According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus called the disciple Peter “the Rock.”
Matthew 16:18 records Jesus saying, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.” Peter’s original name was Simon, and Jesus’ designation connects the name Peter with the Greek word petros, meaning rock or stone. In Aramaic, the related name Cephas also means rock.
Peter was one of Jesus’ twelve apostles and appears prominently in the Gospel narratives. He is portrayed as speaking for the disciples, witnessing major events, and later denying Jesus three times before the crucifixion, a separate event already recorded in the Gospels.
Christians interpret the “rock” saying in different ways, including as a reference to Peter, his confession of faith, or both. The question’s direct biblical nickname, however, is Peter.