Petra
Ultimately from Ancient Greek πέτρα (pétra, “rock”).
Every Petra since 1881 — 14,626 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Petra
Petra is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,372 in 2025 with 161 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 14,626 American babies have been named Petra. Its peak came in 1927, when 205 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Petra stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Petra year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 161 | #1,372 | — | — |
| 2024 | 147 | #1,490 | — | — |
| 2023 | 149 | #1,473 | — | — |
| 2022 | 140 | #1,537 | — | — |
| 2021 | 151 | #1,430 | — | — |
| 2020 | 175 | #1,278 | — | — |
| 2019 | 172 | #1,330 | — | — |
| 2018 | 144 | #1,518 | — | — |
| 2017 | 165 | #1,398 | — | — |
| 2016 | 158 | #1,463 | — | — |
| 2015 | 176 | #1,351 | — | — |
| 2014 | 145 | #1,518 | — | — |
| 2013 | 134 | #1,613 | — | — |
| 2012 | 122 | #1,713 | — | — |
| 2011 | 118 | #1,746 | — | — |
| 2010 | 99 | #2,025 | — | — |
| 2009 | 135 | #1,655 | — | — |
| 2008 | 133 | #1,682 | — | — |
| 2007 | 124 | #1,749 | — | — |
| 2006 | 101 | #1,985 | — | — |
| 2005 | 122 | #1,644 | — | — |
| 2004 | 89 | #2,062 | — | — |
| 2003 | 80 | #2,182 | — | — |
| 2002 | 80 | #2,122 | — | — |
| 2001 | 91 | #1,920 | — | — |
| 2000 | 91 | #1,881 | — | — |
| 1995 | 81 | #1,783 | — | — |
| 1990 | 76 | #1,873 | — | — |
| 1985 | 91 | #1,407 | — | — |
| 1980 | 116 | #1,166 | — | — |
| 1975 | 101 | #1,152 | — | — |
| 1970 | 130 | #973 | — | — |
| 1965 | 156 | #791 | — | — |
| 1960 | 137 | #902 | — | — |
| 1955 | 100 | #1,000 | — | — |
| 1950 | 130 | #760 | — | — |
| 1945 | 93 | #777 | — | — |
| 1940 | 108 | #666 | — | — |
| 1935 | 106 | #633 | — | — |
| 1930 | 176 | #505 | 5 | #4,419 |
| 1925 | 189 | #512 | — | — |
| 1920 | 152 | #582 | 6 | #4,167 |
| 1915 | 120 | #597 | — | — |
| 1910 | 65 | #510 | — | — |
| 1905 | 43 | #526 | — | — |
| 1900 | 40 | #537 | — | — |
| 1895 | 27 | #589 | — | — |
| 1890 | 18 | #639 | — | — |
| 1885 | 15 | #571 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Petra
- Petra Kelly Politician · 1947–1992
- Petra Schürmann Actor · 1933–2010
- Petra Mede Actor · b. 1970
- Petra Kvitová Tennis player · b. 1990
- Petra Felke Athlete · b. 1959
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Petra mean?
Ultimately from Ancient Greek πέτρα (pétra, “rock”).
How popular is the name Petra in 2025?
Petra ranked #1,372 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 161 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Petra?
14,626 babies have been named Petra in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Petra most popular?
Petra peaked in 1927, when 205 newborns received the name.
Is Petra a boy or girl name?
Petra is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Petra rising or falling?
Petra has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Petra?
Well-known people named Petra include Petra Kelly (politician), Petra Schürmann (actor), Petra Mede (actor).