Per

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Per

Pronounced PAIR /ˈpɛr/Low

Meaning: Per is the everyday Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish form of Peter, which comes from the Greek Petros, 'rock' or 'stone.' It is a genuine heritage name rather than a nickname, long common across the Nordic countries, and in American records it usually marks a Scandinavian family line.Low

In 30 seconds: Per is the Scandinavian form of Peter, from Greek Petros ('rock, stone'). Short and firm, it is said PAIR, sometimes closer to PEHR.

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Origin MediumScandinavian

MeaningPer is the everyday Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish form of Peter, which comes from the Greek Petros, 'rock' or 'stone.' It is a genuine heritage name rather than a nickname, long common across the Nordic countries, and in American records it usually marks a Scandinavian family line.

U.S. rank (2020)#13551 ↗ Rising

2020 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1963

Total births (all-time)≈ 369

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Per is the Scandinavian rendering of Peter, tracing back through Latin Petrus to the Greek Petros, 'rock' or 'stone,' the name given to the apostle Simon. Across Sweden, Norway, and Denmark it is a full, standard given name, and in the United States it most often signals Nordic roots.

It was never common in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the early nineteen-sixties, carried largely by Scandinavian-American families. A boy named Per then is in his sixties today.

Did you know? In Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, Per has long stood on its own as the ordinary form of Peter, no more a nickname there than Peter is in English.

Overall data confidence 40%

References - Per — Scandinavian form of Peter; Greek Petros 'rock/stone'; standard Nordic given name; PAIR/PEHR noted.

Variations

PeterPetterPehrPeer

Nicknames

PellePete

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Per…

Peter— the English source name Per renders

Pieter— the Dutch cousin form

Piers— a like medieval English form of Peter

Hans— lands in the same popularity range

Lars— the same classic feel

Explore names like Per

By themeheritage classic scandinavian masculine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Per mean?

It is the Scandinavian form of Peter, from the Greek Petros, meaning 'rock' or 'stone.'

How do you pronounce Per?

It is said PAIR, and sometimes closer to PEHR /ˈpɛr/, a single syllable.

Is Per a boy or girl name?

Per is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Per?

Per was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the early nineteen-sixties, mostly in Scandinavian families.