My son will be here in 5 weeks or less. We thought we were set on a name and have been calling him [name_m]Harvey[/name_m], but I keep coming back to the name [name_m]Peter[/name_m]. I can’t decide if I’m trying to talk myself into or out of using it. I ruled it out early on for the teasability factor; My husband insists that peter will always be slang for penis. And I must admit, I did hear it used that way a bit growing up. What do you all think? I love the name, but would a little [name_m]Peter[/name_m] be laughed at (especially in the Southeast US)?
I have known several people of all ages named [name_m]Peter[/name_m], (including a 20-something family member), and they’ve said this has never been an issue in their lives. I see the question raised on baby name sites, but not in the real world. BTW, I know a teenaged [name_m]Peter[/name_m] who loves his name. It hits the sweet spot of familiar but not at all common among young people, at least in our community.
I just don’t know how satisfying the teasing factor is with [name_m]Peter[/name_m]. I’m not saying it wouldn’t happen but after someone made that joke once, I just think it’d be a bit stale and kids would move on. I mean [name_m]William[/name_m] is very popular right now and I’m sure many of them get a [name_m]Willy[/name_m] joke here or there but people then move on. I just think kids can be more creative when torturing each other–which isn’t necessarily comforting but I think it means you can use the name.
We need people who know a person named [name_m]Peter[/name_m] to weigh in on if this has been a real problem for them.
I think @nathalia said it perfectly.
I’ll add that I think [name_m]Peter[/name_m] is a lovely, underused choice. I’m aware of the slang term, but I feel it’s outdated and therefore probably not a concern.
[name_m]Harvey[/name_m] is also fantastic. Either way, your little one will be well named. Congratulations!
I had to google to find out what’s wrong with it. I have never heard this slang term, so I don’t think it would be a problem. [name_m]Peter[/name_m] is a great name, I like it.
I like both. [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] is more unique, [name_m]Peter[/name_m] is not that popular and the nickname [name_m]Pete[/name_m] is great. [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] [name_m]Peter[/name_m] or [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] would be nice if you are not set on a middle yet.
[name_m]Peter[/name_m] is a great name! We’d use it in a heartbeat if it wouldn’t sound like a superhero’s name when paired with our last 
anyhow…I don’t think you have much to worry about with the slang term. I think it is one of those things where people know about it, but it just isn’t really brought up/taken as seriously as we may think. It’s like as @nathalia said…the question gets raised on naming sites, but not really in the real world…our minds just like to thoroughly think out our choices, is all 
I know a teenager [name_m]Peter[/name_m]…well, he may have just turned 20 recently. Anyhow, I’ve asked him about this and he said that absolutely no one has ever brought this up to him. He said he doesn’t even think of it himself. So…I think that’s a good sign 
we live in the US, too, if that helps.
[name_m]Peter[/name_m] is my favorite boys name!! Very solid, I would definitely use it over [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] without hesitation!
Thanks, everyone. I am going to keep it in the top two and see what he looks like. I believe I will use [name_m]Peter[/name_m] as a middle name if not first.
Kids nowadays have way more interesting slang for penises than “peter,” which is from so long ago that it seems like being worried that little [name_f]Sally[/name_f] is going to scuff her saddle shoes at the sock hop. Honestly, this is a non-issue. [name_m]Peter[/name_m] is a fabulous, underused classic.
[name_m]Peter[/name_m] is an amazing name, one of my favorites. The slang meaning is very dated. I don’t think I encountered it until adulthood; it’s definitely not something you’d hear from kids on the playground anymore. If you wanted to name him [name_m]Dick[/name_m], that would be a different story, lol.
It’s not something I’ve ever thought of nor have the Peters I’ve taught ever been teased about it. [name_m]Dick[/name_m], yes, but [name_m]Peter[/name_m], no.
It’s a lovely name, and while [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] is cute, personally if I were a boy, I’d rather be named [name_m]Peter[/name_m] and I’d go by [name_m]Pete[/name_m].
[name_u]Leslie[/name_u]
Complete admission of bias, but definitely [name_m]Peter[/name_m]. I can’t really speak to the “playground reactions” since my son [name_m]Peter[/name_m] is only 5 weeks old, but his name has been well received so far. I was aware of the slang (especially since our last name is pronounced like Action) before naming him, but no one I mentioned it to thought it was even a slight issue - and I’m talking about people who I trust would tell me the truth.
[name_m]Harvey[/name_m] is a nice name too. it seems very different than [name_m]Peter[/name_m]; [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] is a vintage throwback while [name_m]Peter[/name_m] is a traditional classic. [name_f]Do[/name_f] you tend to gravitate to names in one of those styles more than the other? On one side, [name_m]Clarence[/name_m], [name_u]Roy[/name_u], [name_m]Carl[/name_m] and [name_u]Stanley[/name_u]. On the other, [name_m]Thomas[/name_m], [name_m]Charles[/name_m], [name_m]Henry[/name_m], [name_m]Edward[/name_m].
[name_m]Peter[/name_m] is a great name, classic and solid and handsome. I don’t think the slang term is a problem, I hadn’t even heard of it until I saw it on Nameberry. I went to high school with more than one [name_m]Peter[/name_m] and no one ever said anything about their name. I think it’s such a familiar and established name that it’s hard to take issue with it. [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] feels clunkier and not quite ready for a comeback, for a first name at least. [name_m]Peter[/name_m] [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] would work really well.
I’ve never heard of that as an issue. I adore the name [name_m]Peter[/name_m] and I think it’s a name that is so strong and familiar that a silly joke-name like that wouldn’t tarnish it in anyway.
I’m from the UK and didn’t know it was slang for penis, until I read this thread and it happened to come up in the new Spiderman film coincidentally (I wouldn’t have understood it at all if it wasn’t for the thread haha). I wouldn’t know not living in the US, but I would hazard a guess it isn’t like calling a child [name_m]Dick[/name_m]. But both [name_m]Peter[/name_m] and [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] are lovely.
I didn’t know [name_m]Peter[/name_m] was a slang term for penis until I read it on a thread.
I’m an American in my early 20s and have never heard [name_m]Peter[/name_m] used as slang for penis, so perhaps it is outdated? I would say that having a little [name_m]Richard[/name_m] nicknamed [name_m]Dick[/name_m] would be a no-no for that very reason, but I think [name_m]Peter[/name_m] is in the clear. And for what it is worth I like [name_m]Peter[/name_m] more than [name_m]Harvey[/name_m]!
My brother in law is [name_m]Peter[/name_m] (in his late 20s). My grandfather is also [name_m]Peter[/name_m]. It’s a STRONG name. I asked my husband if his brother was ever teased in that way and he responded, “[name_m]Peter[/name_m] is a super normal name… I don’t think people hear stuff like that (little [name_m]Peter[/name_m]) until they’re older, at which point they’re too old to tease you and you’re too old to care.” Well, I hope that’s helpful.
I like [name_m]Peter[/name_m], personally. It’s not a lazy name; you really have to enunciate to say it and so I think that makes it strong and distinguished (like another of my favorite names… [name_m]Vincent[/name_m]).
I’ve never heard [name_m]Peter[/name_m] being slang for penis. I don’t think it would be a problem. I love the name [name_m]Peter[/name_m], it’s very strong and classic! I think the name would age well, and little [name_m]Peter[/name_m] is adorable! [name_m]Harvey[/name_m] is also a great name. Either way he will be giving a beautiful name!