Per
Fact sheet
- Name
- Per
- Gender
- Boy name
- Syllables
- 1
The masculine first name Per is a Scandinavian and, in the spelling Pêr, a Breton form of Peter meaning 'the rock'. The name Per is especially given in Sweden and Norway (as a diminutive form of Petter) as well as Denmark (as a diminutive form of Peder).
What does the name Per mean?
The masculine first name Per is a Scandinavian and, in the spelling Pêr, a Breton form of Peter meaning 'the rock'. The name Per is especially given in Sweden and Norway (as a diminutive form of Petter) as well as Denmark (as a diminutive form of Peder). In Sweden, the variants Pär, Pehr, and Pelle are also common, while in Norway and Denmark, the variant Peer is used. Other foreign and well-known variants of Per or Peter include Pierre (French), Pietro and Piero (Italian), Pedro (Spanish, Portuguese), Pieter and Piet (Dutch), Petar (South Slavic), Petr (Czech), Piotr (Polish), Pjotr (Russian), and Petro (Ukrainian).
Where does the name Per come from?
Etymology As a variant of Peter, the boy's name Per also has its roots in the Latin and biblical name Petrus, which in turn originates from the ancient Greek word pétros meaning 'rock, stone'. Ancient Greek
How do you pronounce Per?
Sound & pronunciation of Per: The name Per is monosyllabic and clearly focused. In German pronunciation, it is usually pronounced as 'Per' [peːɐ̯], with the long 'e' having a calm, bright tone. The initial 'p' provides a firm, clear start. The trailing 'r' gives the name depth at the end. Thus, Per appears simple and Nordic - reduced, factual, and stable.
When is the name day of Per?
The most important name day for Per is on June 29 in commemoration of the Apostle Peter.
Popularity
Per is a popular first name in Germany. Currently, it ranks 2,655th on the list of the most common male baby names. Its best placement was in 2014 at 637th. In the last ten years, Per has been given as a first name about 210 times, placing it 1,550th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 1,307th.
Nicknames & pet names
Pe / Pea / Pelle / Pepe / Percy / Perdon / Peri / Perinho / Perle / Perschi / Persil
Similar first names
Famous people
- Per A. Anonsen (German actor)
- Per Axel Rydberg (Swedish botanist)
- Per Bak (Danish physicist)
- Per Bak Jensen (Photographer from Denmark)
- Per Bergerud (Norwegian ski jumper)
- Per Carlén (Former Swedish handball player & current coach)
- Per Ciljan Skjelbred (Norwegian footballer)
- Per Daniel Amadeus Atterbom (Swedish poet)
- Per Ekstrom (Swedish artist)
- Per Eriksson (Swedish guitarist)
- Per Gessle (Singer and guitarist of the band Roxette)
- Per Gustafsson (Swedish ice hockey player)
- Per Hallberg (American ice hockey player)
- Per Hanefjord (Swedish film director)
- Per Hohle (Norwegian writer)
- Per Jacob Blut (Drummer of the band Empty Trash)
- Per Knut Aaland (Norwegian skier)
- Per Kristian Hunder (Norwegian freestyle skier)
- Per Lundell (Ice hockey player from Sweden)
- Per Mertesacker (Professional footballer)
Frequently asked questions about the name Per
What is the origin of the name Per?
The name Per is a Scandinavian form of the biblical name Petrus, which comes from ancient Greek and means 'rock' or 'stone'.
In which countries is the name Per common?
Per is particularly used in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, where it is known as a diminutive form of Peter or Peder.
What nicknames are there for Per?
Common nicknames for Per include Pe, Pelle, Pepe, and Percy, which can be chosen depending on the parents' or child's preference.
How is the name Per pronounced?
The name Per is generally pronounced like 'Pär', although the pronunciation may vary slightly depending on the language.