Pietje

The name Pietje, which is used for both men and women, is a Frisian and Dutch diminutive of Peter or Petra. These names all derive from Petrus, which in turn traces back to the Ancient Greek Petros (Πέτρος). Translated into German, the name in its diminutive form means "the rocky one" or "the stone" and "the rock".

What does the name Pietje mean?

Pietje is a diminutive that is used as both a male and female first name and has its origins in the Frisian and Dutch languages. The name is derived from Peter and Petra, all of which trace back to Petrus. In German, its diminutive form means "the rocky one" or "the stone" and "the rock". The roots of the name lie in the Ancient Greek word pétrā (πέτρᾱ) or pétros (πέτρος), which means "the rock" or "the stone". However, the name originally comes from the Aramaic Kephás, which means "the precious stone", "the boulder", as well as the qualities "solid", "strong", or "determined". The endings "je" or "tje" are typical for diminutives. Pietje has spread worldwide, particularly through the veneration of the holy Apostle Peter, son of John. Other variants include Peteris, Petr, Petru, Petrak, Petras, Petö, Petroc, Petrou, Petrik, and Petre.

Where does the name Pietje come from?

The first name Pietje has its roots in Old Aramaic and Ancient Greek and means "the rocky one". In Old Aramaic, the word kefas or kephas stands for "the precious stone", "the boulder", as well as for qualities like "solid", "strong", and "determined". In Ancient Greek, the name is derived from the terms pétrā (πέτρᾱ) and pétros (πέτρος), both of which mean "the rock" or "the stone". The languages from which the name originates are Frisian and Dutch.

How do you pronounce Pietje?

Pietje is pronounced like 'Piet-sche'.

When is the name day of Pietje?

The name day for Pietje is celebrated on June 29.

Popularity

In Germany, Pietje is a rather rare name. In 2021, it ranked 5,195th among the most common male first names. Its best ranking was in 2018, at 3,918th place. Over the last ten years, Pietje has been given as a first name about 20 times, placing it at 6,103rd in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 7,284th.

Nicknames & pet names

Pieti / Pietiplatsch

Famous people

• Pietje Bell (protagonist of the books by Chris van Abkoude)