girl's name
Petra
- Origin Greek
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 16,639
Ireland
#724
2023 births
Petra is a girl's name with 2 syllables. In 2025 it was given to 161 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
- Petra is a name of Greek origin.
- Peaked in 1927, when 205 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 20,592 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1881.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Petra over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 136 |
| 1890s | 257 |
| 1900s | 407 |
| 1910s | 1,012 |
| 1920s | 1,822 |
| 1930s | 1,325 |
| 1940s | 1,065 |
| 1950s | 1,059 |
| 1960s | 1,260 |
| 1970s | 1,170 |
| 1980s | 883 |
| 1990s | 828 |
| 2000s | 1,046 |
| 2010s | 1,433 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 923 |
How popular is Petra?
In 2025, Petra was given to 161 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Petra is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
How Petra is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Pétra | Pétra is a rare spelling of Petra, written with an acute accent and recorded about 5 times, mostly in France. | 5 |
Names that peaked alongside Petra
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Petra also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Petra over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Petra in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Italian
- Pietra
Sibling names for Petra
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Petra — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Petra
How popular is the name Petra?
In 2025, Petra was given to 161 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Petra a girl's or a boy's name?
Petra is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Petra?
Petra has 2 syllables.
When was Petra most popular?
Petra peaked in 1927, when 205 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
Is Petra a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Petra currently ranks #887 in the United States. After peaking in the 1920s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.