Given name & surname
Peterson
“as solid and strong as a rock”
Peterson is a variant of Peter. One Greek interpretation is “as solid and strong as a rock.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Peterson is a variant of Peter. One Greek interpretation is “as solid and strong as a rock.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Peterson is a variant of Peter. Peter has been associated with Greek, Aramaic, and Scottish Gaelic naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English usage, Peterson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Peter.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1950. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Peterson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 819
- 819 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 1989
- 28 babies
- 2025
- 9
- #8,745 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −15%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 9 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 8,745 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 15.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 28 in 1989. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,602 as a first name in 2020; 265,150 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Peterson’s family of names
In English usage, Peterson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Peter. In German usage, Peterson as a surname has a related form in PETERS. Peterson has a related form in Peter.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Peterson has relatives in 18 languages.
30 related names in 18 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 30
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Петрівequivalent
- Петревequivalent
- Петрескиequivalent
- Петревскиequivalent
- Петроскиequivalent
- Петровскиequivalent
- Petrosyanequivalent
- ПетерсонRussian
Show 22 moreShow fewer
- Di PietroItalian
- PerićSerbo-Croatian
- PetraitisLithuanian
- ΠέτρουGreek
- PérezSpanish
- ПетровићSerbo-Croatian
- PetrescuRomanian
- ПетровBulgarian
- PetőfiHungarian
- PetrovićSerbo-Croatian
- PeresPortuguese
- PešićSerbo-Croatian
- PietriItalian
- PetterssonSwedish
- ՊետրոսյանArmenian
- PetravičiusLithuanian
- ΠετρόπουλοςGreek
- PerssonSwedish
- პეტრიაშვილიGeorgian
- PietrowiczPolish
- ΠετρίδηςGreek
- PeterssonSwedish
People named Peterson
- Peterson ToscanoAmerican comedianborn 1965
- Peterson dos SantosBrazilian athletics competitorborn 1991
- PeuBrazilian association football playerborn 1993
- Peterson PeçanhaBrazilian footballerborn 1980
- Peterson OccénatHaitian footballerborn 1989
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Peterson, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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Triston
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Davon
“Beloved” · “darling”
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