Piers

♂ Boy

Pronounced PEERZ /ˈpɪərz/High

Meaning: The Norman and medieval English form of Peter, from Old French Piers, ultimately Greek petros, 'rock.' It was the usual English form of the name in the Middle Ages — as in the poem Piers Plowman — and remains current in Britain.Medium

In 30 seconds: The medieval English form of Peter: Piers means 'rock' (said 'PEERZ').

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Origin MediumEnglish, French

MeaningThe Norman and medieval English form of Peter, from Old French Piers, ultimately Greek petros, 'rock.' It was the usual English form of the name in the Middle Ages — as in the poem Piers Plowman — and remains current in Britain.

U.S. rank (2024)#13692 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2013

Total births (all-time)≈ 290

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

Piers is the Norman French and medieval English form of Peter, from Greek petros, 'rock.' It was the everyday English form of the name for centuries, and it gave English literature Piers Plowman, the fourteenth-century allegorical poem. It remains in steady use in Britain and reads as crisp and old-established (said 'PEERZ').

In the U.S. it is very rare for boys. Rare, British, and classic.

Did you know? Before Peter settled into English, the usual form was Piers — brought by the Normans. The great medieval poem Piers Plowman takes its name from it (said 'PEERZ').

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Piers — Norman/medieval English form of Peter; Piers Plowman

Variations

PeterPearcePierce

Nicknames

PiPerry

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Piers…

Peter— the standard English form

Pierce— a like surname cousin from the same root

Pierre— the French form of the same name

Pietro— the Italian form of the same name

Explore names like Piers

By themeenglish classic medieval british

By meaningRock / Stone

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Piers mean?

Piers is the medieval English and Norman form of Peter, from Greek petros, 'rock.'

How do you pronounce Piers?

It's said PEERZ /ˈpɪərz/ — one syllable, rhyming with 'ears' with a P.

Is Piers a boy or girl name?

Piers is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Piers?

Piers is a very rare name for boys in the U.S., though better known in Britain.