Petra
Petra is a feminine given name. It is a feminine form of Peter, which is derived from the Greek word "πέτρα" meaning "stone, rock".
- German
- Dutch
- Spanish
- Czech
Meaning & Origin of Petra
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Petra is a feminine given name. It is a feminine form of Peter, which is derived from the Greek word "πέτρα" meaning "stone, rock".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- German
- Dutch
- Spanish
- Czech
- Slovak
- Slovene
- Croatian
- Bulgarian
- Hungarian
- Swedish
- Finnish
- English
The Story of Petra
Petra first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1881, with 10 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1927: 197 births, good for #498 nationwide. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,551 among baby girl names with 138 births, gradually falling (-11%). In total, more than 15K Petras have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Petra
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Petra. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Petra
Phonetically similar names — useful when Petra 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 Petra
What does the name Petra mean?
What is the origin of the name Petra?
How popular is Petra in 2026?
When was Petra most popular?
In which U.S. states is Petra most popular?
Is Petra a unisex name?
What names go well with Petra?
What are nicknames or variants of Petra?
About the name Petra
Petra is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 15K births in the dataset. Petra's peak popularity came in 1927 when it ranked #429. Use the chart and map above to compare Petra's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1927 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "P" →
- Browse all girl 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.