Pieter

Pieter is a masculine given name of Dutch origin, equivalent to the English name Peter. It derives from the Greek name Petros, meaning rock or stone, and has long been used in Dutch-speaking regions as a standard form of the name.

In the Netherlands and Flanders, Pieter is a common given name and is often found in formal contexts, while a shorter form Piet is frequently used in everyday speech. The name has also been adopted in Afrikaans-speaking communities in South Africa and in other Dutch-influenced communities around the world. Spelling variants in other languages include Peter in English and Piotr in Polish, among others.

Notable people named Pieter include Pieter Bruegel the Elder (c. 1525–1569), a prominent Flemish painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes; Pieter de Hooch (c. 1629–1684), a Dutch Baroque painter recognized for his interiors and figures; and Pieter Zeeman (1865–1943), a Dutch physicist and Nobel laureate who conducted foundational work in spectroscopy. The name has also been carried by numerous other figures in arts, science, and public life, reflecting its long-standing use in Dutch-speaking communities.

Overall, Pieter remains a traditional and widely recognized Dutch given name with a history rooted in the broader Peter lineage across European languages.