Pieper
An occupational name derived from German for a piper or pipe maker.
Name Census estimates that about 191 living Americans carry the first name Pieper. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pieper today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pieper births was 2013 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pieper. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
191
~ 1 in 1,794,525 Americans
Peak year
2013
18 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2022 SSA rank
#17,167
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Pieper: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pieper from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 109 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pieper by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Pieper during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Pieper
The given name Pieper is a German name that originated during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Middle Low German word "piper," which means "piper" or "one who plays the pipe." The name was likely given to children whose fathers or male ancestors were musicians, specifically those who played the pipe or similar wind instruments.
In medieval Germany, pipers and other musicians played an important role in various social and cultural events, such as celebrations, festivals, and even battles. They were often employed by noble families or traveled as part of troupes, entertaining crowds with their musical talents. The name Pieper may have been a way to honor this profession and its significance in medieval German society.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Pieper can be found in the 14th century. A document from the city of Cologne, dated around 1350, mentions a man named Johann Pieper, who was a member of the local guild of pipers and musicians. This suggests that the name was already in use during this time period.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Pieper. One of the most prominent was Johann Pieper (1504-1551), a German theologian and reformer who was a contemporary of Martin Luther. He played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and authored several influential works on theology and Christian doctrine.
Another notable figure was August Pieper (1866-1942), an American Lutheran theologian and professor at Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He was a prominent figure in the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and wrote extensively on Lutheran doctrine and biblical interpretation.
In the realm of literature, August Pieper (1821-1877) was a German poet and writer who gained recognition for his works in the romantic and naturalistic styles. His poetry often explored themes of nature and the human experience.
Additionally, Franz Pieper (1852-1931) was a German philosopher and educator who made significant contributions to the field of phenomenology. He was influenced by the works of Edmund Husserl and is known for his writings on the nature of consciousness and perception.
Finally, Karl Pieper (1886-1951) was a German architect and urban planner who played a crucial role in the reconstruction and redesign of several German cities after World War II. His work helped reshape the urban landscape of post-war Germany and influenced the principles of modern city planning.
People
Pieper + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pieper as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pieper: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pieper?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 191 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pieper going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,794,525 US residents.
Is Pieper a common name?
We classify Pieper as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 193 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Pieper most popular?
The single biggest year for Pieper was 2013, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pieper is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Pieper a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pieper in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.