kepha

Kepha is the Aramaic form of the given name Peter, used especially in Syriac Christian writings and in some Bible translations. The name derives from the Aramaic כֵּיפָא (kepha), meaning "rock" or "stone," and corresponds to the Greek name Petros and the English Peter.

In the New Testament and related early Christian sources, Simon son of Jonah is renamed by Jesus as Cephas (or Kepha), signaling his role among the apostles. In Greek manuscripts the name appears as Cephas; in Syriac editions and related literature it is rendered as Kepha or Kefa.

Kepha remains a common designation for the Apostle Peter within Syriac Christian traditions. It appears in liturgical texts, apocryphal acts, and hagiography produced by Syriac-speaking communities, including the Assyrian, Syriac Orthodox, and Maronite churches. In these traditions Peter is still identified with the foundational leadership of the church, a role associated with the name Kepha.

Outside of identifications of Peter, the form Kepha also appears in translations of biblical texts into Aramaic and Syriac, preserving the original naming tradition for readers who use those languages.