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Pete by state
How common Pete was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Texas (2.1×). In 47 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Pete: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Pete, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Pete · Sibling names for Pete
Pete is also a nickname for Peter.
Questions about the name Pete
What does Pete mean?
Pete means “short form of Peter; "rock"” (Greek, English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Pete?
Pete was the 2382nd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 58 babies. Its best year was 1908, when it ranked 173rd; the most babies were born in 1959 (767). Over the last ten years it has moved down 180 places. More babies were named Pete in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Pete a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Pete in the US.
Where is Pete most popular?
In 2021–2025, Pete was most common in Texas (0.07 per 1,000 boys), followed by Tennessee and California.