Per
Per is a Scandinavian masculine given name. It is derived from Greek Πέτρος, Petros. The name is a variant of Peter, a common masculine name of the same origin. Other Scandinavian variants of Per are Pehr, Peer and Pär.
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Breton
Meaning & Origin of Per
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Per is a Scandinavian masculine given name. It is derived from Greek Πέτρος, Petros. The name is a variant of Peter, a common masculine name of the same origin. Other Scandinavian variants of Per are Pehr, Peer and Pär.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Swedish
- Norwegian
- Danish
- Breton
The Story of Per
Per first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1923, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1963, when 14 Pers were born — ranking #2,200 that year. As of 2026, Per ranks #12,015 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 369 Pers have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Per
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Per. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Per
Phonetically similar names — useful when Per is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Per
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About the name Per
Per is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1923 and has accumulated 369 births in the dataset. Per's peak popularity came in 1963 when it ranked #2,200. Use the chart and map above to compare Per's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1963 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "P" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.